Consultant Epidemiologist - Emerging Infections in London

This post is located within the UKHSA Epidemic and Emerging Infections (EEI) Directorate within the Chief Medical Adviser (CMA) Group providing clinical and public health leadership through expert advice, guidance, epidemiological insights and evidence. The Emerging Infections and Zoonoses team is part of TARZET division (TB, respiratory, zoonoses, emerging infections, travel health, rare and imported pathogens genomics public health analysis) within the EEI directorate and is responsible for public health expertise in emerging infections, high consequence infectious diseases, zoonoses and epidemic intelligence.

This post will provide expert leadership across the emerging infections and zoonoses portfolio at a national level with a focus on epidemic intelligence and emerging infections. They will be responsible for proactive and reactive national and international level epidemiology, horizon scanning and risk assessment for novel, emerging, zoonotic and high consequence pathogens.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will be responsible for strengthening UKHSA's epidemic intelligence capability through the development of rapid risk assessment methodologies, and the application of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to horizon scanning and early warning systems in collaboration with UKHSA data and analytics teams. Within this role the postholder will routinely collaborate with teams within UKHSA and across Government and with other key partners, including academic and international organisations to support preparedness and response activities. The postholder will have strong technical knowledge and skills and be able to operate effectively across the system at a senior level.

Surveillance and Prevention Monitoring

• Develop and utilise information and intelligence systems to underpin public health action across disciplines and organisations.
• Lead the development and implementation of innovative approaches to epidemic intelligence, including artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced analytics methods for horizon scanning, signal detection and risk assessment in partnership with the Chief Data Officer Group.
• Provide strategic leadership for the evaluation, validation and operational implementation of AI-enabled tools within epidemic intelligence workflows.

Job responsibilitiesSurveillance and Prevention Monitoring

• Lead collation and interpretation of relevant data to develop the most appropriate analyses from a range of sources, including highly complex epidemiological, microbiological and statistical information about the health of domestic and international populations.
• Analyse and evaluate quantitative and qualitative research evidence to make recommendations and inform decision making which may have long-term impacts.
• Enhance UKHSA's rapid risk assessment capability for emerging infectious disease threats.
• Provide epidemiological leadership for the further development and operationalisation of EOIS.
• Support and develop teams responsible for the specialist and complex analyses of quantitative and/or qualitative datasets.

Outbreak support and Epidemiological Investigations

• Lead multidisciplinary Incident Management teams and contribute to a range of national and international outbreak responses.
• Lead on the technical and analytical aspects of epidemiological outbreak investigations including advising on study design, writing protocols for analytical studies, questionnaire development and study database development, and preparing outbreak reports in collaboration with UKHS field epidemiology services, and other data and analytics teams as necessary.
• Supporting responses to outbreaks and incidents with implications for public health in the UK through provision of evidence-based advice and guidance on emerging infections.

Leadership and Management

• Lead preparedness activities relating to emerging infections, zoonoses and high consequence infectious diseases, including public health advice and guidance and epidemic intelligence.
• Lead the development, standardisation and continuous improvement of rapid risk assessment methodologies for emerging infectious disease threats, ensuring outputs support timely decision-making across UKHSA and Government.
• Provide senior oversight of national and international rapid risk assessments for novel, emerging, zoonotic and high consequence pathogens.
• Strengthen strategic collaboration between the Emerging Infections and Zoonoses team and the Chief Data Officer Group.
• Liaison with other government departments and organisations working on emerging infections, including NHS England, the High consequence Infectious Diseases network, FCDO, MOD, and the devolved administrations.
• Expert support to scientific advisory committees as required, including the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens.
• Ensure secretariat support to HAIRS.

Research and Development

• Oversight of the production of peer reviewed publications on emerging infections topics.
• Proactively engage with academic and international partners to develop the research evidence base required to support the control of communicable disease in these specialist areas, both initiating and collaborating with research as appropriate and linking with relevant academic institutions.

Teaching and Training

• Deliver teaching for a variety of individuals, institutions and stakeholders as required regarding emerging infections and zoonoses.
• Providing project supervision for Speciality Registrars, trainees on the Field Epidemiology Trainee Programme, Clinical fellows and other trainees on attachment at Colindale.
• Contribute to competency development and assessment in health protection for the health protection workforce.

Other duties

• Contribute to the provision of appropriate rotas, which may include the epidemic and emerging infections duty consultant rota, the international health regulations rota, or other clinical or incident response rotas dependent on specialist experience and CMA group needs.
• The postholder may, with their agreement (which should not reasonably be withheld), be required to undertake other duties as required, which fall within the grading of this post, to meet the needs of TARZET.
• To deputise and cover as necessary for colleagues during annual leave, study leave and other absences.

Professional Development

• Identify, discuss, and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal and personal development plans.
• Attending internal external training events in line with professional development needs and in relation to the role.
• Participate in all mandatory training as required by the organisation.

Management Arrangements

A detailed job plan will be agreed between the post holder and the line manager which will be reviewed annually. The job plan and the job description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder in the light of the needs of the employing organisation and the development of the speciality of public health and any wider developments in the field of public health.

The Consultant will:

• Be expected to take on the line management of some staff. Where line management responsibilities are agreed, this will include recruitment, appraisals, disciplinary and grievance responsibilities.
• Manage budgets as agreed with the Deputy Director and/or head of team.
• Be a visible, positive leader and role model and demonstrating high professional standards.
• Actively identify, lead and contribute to quality improvement and governance initiatives in line with strategic direction of the Unit.
• Contribute to proactive and responsive media issues.
• Proactively contribute to wider organisational development.
• Be prepared to take on wider national roles and represent the UKHSA in discussions with government departments, agencies and professional groups as appropriate to individual expertise and experience and when requested by the Deputy Director TARZET.
• Will be expected to contribute to the UKHSA response during incidents in line with UKHSAs Emergency Planning Resilience and Response (EPRR) arrangements.
• Supervise Specialty Registrars in Public Health or other specialties.

Person SpecificationQualifications

• Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register with a license to practice/GDC Specialist List or inclusion in the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists at the point of application.
• If included in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in a specialty other than public health medicine/dental public health, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health practice.
• Any public health speciality registrar applicants who are currently on the UK public health training programme and not yet on either the GMC, GDC or UKPHR specialist register must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry to a register at the date of interview.
• Applicants going through the portfolio registration routes (GMC or UKPHR) are not eligible to be shortlisted for interview until they are included on the register.
• If an applicant is UK trained in Public Health, they must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or be within six months of award of CCT by date of interview.
• If an applicant is non-UK trained, they will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT.
• Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements (i.e. be up to date) in accordance with Faculty of Public Health requirements or other recognised body.
• Postgraduate qualification in Public Health or a related field (e.g. MPH) or equivalent training or experience.

Knowledge and experience

• Understanding of epidemiology and statistics and public health practice.
• Understanding of key agencies involved in health protection and an understanding of laboratory microbiology and clinical infectious disease services.
• Experience of providing information and advice to those at a senior level, e.g., for parliamentary questions, or to NHS or UKHSA senior teams.
• Extensive experience of communicable disease control including outbreak management in a wide variety of settings, including out of hours on call.

Skills / capabilities/ behaviours

• Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (including dealing with the media).
• Proven and effective interpersonal, motivational, and influencing skills.
• Ability to respond appropriately in unplanned and unforeseen circumstances.
• Substantially numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data.
• Ability to design, develop, interpret, and implement policies.

Equality and diversity

• 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.