Senior Surveillance Nurse

Job summary

The post-holder will make a valuable contribution to UKHSA’s infectious disease surveillance programme and incident response.

They will work without direct supervision and are responsible for managing participants enrolled in a portfolio of surveillance and research projects primarily to support the varicella vaccination programme. The post holder will assess patients’ eligibility, recruit and follow-up participants in accordance with surveillance and study protocols in various primary and secondary care settings.

They will provide nursing input and advice to public health incident response teams as appropriate.

Job description

Clinical

• Undertake recruitment to research projects, ensuring compliance with appropriate guidelines and requirements, for example the NHS R&D Framework, GDPR.
• Communicate scientific information, both written and verbal, regarding surveillance projects, research studies and incident response to study volunteers, GPs, practice nurses, specialist hospital nurses and medical consultants.
• Assess potential participants for eligibility and obtain informed consent as appropriate.
• Undertakes venepuncture and other clinical procedures as appropriate.
• Contemporaneous and accurate documentation of all information as well as personally generated clinical observations onto source documentation, GP notes, computer records and Case Report Forms as appropriate.
• Reviews, comments and contribute to development of research protocols, SOPs, guidance, policies and participant information.
• Work with consultants and incident managers to provide nursing input into public health incident response
• Present study/surveillance data along with results at in house, national and international scientific meetings/conferences
• To assist with drafting papers for publication or reports for submission to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, regulatory agencies or other relevant parties.

Management and Leadership

• Provide leadership, for less experienced research nurses and non-clinical staff including contributing to training, appraisals and supervision etc in line with UKHSA policies.
• Manage own caseload of participants which will cover a number of surveillance and research projects

Education and training

• Support and train less experienced members of the team.
• Participate in clinical supervision.

Research

• Participation in the organisation and running of surveillance and research projects is the major function of the post.
• Undertakes literature searches in order to inform practice and standard operating procedures.

This list is not exhaustive

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Registered Nurse (RN) General
• Educated to master’s degree level in a nursing, public health or clinical research related subject or significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist area public health or clinical research
• A high level of clinical knowledge and skills
• Understanding of research methodology
• Significant experience of undertaking surveillance/research
• Demonstrated experience of co-ordinating projects in complex and challenging environments
• Understanding of ethical issues around surveillance and consent
• Highly organised and able to prioritise and manage own workload.
• Works autonomously - must be motivated and flexible.
• Effective communicator, both written and oral presentation skills
• Effective influencing skills
• Experience of successfully operating in a politically sensitive environment.
• Motivated to develop new skills and areas of expertise
• Ability to deliver high quality work to tight deadlines
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable criteria:

• Good clinical practice in research
• Experience in adult venepuncture
• Experience in paediatric venepuncture

Benefits

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. UKHSA's ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Competency Based

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 15 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1500word supporting statement.

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• Meets no essential criteria

If used, the pile(s) that meets ALL and SOME essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we may conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:

• Registered Nurse (RN) General
• Educated to master’s degree level in a nursing, public health or clinical research related subject or significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist area public health or clinical research
• Significant experience of undertaking surveillance/research

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications/large amount of successful candidates.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Competency Based

You will be invited to a single face to face interview at Colindale, London. When face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview

Interviews dates to be confirmed.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Eligibility Criteria

External: Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale, London. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata (averaged over a month) working at our campus.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a standard disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is (CTC) Counter-Terrorist Check

When based at our scientific campus, you will be required to have a minimum of a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Salary Information

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms. Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location.

NHS Pension

This role is offered under Agenda for Change (AFC) Terms and Conditions.

• If you are already on AFC T&Cs or accept the role on a fixed-term contract, you will be enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme or keep your current AFC Pension.
• If you take the role on a loan or temporary promotion, you will retain your existing, substantive T&Cs.
• If the role is available under either AFC or Civil Service T&Cs depending on your registration, your pension scheme will align accordingly.

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

International Police check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : John Inglis
• Email : john.inglis@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact the UKHSA Complaints team via email at: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Visit the Civil Service Commission website for further information: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk