Health Protection Nurse (Tuberculosis)

We are looking for an experienced nurse to work with us in the National TB Unit, which is part of the Tuberculosis (TB), Acute Respiratory, Zoonoses, Emerging infection, and Travel health division (TARZET) in UKHSA. The TB Unit has a multidisciplinary team delivering surveillance, epidemiology, public health and clinical advice, microbiology and incident and outbreak response, and advice to government.
The post holder will provide specialist expertise in nursing and public health aspects of TB care, prevention and control including supporting the delivery of the objectives of the national ‘TB Action Plan 2021-2026.
The post holder will provide support and advocate for a dedicated TB nursing workforce in providing high-quality person-centred care from early detection of active TB disease and latent TB infection to treatment completion as a key pillar of our strategy to bring down TB rates in this country.
This is a part time post working 18.75hrs per week across Monday, Thursday, Friday. There is some flexibility which can be discussed at interview stage., + Provide day to day clinical response highly using specialist knowledge to health professionals
+ Work in partnership with other members of the TB Unit to ensure a coordinated high-quality specialist clinical and public health service is available
+ Escalate and support the management of complex TB incidents and outbreaks as appropriate
+ Manage and maintain continuity for designated TB incidents and outbreaks, ensuring accurate, up to date records of contacts/action by completion of relevant records and compliance with the unit’s handover procedures, in line with PHEs standards for record keeping
+ Provide advice about BCG immunisation to health and allied professionals
+ Lead on defined areas of work in TB workforce development activities
+ Support & respond to Parliamentary Business
+ Contribute to the ongoing development of the National TB surveillance system, supporting TB Nurse users
+ Contribute to the use of surveillance outputs to inform and influence local and national Public Health actions, policies, and strategies., This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your Qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Competency-based assessment.
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above listed (9) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
+ Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
+ 1000 word Statement of Suitability.
This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
Shortlisting:
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview (competency based)
You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.
Interviews will be held week commencing 20th January 2025. Please note, these dates are subject to change.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Eligibility Criteria - External
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Location
This role is being offered as hybrid working. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQ’s (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London).
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone.
To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you.
An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work.
This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme.
If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should:
Contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police check:
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.
Careers website:
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

+ Professional registration to Nursing Midwifery Council - RGN
+ Post registration qualification/training in subject(s) relevant to tuberculosis OR Public Health
+ Post registration experience as a practitioner in a related field
+ Experience of building and developing effective stakeholder relationships
+ Sound knowledge of the principles of TB prevention, management and control including using Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) data and social networking analysis
+ Proven ability to problem-solve whilst working in an unpredictable environment, often under pressure and to tight timescales
+ Ability to effectively engage with others to influence and negotiate for positive outcomes
+ Excellent planning and prioritisation skills and ability to manage competing demands
+ An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Alongside your salary of £46,148, UK Health Security Agency contributes £13,369 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ Learning and development tailored to your role
+ An environment with flexible working options
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
+ A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%