An exciting opportunity has arisen to join and lead the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Team at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (OUH).
As the Lead and Manager of Infection Prevention and Control you will report to and work closely with, and deputise as appropriate for the Director of Infection Prevention and Control. You will provide the highest profile leadership to ensure compliance with the Health and Social Care Act. The post holder will be visible and accessible, working across all Trust sites. The post holder will lead and manage a large multi-disciplinary team to ensure a high-quality Infection Prevention and Control 7-day service across OUH.
The IPC team benefits strong Executive level support at OUH, and the post holder will be an integral member of the Chief Medical Officer’s Team. The IPC team has unique access to the combined expertise of the ID/Microbiology Consultant team together with the Modernising Medical Microbiology and Big Infection Diagnostics | NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre to investigate healthcare associated infection and manage outbreaks in collaboration with Oxford University. Activation as airborne HCID regional facility as part of the national HCID network is anticipated in April 2025.
The post holder will practice at an advanced level demonstrating a high level of autonomy and clinical decision-making in Infection Prevention and Control matters. The post is available to clinicians educated to Masters (or equivalent) level who have evidence of infection prevention and control qualification and significant clinical practice in this specialist field of work within an acute hospital.
The post holder will ensure there is an innovative, collaborative multi-disciplinary service which effectively maintains a strong commitment to evidence-based practice, world leading research, and effective management and leadership, as enablers to deliver high quality infection prevention and control for patients and staff.
Provide expert leadership in all aspects of infection prevention and control across all Trust sites and work collaboratively with Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire (BOB) integrated care system (ICS).
Closing date – Sunday 30 March 2025 23.59
Interview date – Monday 7 April 2025
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.
We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel .

• Be responsible for setting and supporting the objectives of the Infection Prevention and Control Team and providing the assurance to the Trust Board (through the Director of Infection Prevention and Control) that best practice is being achieved across the organisation.

Work across professional and organisational boundaries to develop local services that meet national and international benchmarks. As necessary, lead on behaviour change to implement and sustain continuous quality improvement in infection prevention and control

• Lead and manage the infection prevention and control team. The wider infection prevention and control team includes data management, High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID), sepsis, decontamination and continence specialist team members. Develop the professional roles of its members to be able to respond independently to critical incidents and unanticipated challenges, where necessary in collaboration with the relevant professional leads.
• Represent the Infection Prevention and Control service at meetings locally, regionally and nationally and deputise for the DIPC as appropriate.

Produce high quality written and verbal reports including the Infection Prevention and Control Plan and the Annual Infection Prevention and Control Report, together with regular reports for the Hospital Infection Prevention and Control Committee and the Trust Board, according to required deadlines.

• Provide IPC advice on new builds, premises and refurbishment projects in conjunction with the Estates and facilities department and relevant specialities to meet the national guidance and local standards.
• Develop improved surveillance in all aspects of infection prevention and control. The focus will be on continuous quality improvement; key areas will be antimicrobial management (in collaboration with the Lead Pharmacist in Antimicrobial Stewardship), surgical site infection surveillance, other healthcare associated infections for example ventilator associated infection and catheter associated urinary tract infections, and the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance.
• Develop policy, standards, protocols, systems and competence for managing evidence-based care, utilising leadership and change management skills.
• Take a leading role in clinical governance, providing expert input to secure continuous quality improvement across all Divisions. Lead on preparations for relevant elements of National Peer Review programmes, Care Quality Commission Inspections, and other external professional, commissioner or regulator reviews.

Assimilate and synthesise research-based evidence into infection control practice. Championing new developments in health care by translating policy and research evidence to inform patient care and service delivery.

• Provide advice in the Trust procurement and tendering process in matters pertaining to infection prevention and control to ensure a balance between best financial value and best quality value in medical equipment, consumables, and resource provision for the Trust, including soft services facilities management.
• Manage the budget for infection prevention and control, including the CPD budget, keeping establishment and service developments under review, with regular meetings with the allocated Finance Manager.
• The post holder is required to work flexibly within the IPC team structure to ensure that a comprehensive service is provided to the Trust. This may include weekends or Bank holidays during declared major infection outbreaks.
• A full job description and person specification is included in the recruitment pack.

Please refer the Job description for details