Job Description
Advanced Practitioner Infection Control
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Job Title:
Advanced Practitioner Infection Control for NHS Western Isles
Band:
7
Based:
Western Isles Hospital
Reports to:
Infection Control Manager
Hours of duty:
37. 5 hours per week plus involvement in out of hours duties as
required
No of jobholders: 1
2 Job Purpose
The post holder assists in the infection prevention and control services provided to NHS
Western Isles and has the responsibility for the Hospital division. The function of the
service is to deliver a comprehensive infection control service throughout the NHS Western
Isles in order to minimise the risk of healthcare associated infection to patients, staff visitors
and others. The service will be in compliance with NHSScotland infection control
standards
By using evidence-based knowledge and a pro-active approach, work with the Acute
sector, and primary care, assist with Public Health within NHS Western Isles Health
Board in the prevention, surveillance, investigation, and control of infection and
communicable disease within the Western Isles
The post holder will implement the Annual Planned Programme based on the priorities
identified in national standards and will be instrumental in producing the Infection Control
Annual Report. The Infection Control Annual is submitted for approval to the Control of
Infection Committee, Risk and Management Committee and the Chief Executive.
3 Dimensions
The post requires the development, management and delivery of the infection control
service throughout NHS Western Isles
The post holder gives highly specialised advice to directors, senior managers and key
committees, e.g. Control of Infection Committee. The post holder also provides infection
control advice to NHS Western Isles Infection Control Advisory Committee
The service is provided to all grades of staff within all disciplines, including nursing,
medical, allied health professional and support services staff. . The services covers all wards
and department in the 3 hospitals
Where requested assistance is given to the Public Health Department to provide infection
control advice in the community setting, including nursing and residential homes, e.g. in the
management of outbreaks.
The post holder also provides specialist knowledge and advice relating to the prevention
and control of infection to community care environments e.g. Hospice, care homes, to the
general public, other statutory sector, private and voluntary organisations.
CEO
4 Organisational Chart
Nurse Director
Infection Control
Manager
Advanced Practitioner
Infection Control (this post)
Infection control
Doctor
Infection Control
Administration Assistant
Surveillance and Audit Nurse
x2
5 Role of the Infection Control Department
Infection Control is a high priority for the NHS in Scotland. The infection Control Team
aims to ensure the provision of a managed environment, which minimises the risk of
infection to all patients, staff, carers and relatives. The infection control team provides a
service to the whole of the Western Isles NHS area and at present consists of an Infection
Control Manager, 2 Infection Control Doctors (based in Glasgow) 1 Specialist Practitioners
Infection Control, 2 Audit and Surveillance Nurses and one Administration Assistant.
The Infection Control Department provides a comprehensive infection prevention and
control service to NHS Western Isles and other previously named organisations. The key
functions of the department are:
Policy & guideline provision
Audit
Education
Surveillance
Outbreak management
6 Key Result Areas
Play a significant key role as a member of the Infection Control Team as the Infection
Control Doctors provide an on call service and advisory service only.
Development, management and delivery of infection control service Hospital Divisions
Western Isles
The post holder is responsible for developing, managing and delivering an effective
infection control service to the above as well as providing information and advice to the
community care environments e.g. Hospice, care homes, to the general public, other
statutory sector, private and voluntary organisations.
The NHS Western isles infection control service must meet the requirements detailed in the
Scottish Infection Manual and the QIS Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI): Infection
Control Standards.
Annual Planned Programme
The post holder will lead the implementation of the Annual Planned programme which has
clearly defined objectives and priorities for the forthcoming year.
Annual Report
The post holder will have input into the Annual Report on the delivery of the Infection
Control Planned Programme. This report is submitted to the Infection Control Committee,
Risk Management Committee and Chief Executive for scrutiny and approval.
Policy Provision
The post holder takes the lead and responsibility for assessing the infection control policy
and guideline requirements of NHS Western Isle. Where required the post holder will lead
the development of new policies and guidelines and undertake regular reviews of existing
policies and guidelines within agreed review dates.
