Job summary
- Main area
- head of Infection prevention
- Grade
- Band 8b
- Contract
- 6 months (fixed term)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 382-COR27-25
- Employer
- Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Blackpool NHS foundation trust
- Town
- Blackpool
- Salary
- £64,455 - £74,896 per anum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 14/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Head Infection Prevention Nurse
Band 8b
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is situated on the west coast of Lancashire, with services covering the local authority areas of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. The Trust is part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) supporting a population of around 1.6 million people.
We have three main hospitals providing acute services to around 330,000 local residents. The organisation also provides specialist tertiary care for cardiac and haematology services, delivers community health services to over 445,000 residents including those in North Lancashire and hosts the National Artificial Eye Service across England. Plus, we provide urgent and emergency care services to an estimated 18 million people who visit the seaside resort each year. We employ over 7000 people from 68 different countries.
We welcome and encourage application from anyone with protected characteristics, as well as supporting reservists and Veterans who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career within the NHS.
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals encourages flexible working in all our roles to support staff in maintaining healthy home-life balance. Working patterns such as: part time working, self-rostering, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time, reverse term time and flexitime working can be explored.
Job overview
An Infection Control Lead Nurse plays a vital role in preventing and controlling infections within a healthcare setting. They are responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating infection prevention and control programs, providing expert guidance to staff, and ensuring compliance with relevant policies and guidelines. Their work contributes to patient safety and the overall quality of care.
Main duties of the job
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Developing and Implementing Programs:This includes creating, updating, and overseeing infection prevention and control policies and procedures.
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Surveillance and Data Analysis:Monitoring infection rates, identifying trends, and analyzing data to guide interventions and improve practices.
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Education and Training:Providing education and training to healthcare staff on infection control best practices, including hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, and outbreak management.
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Auditing and Monitoring:Conducting regular audits of clinical areas and practices to assess compliance with infection control standards and identify areas for improvement.
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Outbreak Management:Assisting in the investigation and management of infection outbreaks, including implementing control measures and communicating with relevant stakeholders.
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Consultation and Collaboration:Providing expert advice and guidance to healthcare professionals on infection control issues and collaborating with other departments and disciplines to ensure a coordinated approach.
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Staying Up-to-Date:Keeping abreast of the latest research, guidelines, and best practices in infection prevention and control.
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Promoting a Culture of Safety:Fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement in infection prevention and control throughout the organization
Working for our organisation
BTH are committed to fostering a positive and inclusive work environment where every individual is respected, valued, and supported. We recognise that our greatest asset is our people, and we strive to attract and retain professionals who embody our core values. To address previous challenges and promote a culture of excellence, we are seeking individuals who align with our renewed commitment to the values of caring, safe and respectful
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Developing and implementing infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies to maintain high standards of patient safety.
- Creating, implementing, and evaluating IPC guidance and policies.
- Contributing to the development of major service delivery and transformation plans.
- Leading and maintaining the IPC Link practitioner network.
- Providing expert guidance and support to clinical teams on best practices.
- Conducting regular audits and inspections to assess compliance with IPC policies.
- Investigating and analyzing surgical site infections.
- Providing expert advice and support on all matters related to IPC.
- Educating and training healthcare staff and patients on IPC practices.
- Developing and delivering training programs related to IPC.
- Promoting a culture of continuous improvement by sharing audit findings and engaging staff in IPC initiatives.
- Managing and leading outbreak investigations.
- Developing and implementing action plans to manage outbreaks.
- Working with relevant stakeholders, including Public Health, to manage and resolve outbreaks.
- Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including housekeeping and estates, to ensure compliance with IPC policies.
- Working with other healthcare staff, including specialist doctors, nurses, and microbiologists.
- Communicating effectively with key internal and external stakeholders.
- Monitoring and evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of IPC policies, procedures, and guidelines.
- Analyzing data related to infection rates and trends.
- Contributing to prospective healthcare-related infection and antibiotic surveillance programs
Person specification
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
Essential criteria
- Registered Nurse (first level).
- Education to degree level.
- Recognised infection control qualification.
- ENB 998 or equivalent teaching qualification.
- Specialist infection prevention training such as ventilation, decontamination
- Track record of significant continuous personal development.
Desirable criteria
- degree level education
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
Essential criteria
- A minimum of 3 years’ experience as a senior specialist nurse in infection prevention
- Experience of managing a team.
- Experience of project and change management in infection control
- Experience of working in a constant changing environment.
- Experience of undertaking audit and research.
- Experience of undertaking presentations to large groups/conferences.
- Contribution to infection prevention and control at a regional or national level.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of joint working with academic institutions ensuring the development of research programmes within the workplace.
- Evidence of publications, conference presentations
SKILLS AND ABILITY
Essential criteria
- Ability to write and review policies in a timely and effective manner.
- Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills.
- Literate and numerate in English.
- Teaching on specialist area to students, clinical and non-clinical staff.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
- Ability to lead and work as part of close-knit team.
- Able to use IT system in use in the Trust e.g. Microsoft Office, PAS, ICNet, etc.
- Budgetary management skills.
- Demonstrates strong negotiation and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work strategically and at all levels across organisational and professional boundaries and at the patient level.
- Demonstrate a high level of infection control expertise and ability to work autonomously.
- Able to analyse complex information and facilitate the application of theory to practice.
- Ability to be flexible and adaptable at work to meet competing priorities.
- Good understanding of the meaning of clinical supervision/mentoring.
- Understanding of personal health and safety responsibility and risk management.
- An understanding of equality within the workforce and how it can impact on this post.
- Able to carry out concurrent activities (multi-tasking) work in an unpredictable working pattern.
- Presents a positive, professional image.
- Able to always keep self-motivated
- Displays maturity/self-awareness when dealing with different situations.
- Ability to identify the priorities of the organisation and be proactive in addressing these through work planning and service development in a manner that ensures service equality.
- Ability to travel between sites.
- Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service.
- Able to attend conferences and meetings.
- Able to work in different environments effectively.
- Car owner/driver.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lisa Horkin
- Job title
- Associate Director of Nursing
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01253 951285
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