Infection Control Practitioner

Job summary

hours per week. We are looking for a full time Band 5 registeredPractitioner to join our Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Team. We provide an IPC service to all theInpatient, Mental Health and Community Teams across Livewell South West. Wealso provide a Mask Fit service and manage the staff Flu campaign. The ideal candidate would be confident,resilient, supportive and versatile with a keen interest in InfectionPrevention and Control. You would need to be adaptive to the challenges thatimpact services and have the ability to communicate with and advise Teams andServices in a clear, consistent and systematic manner. We are look forward to welcoming a motivated Practitioner to our Team.

Main duties of the job

To work with members of theInfection Prevention and Care Team (IPCT) in the prevention, surveillance, RCAinvestigation and control of hospital infection prevention and control andprovide training and audits both within LSW and the independent sector nursing and residential homes.

To develop skills which enable theprovision of clinical advice and support to staff throughout the Organisationand the independent sector.

To provide advice and training forLSW staff and independent sector staff

To be aware of current trends andresearch findings relating to infection prevention and control in clinicalpractice and support services and to ensure that relevant developments arecommunicated to the appropriate staff.

To support the IPC Team Managerwith Covid-19 response across LSW

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise providing integrated health & social care services for people across Plymouth, South Hams & West Devon, as well as some specialist services for people living in parts of Devon & Cornwall. With teams in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, health & wellbeing hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience, we always value being kind, respectful, inclusive, ambitious, responsible and collaborative. Transforming services to make them sustainable, ensuring that we value, support & empower each other.

We are committed to involving the people we care for, families & carers in everything that we do, working towards co-production where we can. Helping us to deliver the right care for people, in the right place & at the right time. By putting people at the centre of what we do, we ensure to support people to lead, healthy independent lives & be the very best at helping people to live well.

Valuing our employees making an investment in their development a priority. We offer:

Protected CPD time for registered staff

Various development pathways and ongoing regular training packages for all staff

Leadership & mentoring programmes

Access & funding for training including Care Certificate, Assistant Practitioners Course & Scholarship Into Nurse Training

A Robust Preceptorship

A bespoke induction programme

Existing members of the NHS Pension Scheme can continue their membership when they join the organisation.

Job description

Job responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

5.1Responsibility for People Management

To Line manage other members of the IPCT who are band 4 or below.

With support develop own management skills relating to workload and personal and professional development.

To work with other members of the IPCT to maintain high standards of infection prevention and care.

To collaborate with other members of the IPCT in the provision of an efficient and effective service.

To develop the role, with support, maintaining good working relationships with all wards and departments and the independent sector. To work with staff to identify infection hazards, and effectively manage the associated risks

Act as a Practice Supervisor to students and colleagues, participating in induction programmes, guiding practice, and assessing competence to develop staff.

Work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team and participate in the induction of locum staff to policies and routine.

5.2Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources

To work with the Estates Manager. Hotel Services Team and IPC Team Manager to coordinate responses to disease outbreak and management in clinical settings

To support the PPE store and Stocks for the organisation with support from procurement, Professional Lead and IPC Team Manager.

Maintain any equipment within the team.

5.3Responsibility for administration

Collects relevant clinical data for use by the Infection Prevention and Care Team and assisting with maintenance of records and statistics on hospital infection

Assists with the establishment and revision of policies relating to infection control with other members of the Team.

To maintain accurate records of hospital infection and clinical advice given.

To use team resources shared drives, databases and emails.

5.4Responsibility for people who use our services

Sustain effective communications with other roles involved in the Local health Community as required to ensure good team working and collaborative working practices in particular resulting in high standards of clinical care with the IPC team Manager.

To attend regular line management meetings, to include performance against job description

To complete and support other members of the IPC team in completing audits. Once complete ensure reports are sent to the service manager responsible for the clinical area, the IPC Team Manager and the relevant facilities manager. It is expected that each area will produce a plan of action; the IPC Team Manager will oversee these plans.

To ensure provision of leaflets in a range of formats for patients and visitors.

To contribute to regular wellbeing walkabouts with key services such as Risk and Hotel services to produce reports and action plans post visit.

Disseminate new guidance across the organisation.

Investigate outbreaks of hospital infection and at times in the independent sector and implement control measures

To identify, investigate, monitor and rectify hazardous practices or procedures, relating to risk of infection.

To work with the Hotel services in an advisory and supportive capacity to ensure correct decontamination practices are followed.

To assist in projects and developments requiring infection prevention and control knowledge ( Site Redevelopment).

5.5Responsibility for implementation of policy and/or service developments

To assist with the evaluation and updating of Infection Control Policies for LSW in conjunction with the IPC Team Manager and UHP.

To participate in auditing those policies and advise appropriately thus ensuring a high quality service and a safe environment for Patients, staff and visitors

To liaise with other specialist disciplines ( Tissue Viability; Continence; Review Team; District Nurses, Pharmacists and Hotel Services) to ensure infection prevention and control receives a high priority in these areas.

To undertake infection surveillance and to participate in new developments of surveillance

To maintain accurate records of hospital infection as required by the IPCT

To support the Ward Manager with the completion of RCAs patients acquiring any infection or sepsis in Livewell care.

To support the response to Covid-19, ensuring the team response is robust and timely for services.

Responsibilities

Education and training Responsibilities

To provide information regarding infection prevention and control issues for all new staff during induction training and to participate in the mandatory training programme when competent to do so

To develop the link nurse scheme supporting the IPC Clinical Assistant, for LSW staff and ensure that they receive regular information and training and disseminate this information to their colleagues

To contribute to the organisation of Micro Teaching, workshops and courses in line with the annual plan which include the independent sector

To participate in the education of all hospital personnel in methods of infection control, and with support from IPCT establish educational programmes to meet the needs of all staff

To develop the role as a nursing resource and provide information regarding infection prevention and control issues to patients and visitors

To undergo further educational opportunities/training appropriate with this role (once fully competent leading to B6 role). To develop and maintain personal development in this speciality, so that advice and information given is based on accurate, current, evidence based knowledge

Health and Safety

With the Team Manager be responsible for ensuring that all necessary risk assessments are carried out within their department in liaison with relevant sources of specialist support and expertise within the LSW. They are also responsible for ensuring that the risk management process is completed appropriately.

To assist with identifying, investigating, monitoring and rectifying hazardous practices or procedures, relating to risk of infection.

To work with Occupational Health regarding infection prevention and control issues which involve staff.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Registered practitioner with demonstrable post registration experience.

Desirable

Evidence of or working towards Diploma level study; Specialist Infection control qualification or will undertake a course. Teaching Experience

Experience

Essential

Interest/experience with the speciality. Band 5 working in a relevant area. Working autonomously

Desirable

Demonstrable experience in infection, prevention and care roles.

Skills

Essential

Judgements involve complex facts, which require interpretation and consideration against a range of options. Effective influencing skills. Teaching and mentoring skills. Ability to demonstrate organisational skills. Ability to facilitate change within any work place. Supervisory skills. Works in a calm and organised manner and mixes in well as part of cohesive team. Ability to set own goals and work without supervision.

Desirable

Experience of delivering presentations. Experience of presenting and simple analysis of IPC data.

Additional Requirements

Essential

Participate in product evaluation and clinical & environmental audits across LSW and local stakeholders. Frequent requirement of concentration. Unpredictable work pattern which is often interrupted.

Knowledge

Essential

Evidence of recent CPD. An awareness of research and evidence based practice within setting. Awareness of IPC and legislation

---