Senior Antimicrobial Stewardship / Clinical Pharmacist

At the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) our mission is to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards. We 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.
Our mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. We will work to ensure our people have the diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds we need to thrive, that our employees are representative of the communities we serve and feel valued and enabled to play their part in delivering our work.
Creating our working culture is an ongoing process which we are developing by listening and learning together, hearing and acting upon diverse voices and opinions to develop a common sense of identity and effective ways of working.
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Healthcare Associated Infection (HCAI) Division
The mission of this Division is to protect people from healthcare-associated and antimicrobial resistant infections, through world-leading public health microbiology, outbreak response, surveillance, research and interventions. One of its strategic priorities is for England to be a world leader in tackling Antimicrobial Resistance., Under the leadership of the AMR Lead Pharmacist, this role will co-lead on key aspects of UKHSA’s responsibilities within the Government’s National Action Plan to tackle antimicrobial resistance through improving the usage of antimicrobials, antimicrobial stewardship and public health interventions. They will also contribute to Divisional deliverables as part of the Health Protection Research Unit.
• Service delivery
• Patient and population care
• Clinical responsibilities
• Evidence, interventions and evaluation
• Research
• Staff management
• Professional development
As well as delivering similar longer-term projects, the post-holder will support the delivery of business-as-usual activities or other relevant short projects as agreed with the Lead pharmacist.
Business As Usual (BAU) activities include responding to parliamentary questions, producing briefing notes and reports to national groups e.g. English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR), it may include budget management for projects delivered through the team. It would also include involvement in a major incident if required.
As the senior antimicrobial pharmacist, you will:
+ Deputise for the ESPAUR Lead/Lead Pharmacist for the Division in providing Antimicrobial Resistance, Stewardship & Interventions advice.
+ Represent and co-lead for UKHSA in collaborative Antimicrobial Stewardship activities and contribute to developing, planning and delivery of joint AMR strategies and projects with UKHSA partners, notably ESPAUR and the UKHSA AMR Forum, in delivery of the Government’s AMR National Action Plan. Including working with internal UKHSA colleagues at operational level (Centre Directors, Field epidemiology, microbiology etc) to:
o address antimicrobial resistance across the acute and non-acute sectors
o collaborate with other specialist groups to assess appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions in primary and secondary care
o identify if there are any gaps in pharmaceutical/medicines management deliverables across UKHSA
+ Lead on UKHSA’s deliverables for the antimicrobial stewardship outcome and commitments of the 2024-29 National Action Plan on AMR.
+ Lead the clinical pharmacy input to outbreaks and incidents for which medicines or medicinal products are involved.
+ Provide high level expert medicines management advice as part of the multidisciplinary team within AMR PROGRESS, Primary Care and Interventions Unit (PCIU) and Incidents, Outbreaks and Infection (advice and) Guidance (IOIG) teams to improve and enhance the quality of patient care.
+ Establishing collaborative projects with leading researchers and specialists in academic, health service, public and voluntary sectors, including multi-centre and international projects and projects linking complex datasets across different sectors., You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of
+ An Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
+ A (1200 number of words) 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 separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview
Longlisting:
In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:
+ Meets all essential criteria
+ Meets some essential criteria
+ Meets no essential criteria
Shortlisting:
In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on
Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council
Provision of pharmacist cover in primary or secondary care including Multidisciplinary working and/or ward round experience
Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.
Please do not exceed 1200 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, and there will be a presentation required.
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).
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/
Selection Process
Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.
Fixed term posts
For Temporary Appointments, if you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment. You may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree. You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy.
Location
Hybrid any Core HQ
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 2 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQ’s (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London)
Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
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
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.
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.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

+ A thorough understanding of NHS policies, processes, structures, systems and clinical practices.
+ Experience of leading the successful design and delivery of evaluation activities across a programme.
+ Experience of writing, preparing and presenting scientific reports/project reports/ policies/procedures/ guidelines (clinical and non-clinical).
+ Ability to interpret and analyse highly complex information, translate it into actionable insights and present it appropriately for the intended audience.
+ An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Alongside your salary of £62,215, UK Health Security Agency contributes £18,023 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%