Job Description and Person Specification
Level 7 Career Framework
Job Title:
Senior Public Health Intelligence Analyst / Epidemiologist / Senior
Statistician
Location:
Reports to:
Department/Division:
Job Reference:
Job Purpose
To support the development of effective and evidence-based public health information
activity. The post holder will provide input into the process of understanding health
needs in the area, addressing health inequalities, determining priorities for action,
assisting wider understanding of the characteristics of the local population and
actively disseminating the findings of a wide range of analysis.
The post holder will lead the production and development of a number of statistical
/information services and will obtain, analyse, interpret and publish information
relating to Public Health. The post holder will provide specialised advice on
epidemiology, health intelligence, statistics and statistical techniques, health data sets,
research, survey design and questionnaire design. The post holder will develop and
manage projects e.g. including major lifestyle surveys covering the local population.
The post holder will also manage staff.
Job Scope
The post holder will:
 Be a resource for data analysis, interpretation and presentation, utilising
spreadsheets, maps and analytical tools across a wide range of data sets
 Provide analysis and interpretation in response to external requests for
information
 Provide specialist advice and guidance on health intelligence issues
including the development and analysis of health related data sets and
information
 Develop tools for statistical and epidemiological analysis
 Be the lead specialist for specific datasets and methodologies
 Provide advice in statistical theory and method
 Work collaboratively with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and
other specialists on spatially referenced data sets
 Promote public health methodologies to support other public health
professionals locally and regionally
 Manage staff.
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Organisation Chart
Key Result Areas for this post

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Core Duties and Responsibilities
1. Communication and relationship
 Excellent communications skills, both oral and written, are required to receive
and analyse complex statistical information. An ability to present complex
statistical issues to non-specialist audiences and individuals where persuasion
might be required and highly complex and sensitive information to other
statistical specialists and statistical professionals e.g. development of statistical
or research methodology
 Communicate with and establish and maintain relationships with other
members of the Public Health Team, a range of other groups or individuals
seeking help, advice or information on epidemiology, statistics, statistical
methods, research, survey and/or questionnaire design related to public health
 Write and contribute to reports. These reports will vary in length and
complexity, and will range from informal summaries to detailed
comprehensive reports. It will also be necessary for the post holder to be able
to summarise these reports and disseminate their findings
 The post holder will act as a lead specialist; this will involve an element of
teaching and training, as well as providing advice.
And/Or
 Some reports will require communication of highly complex statistical
analyses and concepts, and it will be necessary to be able to explain such
analyses and finding to specialist and non-specialist audiences in a way that
they can understand the implications and the inferences arising from the
analyses within the report and be persuaded of the right course of action
 Undertake complex presentations to large groups of 20 or more on statistical
and health related matters to a variety of audiences.
2. Knowledge, Training and Experience
Through master’s level qualifications or equivalent qualifications and experience:
 Demonstrate a highly specialist and in depth knowledge of epidemiology,
statistics and information analysis related to health to enable the post holder to
provide solutions to a range of analytical and methodological issues, projects
and queries
 Knowledge and experience of undertaking surveys, statistical analyses, and
dissemination of findings with the ability to communicate complex
information to specialists and non-specialists
 In depth knowledge and experience of local and national NHS and other
relevant data sources
 Knowledge of various statistical software packages as well as database and
spreadsheets, and have the knowledge and experience to undertake complex
data management and manipulation.
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3. Analytical and Judgemental Skills
 Handle complex analytical and statistical health information issues which
require interpretation to formulate solutions.
 Use judgemental skills to derive alternative information sources and methods
of analysis when appropriate
 In conjunction with high-level technical skills, a range of complex analytical
skills are needed to appropriately identify and respond correctly to complex
epidemiological issues.
 Some analyses involve sensitive information, the post-holder needs to ensure
that the analyses are completed carefully and correctly; this involves detailed
checking and examination of the analyses produced.
And/Or
 When results are conflicting, perform sensitivity analyses. Make judgements
about the most appropriate analyses to use. Have an understanding of the
assumptions being made within each analytical technique.
 Resolve highly complex queries where there is more than one possible answer
and where leading opinion may conflict, and provide expert judgement in
deciding the most appropriate solution in the given situation
4. Planning and Organisational Skills
 The post holder will be required to manage a number of projects underway at
the same time, and it will be necessary for the post holder to plan and
coordinate other agencies/professionals as well as organise their own time to
meet deadlines
 The post holder will be required to exhibit flexibility in order to allow for
changes in information format, lack of information provided and delays in
receiving requested information
 It may be necessary for the post holder to arrange meetings with colleagues to
plan objectives and work commitments for multidisciplinary research, audits
and projects
 Project management skills are an essential within this post.
And/Or
 Develops health information strategies to support business planning for the
area.
 Contribute to the development of information strategies and policies and to
lead on individual strategies and policies for the service.
5. Physical Skills
 The post requires highly developed keyboard skills to input and
manipulate data where accuracy and continuous quality assurance is
important.
6. Responsibility for patient/client care
 There will be no clinical contacts, all contacts will be incidental.
7. Responsibility for Policy/Service Development
 Write and contribute to reports which will be used by others in the
development of policies and services to meet the organisation’s priorities,
leading on behalf of information and intelligence.
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



