Consultant in Global Public Health

The UKOTs programme sits within Global Operations in UKHSA, with parts delivered through the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).  The programme is funded directly by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). It has been running since 2016 and is now funded until March 2025 to improve global health security and to strengthen public health systems in the UKOTs (Anguilla, Ascension Island, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Turks and Caicos Islands). This is achieved through strengthening compliance with the International Health Regulations (IHR) and WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), improving workforce development, as well as tackling mental health, obesity, noncommunicable diseases, and the health of people in contact with the justice system. 

Working for your organisation

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

The postholder will work with the Health Improvement Lead, Technical Advisor and Tobacco Control Advisor (all based in OHID) to deliver the health improvement components of the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) Public Health Programme. The role will report to the Health Protection Lead. 

The postholder’s responsibilities will include working closely with the OHID team to plan, manage and deliver the health improvement aspects of the UKOTs programme, plan and deliver health needs assessments, contributing technical advice, working with the UKOTs to identify priority areas, delivering programme activitieses and reporting to the wider UKOTs programme in a timely and effective way. The postholder will work closely in partnership with UKOT Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) and other members of the UKOT health teams / Ministry of Health (MoH).

The role will require leadership skills, with the postholder being an active and senior member of the UKOTs team. It will also require collaboration and partnership working with the healthcare professionals based in the territories and a variety of other international stakeholders including technical experts at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).   

This role requires travel to London and international travel to the UKOTs.

Key Job Specific Responsibilities

• Communication with healthcare professionals in the UKOTs to develop action plans for work around non-communicable disease (NCDs) 
• Development of working links between the UKOTs and other relevant public health agencies including CARPHA and PAHO 
• Technical input into epidemiological and public health assessments
• Technical lead on projects that enhance the public health/prevention aspects of health service delivery
• Develop the programme’s support to UKOTs on effective electronic patient record systems for clinical and public health benefit
• Lead the delivery of the key aspects of technical assistance to the UKOTs in the areas of NCDs in coordination with teams across the UK public health system, ensuring the technical assistance provided by the programme is of a high quality.
• Oversee and coordinate the work of the two G7 Technical Advisors in OHID that contribute to the NCDs work plan, ensuring delivery is timely, to agreed milestones and outputs.
• Supporting the Health Improvement Lead in the delivery of the programme of work, including contributing to the annual strategic planning of the NCDs work stream for the programme.
• Lead on the collation of progress reports relevant to the NCD workstream.
• Work with the UKOTs Programme Management team to establish and monitor the annual budget allocated to this work stream in line with good financial practice.
• Work collaboratively with programme staff, attending progress meetings and the UKOTs team meetings.
• To carry out other projects and functions as agreed with the UKOT SLT.
• Representing UKOTs programme at internal and external meetings to discuss international issues as required and providing reports on the outcomes. 

The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by the directorate. The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organisation. 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

• Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attending internal / external training events.
• To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.
• The postholder will practise in accordance with all relevant sections of the General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice and Faculty of Public Health’s Good Public Health Practice.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The postholder will have the opportunity to address the following competencies in the 2022 curriculum, but there may also be opportunities to tailor work towards additional competency areas if needed:

• Key area 3 – Policy and strategy development and implementation
• Key area 4 – