Specialist Practitioner Infection Prevention and Control in Crewe

Specialist Practitioner Infection Prevention and Control

A Vacancy at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

We are delighted to be able to invite Specialist Infection Prevention Control Practitioners the opportunity to join our friendly IPC team.

This comes at a very exciting time for the Trust as we play a critical role transforming our healthcare delivery in the New Hospital Programme.

The role of Specialist Infection Prevention and Control Practitioner will be key to delivery of specialist advice across Mid Cheshire NHS Foundation Trust (MCHFT) and Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership (CCICP) Acute and Community Services.

The post holder will have a high visible presence in clinical areas and assist the Director of Infection Prevention and Control, Head of Nursing, Matron and all members of the Infection Prevention and Control team in the provision of a comprehensive Infection Prevention and Control Service across the health economy.

The Specialist Practitioner Infection Prevention and Control will work as part of a multidisciplinary team and apply their enhanced skills, knowledge, and experience to contribute to episodes of care.

• Provide high standard complex, enhanced care , using enhanced levels of clinical judgement, skills, and knowledge.
• Critically evaluate and analyse clinical problems using expertise and clinical knowledge, seeking out and applying relevant evidence, enhanced clinical assessments, diagnostics, interventions, and equipment to make clinical decisions.
• Deliver complex care in the context of continual change, challenging environments, different models of care delivery, innovation and rapidly evolving technologies using critical analysis and their underpinning knowledge to manage complex interventions.
• Teach and advise others and/or support the multi-disciplinary team
• Participate in clinical audits, research projects, and implement changes as required, including the development, and updating of practice protocols/guidelines and procedures.

Work within national and local protocols where these exist.

• Continuously update their knowledge, enhance their clinical practice, and provide support, mentoring and supervision of others.
• Recognise and work within the boundaries of practice, knowing when and to whom to refer patients/situations.

Delegate work or work with other members of the multidisciplinary team and take accountability for the delegated activity.

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides comprehensive hospital and community services for East Cheshire (population 399K) and West Cheshire and Chester (population 357K).

Our services include planned and unplanned/emergency care, cardiac and critical care, child health, maternity, and intermediate care across Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford.

Through our community arm, Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership, we deliver extensive services in 26 medical centres and schools in collaboration with Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FT and the South Cheshire and Vale Royal GP Alliance.

With 500 beds and around 5,500 staff, we are one of the area’s largest employers.

Since the formation of Integrated Care Systems in July 2022, the Trust has become a key partner in Cheshire East & Cheshire West and Chester and in two provider collaboratives, aligning our strategic goals with the Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Care System.

As part of the national New Hospital Programme, we’re reimagining Leighton Hospital to create a new health and care neighbourhood, transforming healthcare delivery for a Healthier Future.

Learn more on our Healthier Futures website.

At Mid Cheshire, our mission is to inspire hope and provide unparalleled care for the people and communities of Cheshire, helping them to enjoy life to the fullest.

• The Specialist Practitioner will
• Contribute to the development of local policies, protocols and procedures in accordance with local and national standards but not limited to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (2015), The National Infection Prevention and Control Manual for England , Health Technical Memorandums and Health Building Notes.
• Provide Infection Prevention and Control advice and comment on local policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Participate in the implementation of Infection Prevention and Control policies, procedures throughout the trust and carry out audit to monitor compliance.
• Ensure compliance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines for self and others, by taking action/alerting senior management team if practice appears to contravene policy, or if concerned about any aspect of patient care.
• Work with Estates and facilities to ensure all aspects of IPC are incorporated as part of their service delivery including Water Safety, Ventilation Safety and New Builds / Refurbishments.

Education /Learning

• Development of self
• 1. Remain up to date with contemporary IPC practice.
• 2. Engage in a range of appropriate learning and development, continually reflecting on their IPC practice to maximise their capabilities.
• 3. Be open to feedback on IPC practice by colleagues to promote ongoing development.
• 4. Evaluate at appropriate intervals, the current and future requirements of their practice.
• 5. Identify any capability gaps in their IPC practice, agreeing personal development plans with line manager through activities such as induction and appraisal.
• 6. Review and update personal development plans in the light of performance, any development activities undertaken, and any wider changes as identified.
• Research
• 1. Contribute to the development of new knowledge through supporting research in IPC.
• 2. Critically evaluate published literature, research studies and application to IPC practice.
• 3. Develop a combined approach to practice focused research, academic inquiry and innovation across the IPC service/pathway.
• 4. Develop a culture of sharing knowledge that values research, evaluation and academic inquiry & its importance to contemporary IPC practice.
• Leadership and Behaviour Change
• 1. Support and encourage colleagues in implementing changes relevant to best IPC practice.
• 2. Encourage colleagues to ask questions, make suggestions and seek clarification in relation to the IPC work they have been allocated.
• 3. Provide values-based leadership across the IPC care pathway, services and systems in complex and changing situations.
• 4. Review changes made – identifying any ‘lessons learned’ for future IPC work activities.
• 5. Critically evaluate the culture present within IPC teams and enable an optimal working environment through positive compassionate role modelling and leadership skills.
• 6. Lead change processes: ensuring collaborative working to improve the quality of IPC practice.
• 7.

Lead with emotional intelligence, in line with NHS constitution values of compassionate leadership to enable individuals/ teams to flourish, grow and deliver high standards of IPC.

• 8. Enable others to positively contribute to IPC service improvements and better ways of working, recognising their own role in such endeavours.
• Management
• 1. Allocate work to others by taking account of their skills, knowledge, competence, backgrounds and experience.
• 2. Provide opportunities for colleagues and peers to get to know each other's strengths and weaknesses and build mutual respect and trust.
• 3. Enable the wider IPC team to positively contribute to better ways of working.
• 4. Implement IPC interventions working with multidisciplinary teams, using multimodal strategies, and campaigning as required.
• Communications

Make use of all available methods of communication to build and develop effective communication networks and processes both within and external to the specialist area and trust.

To lead by example always adopting an accountable and professional manner acting as a role model/advocate for Infection Prevention and Control.

Assist in dealing with concerns / complaints in the first instance and act as an advocate for patients using the correct channels and procedures to refer on complaints that cannot be easily resolved

• Clinical Duties
• Clinical Practice
• 1. Act as a point of contact on IPC matters.
• 2. Advise on IPC measures related to cleaning, disinfection, and sterilisation processes.
• 3. Establish and maintain good communication with patients/clients/residents and relatives regarding their IPC care.
• 4. Communicate IPC action plans with healthcare staff maintaining appropriate records of work per agreed protocols.
• 5. Always apply Standard Infection Control Precautions, for all individuals (whether infection is known to be present or not), to ensure the safety of everyone.
• 6. Implement on IPC measures related to invasive devices and procedures.
• 7. Utilise current evidence-based guidance, policies, and protocols to inform IPC practice.
• 8. Apply Transmission Based Precautions when indicated by using clinical judgement and making risk assessed decisions based on:
• Suspected/known infectious agents and the severity of the illness caused.
• Transmission route of the infectious agent.
• Care setting and procedures undertaken.
• 9. Encourage individuals to give feedback on guidance, policies, systems, procedures and practices and how improvements could be made.
• 10. Contribute to and participate in IPC monitoring, audit, and significant event reporting.
• 11.

Form respectful relationships with individuals, teams and organisations representing diverse constituencies, seeking regular input to better understand equality, diversity & inclusion issues.

• 12. Plan, monitor and review guidance, policies/procedures designed to promote good IPC.
• 13. Recognise circumstances or settings which create barriers to effective delivery of IPC and take appropriate action to overcome these barriers.
• 14. Investigate outbreaks using appropriate methods and interpretation of outbreak findings, by working with others to:
• Establish the case definition.
• Identify the parameters of the investigation and the case-finding methodology.
• Make hypotheses and identify the source and mode of transmission.
• 15. Undertake IPC assessments of clinical areas, providing feedback, identifying areas of good practice and areas for remedial activity.
• 16. Evaluate clinical areas; ensuring any improvement plans are being acted upon.
• 17. Develop IPC policies and guidelines, which are evidence-based, clinically relevant and accessible to those who will follow them.
• 1. Contribute and participate in IPC monitoring, audit, and significant event reporting.
• 2. Use surveillance data to reduce the risk of Healthcare Associated Infections among patients, staff, and others.
• 3. Develop protocols for a surveillance programme with clearly defined objectives and goals that are relevant for the target areas, procedure, population, or event of interest.
• 1. Support interventions which tackle climate change and broader sustainability issues, in the context of providing high standards of IPC practice.
• 2. Support estates department, hygiene services and others with IPC advice on cleaning standards and cleaning specifications for the working environment.
• 3. Engage and collaborate with stakeholders to promote IPC in the built environment.
• 4. Complete IPC risk assessments and advise on IPC key measures for the built environment, taking into consideration current building guidance and legislation.
• 5. Provide IPC advice on water safety, specialist ventilation, decontamination, personal protective equipment, and investigations.
• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) & Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS)
• 1. Deliver education in relation to AMR and AMS.
• 2. Apply AMS principles and good practice, using evidence-based guidance and local policies.
• 3.

Report patient safety incidents related to antimicrobial use (e. g. hospital admissions for potentially avoidable life-threatening infections, infections with C. difficile or adverse drug reactions such as anaphylaxis).

• 4. Identify, challenge, and take action to rectify and report inappropriate antibiotic prescribing
• 5. Support the implementation of IPC measures and transmission-based precautions when caring for people colonised or infected with resistant microorganisms.
• 6. Support incident reviews and remedial actions related to AMR and AMS.
• 7. Integrate audit into existing quality improvement programmes in relation to AMR/AMS.
• 8. Work collaboratively with key stakeholders in implementing national IPC guidance on Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs), AMR and AMS.
• Microbiology
• 1. Apply knowledge of the microorganisms that cause infection in humans in healthcare and community settings.
• 2. Support with
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