Support colleagues within the team by developing, maintaining and
documenting standard operational procedures relating to data collection
processes, ensuring procedures are accurate and up-to-date.
Keep abreast of relevant national information developments as part of
continuous professional development.
Identify, propose and implement changes to working practices and Health
Information policies to improve the quality of information delivery which
will impact on other disciplines or parts of the service.
Work, store and transmit data in accordance with data protection, Caldicott
Guardian, freedom of information systems and confidentiality principles.
8. Responsibility for Financial & Physical Resource
 The post holder will be expected to be responsible for the safe use of their
own equipment and ensure the computer equipment does not contravene
health and safety.
9. Responsibility for Human Resources
 Supervise students or newer colleagues offering advice and training where
required particularly around research, surveys, audits etc.
 Responsible for staff development through either 1:1 training or
supporting training/continuous professional development sessions within
the organisation
 Provide ongoing training for health intelligence staff or other professional
staff on statistical analysis and concepts
 Manages a group of Health Intelligence staff including staff development,
work allocation, recruitment and discipline.
10. Responsibility for Information Resources
 Adapt, design information systems concerning health intelligence to meet
the needs of the service.
 Be responsible for the operation of one or more health intelligence
information systems for department/service as a major responsibility
 Be responsible for identified local databases and, if necessary, change the
format of the files, merge the databases with other databases, and create a
final database which is appropriately labelled and ready for statistical
analysis
 Supervise the further development of the data management and analysis
systems. Creating systems and templates to make future analysis easier
 Support the dissemination of statistics and information to all stakeholders
via a number of different media, electronically or written reports
 Work with colleagues in other public health intelligence networks to share
and develop resources, knowledge and skills in order to improve the
efficiency, effectiveness and accessibility of information and intelligence.
11. Responsibility for Research and Development

Provide consulting advice on a range of epidemiological and statistical
issues relating to the design, conduct, analysis and dissemination of
surveys and research projects
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
Undertake surveys, audits or research to support service development e.g.
lifestyle surveys, focus groups for social marketing or user engagement.
12. Freedom to Act
 Freedom is given to work to achieve agreed objectives with the post holder
making decisions on how they may be best achieved, but staying within
broad professional or organisational policies and meeting deadlines
 Frequent use of own initiative and ability to act independently due to the
variety of information and analysis required.


And either:
Leads on a specific area for health Intelligence
Or
Team manager for a group of health intelligence staff.
13. Physical Effort
 Combination of sitting, standing and walking
 Desk based with high levels of concentration but also required to attend
meetings throughout the working week.
14. Mental Effort
 Requires frequent high level of prolonged concentration on tasks with tight
deadlines, for example, conducting statistical analyses, performing
transformation and calculations on a variety of large and intricate datasets,
performing repetitive data manipulations which involve using many
different software packages simultaneously which require focus and
concentration for long periods of time.
 There are frequent unpredictable requests by senior staff or stakeholders to
respond to immediate requests for support or urgent requests for
information
15. Emotional Effort
 Occasional exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances in relation
to discipline and grievance procedures. There will be a requirement to
deal with staff appraisal, staff performance and where required disciplinary
issues.
 May deal with distressing or emotional circumstances in relation to data
sets.
 May have to resolve and handle conflict e.g. amongst staff or with other
directorates.
16. Working Conditions
 The post is mainly office based, using the computer, collecting, collating,
analysing and reporting on data.
 Exposure to unpleasant conditions is rare
This job description is not meant to be exhaustive. It describes the main duties and
responsibilities of the post. It may be subject to change in light of developing
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organisational and service needs and wherever possible change will follow
consultation with the post holder.
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Attributes
Essential
Criteria
Test
Desirable
Qualifications
Highly specialist knowledge and experience of statistical
techniques and procedures, acquired through masters level
qualification or equivalent experience
A
ECDL qualification
Desirable
ranking
criteria
A
Knowledge and
Experience
Knowledge of current public health policy
A/I
Knowledge and use of GIS
A/I
Knowledge of the theories of project management
A/I
Extensive working knowledge of MS Office – Excel, Access,
Word & PowerPoint
A/I/T
An understanding of data security and confidentiality issues
A/I
Report writing and presentation skills
A/I
Significant experience of working with multiple sets of health
related data and information systems in health related
organisations for at least 3 years
A/I
Practical experience of accessing and appraising complex
data sets
A/I
Experience in the use of statistical and epidemiological
methodologies for analysing, interpreting and understanding
data sets in health organisations
A/I
Experience in the development of systems for the inputting,
storing and dissemination of information
A/I
Practical experience in managing and facilitating change
A/I
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Experience in the training and development of others in
information skills
A/I
Experience of dealing with external stakeholders including
the Local Authority
Disposition,
Skills and
Abilities
Criteria Test:
Ability to develop and deliver complex
statistical/epidemiological presentations to large audiences
A/I/T
Conscientious and proven team worker with the ability to
engage with people at all levels
A/I/T
Ability to work independently as well as a member of a team
as a self manager with high levels of motivation and a
flexible approach to work.
A/I/T
Highly numerate with skills and experience of the analysis
and interpretation of data
A/I/T
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with
experience in disseminating information via written reports
and presentations to a wide range of audiences in terms of
both size and composition
A/I/T
Experience project based working
A/I
Organisational Skills, ability to prioritise workloads within
timescales and meet deadlines.
A/I
A = Application Form
I = Interview
T = Test
Experience of analysing and interpreting health,
healthcare or demographic data or local
authority data
P = Presentation
A/I
R = Refererences
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