Hand Hygiene Co-ordinator
The post holder will take the lead on this national programme. Ensuring that NHS Western
Isles achieves the required compliance rates as specified by the Scottish Government.
Audit
The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that the comprehensive infection control
audit programmes progressed will ensure that infection control practices are maintained in
the clinical environment. The post holder will ensure that results are reported back to
clinical and non-clinical operational staff, managers and relevant committees in an
appropriate format to allow remedial action and service improvements to be undertaken.
The post holder will review all action plans submitted by the appropriate staff.
Education
The post holder will be pro active in assessing the infection control education and training
needs of NHS Western Isles, delivering appropriate education and training to all grades of
clinical and non-clinical staff. The education and training provided will be both formal and
informal.
The post holder with other members of the IC team provide IC induction training to all new
starts every 6-8 weeks
The post holder with other members of the IC team will provide IC education and training
to pre registration students of University of Stirling Students. (Approx 8 sessions per year).
The post holder will work with groups of staff to ensure awareness and understanding of the
implications of surveillance/audit programmes prior to their commencement
The post holder will deal with queries from professionals and members of the public
regarding infection control and communicable diseases.
The post holder will lead the Hand Hygiene education programme and will be responsible
for liaising with Health Protection Scotland for the Hand Hygiene Campaign.
The above is not intended to be exhaustive but merely indicates the main duties of the post.
Surveillance
The post holder will be responsible for the day to day IC surveillance, monitoring of the
surveillance systems for setting up and maintaining a programme of alert organism and
condition surveillance throughout NHS Western Isles.
Where agreed, the post holder will facilitate other surveillance programmes within NHS
Western Isles.
Outbreak Management
The post holder will play a leading role in identifying outbreaks and takes part in managing
outbreaks of infection within NHS Western Isles. This involves investigation; collection and
collation of data; instructing on control measures; liaising with relevant parties including
management, Infection Control Doctors, laboratory, and Public Health.
The post holder will work closely with, and assist the Director of Public Health as a
member of the Health Protection Team by assisting with the management of outbreaks of
infection e.g. meningitis, hepatitis B, and diarrhoeal infections.
7a. EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY
The equipment operated routinely by the post holder include
PC – Desktop, Laptop
Digital camera
PowerPoint projector
7b. SYSTEMS
The post holder will produce and maintain manual and electronic patient information
records relating to the infection control input into patient care.
The post holder will produce and maintain a record of information on all patients referred to
the infection Control. This data will be analysed by the post holder to produce summary to
be included in annual reports to the Infection Control Committee and the Risk and
management Group.
The post holder will produce and maintain records of all audit data collected. This
information will be manipulated and analysed by the post holder to produce individual audit
reports for operational staff and managers as well as summary reports for the Infection
Control Committee and the Risk Management Group.
8. ASSIGNMENT AND REVIEW OF WORK
The post holder will assist in the planning and prioritising the work of NHS Western Isles
Infection Control Team within the framework of the Annual Planned Programme. The post
holder will prioritising work that is generated by national reports, guidance and evidence
based research, which is not included in the planned programme. Directors, the Infection
Control Committee and the Risk Management Group may delegate work. The post holder
must ensure that unforeseen incidents such as outbreaks that require immediate action, such
as the closure of wards, are appropriately managed and prioritised.
9. DECISIONS AND JUDGEMENTS
Within the broad framework of the Annual Planned Programme and the quarterly meetings
of the Infection Control Committee the post holder will participate in making decisions on
the day-to-day management and activities. This includes:
10.
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Scheduling the activities in the planned programme,
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Prioritising work generated out with the planned programme, such as SEHD
infection control directives or evidence based research guidance, and integrating
these into the activities of the Infection Control Team
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analysing data collected from infection control audits and surveillance programmes
and using this data to plan, prioritise and implement infection control measures and
activities.
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risk assessing and advising on the infection control management of individual
patients.
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responding on a daily basis to requests from staff and managers for infection control
advice or input
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taking a lead in the management of outbreaks of infectious disease. This includes
closure of wards, isolating/cohorting patients, increasing cleaning frequencies in
clinical areas.
MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB
The most challenging aspect of the job is ensuring that high quality infection control advice
and input is maintained across the whole spectrum of NHS Western isles from clinical to
non-clinical services at all levels from directors to untrained operational staff. This creates
enormous and varied demands.
11. COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
The post holder is be required to be an effective and diplomatic communicator working with
all grades of clinical and non clinical staff (e.g. consultants, doctors, senior nurses, general
manager, nursing staff, administrative staff etc) as well as a range of personnel from
external agencies. Maintaining relationships and gaining the co-operation of all staff is an
essential, therefore the post holder requires skills in being able motivate, negotiate and
persuade staff to comply with good infection control practice. The post holder will
communicate highly specialised information in an appropriate and easily understood
manner, both verbal and written, to staff, patients, relatives, visitors, staff of other
organisations and the general public.
Internal
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Consultant Microbiologists
Director of Public Health
Senior Managers
Laboratory Staff
Clinical staff of all disciplines trained and untrained
Senior Nurse Managers
General Managers
Hotel Services
Facilities Manager
Department Managers
Nursing Staff
Risk Management
Occupational Health
Health and Safety
All members of the Multi Disciplinary Team
Patients and relatives
External
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Quality Improvement Scotland
Other NHS Boards
General Practitioners
Health Protection Scotland
Public Health Department
Environmental Health Officers
Western Isles Council social services
The post holder will utilise a range of communication methods including:
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Written reports
Verbal reports
E-mail
PowerPoint Presentations
Meetings
Training/education sessions to target audiences ranging from 1-30 individuals
The purpose of the communication includes
 Informing and advising directors, senior managers and Committees
 Advising and instructing staff on infection control policies and procedures
 Risk assessment
 Prioritising prevention and control of infection requirements based on available
resources
 Effective outbreak management
 Policy and guideline development
 Explaining infection control measures to patients and relatives
 Advising occupational health and individual staff on fitness to work
12 PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB
PHYSICAL EFFORT/SKILLS:
The potholder is required to sit for prolonged periods at a PC
The post holder must have keyboard skills to allow the daily use of a PC
It is essential that the post holder is a car driver. The post holder will be expected to travel
several times a year within and out with NHS Western Isles.
MENTAL EFFORT/SKILLS:
The post holder requires undertaking prolonged periods of intense concentration on
specialised issues and being able to assimilate complex scientific, technical and researchbased information. This post holder must summarise and present complex information in a
manner that is easily understood by the target audience, which includes staff at all, levels of
the organisation. Strict deadlines set by Directors, committees and the SEHD all have to be
met.
The work pattern is very unpredictable based on the requirements of clinical and nonclinical departments and the organisation, as well as that of external agencies. Infection
Control emergencies such as outbreaks take priority and require immediate action. As well
as having to adjust and respond to the constantly changing and developing situation the post
holder must be able re-prioritise the original goals and activities that were being undertaken
before the emergency situation arose.
EMOTIONAL EFFORT/SKILLS:
The national profile of healthcare associated infection can make it difficult to deal with the
conflict that can arise between public/media perceptions of infection control and the reality.
The post holder will occasionally deal with distressed patients and relatives to explain the
rationale for infection control measures such as isolation.
Being a rural island setting relatives and patients can contact the post holder direct to seek
information or advice, patient and relatives can often be upset and sometimes angry.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Advanced Practitioner Infection Control for NHS Western Isles
CRITERIA
ESSENTIAL
Qualification/Experience
First level RGN
Educated to degree level with
a post graduate Advanced
Practitioner qualification in
Infection control. Minimum 5 years
Experience at a senior level within a
Infection Control Team.
General and clinical
skills /ability
Self reliant practitioner
Assertive communicator
with the ability to be
diplomatic
Excellent verbal, written
and communication skills
Presentation skills
Ability to work under pressure
Word processing and computing
Skills
Excellent organisational skills
Ability to work effectively in team
settings
Management skills/
Experience
Knowledge
Project management
Comprehensive understanding of
Infection control issues
DESIRABLE
Masters level
or relevant
experience
Ability to lead
projects
Understanding
and experience
of objective
Setting
Knowledge of
communicable
disease issues