Contact Tracer / Health Protection Practitioner (Measles)

at  NHS Professionals

Job Introduction
The mission of the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards. They are a trusted source of advice to government and to the public, focusing on reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.
UKHSA’s local Health Protection teams provide a central part of how UKHSA works with partners to deliver its first function to protect the public’s health. They deliver this through a range of core functions including surveillance and monitoring, operational support and advice, education, training and research.
The Health Protection teams are monitoring and responding to the current Measles outbreak, and they are looking for experienced Contact Tracers / Health Protection Practitioners to aid in the provision of the health protection function, including the management of infectious and environmental hazards and contributing to the response to the Measles incident.
The post holder will use specialist knowledge and skills to undertake case management, liaise with, and provide health protection advice and response across a range of partner organisations, professionals and the public.

Main Responsibilities

• Undertake initial assessment of escalated Measles cases, as well as manage routine acute response work and non-complex incidents.
• Contribute to and support the day to day running of the acute response function to ensure high quality, safe and effective delivery of the health protection service.
• Provide first point of contact specialist knowledge, support and advice to health professionals on health protection matters.
• Contribute to and where required lead under supervision the ongoing longer term management of issues relevant to a defined geographical area.
• Contribute to and support the UKHSA regional input into Emergency Planning arrangements.
• Escalate and support the management of complex incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases and non-infectious environmental hazards as appropriate.
• Manage and carry out continuing responsibility for a caseload ensuring accurate, up to date records of contacts/action by completion of relevant records and compliance with team handover procedures, in line with UKHSA’s standards for record keeping.

The Ideal Candidate

• Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional in relevant clinical discipline with current professional registration e.g. NMC.
• Working towards registration with an appropriate health or science related professional body.
• Post registration experience as a practitioner in a related field.
• Experience of risk management and associated reporting.
• Experience of building and developing effective stakeholder relationships.
• Proven ability to problem solve whilst working in an unpredictable environment, often under pressure and to tight timescales.
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, and in relation to management systems.
• Previous Covid - 19 Test and Trace Contact Tracing experience is preferred, however not essential.

• Undertake initial assessment of escalated Measles cases, as well as manage routine acute response work and non-complex incidents.
• Contribute to and support the day to day running of the acute response function to ensure high quality, safe and effective delivery of the health protection service.
• Provide first point of contact specialist knowledge, support and advice to health professionals on health protection matters.
• Contribute to and where required lead under supervision the ongoing longer term management of issues relevant to a defined geographical area.
• Contribute to and support the UKHSA regional input into Emergency Planning arrangements.
• Escalate and support the management of complex incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases and non-infectious environmental hazards as appropriate.
• Manage and carry out continuing responsibility for a caseload ensuring accurate, up to date records of contacts/action by completion of relevant records and compliance with team handover procedures, in line with UKHSA’s standards for record keeping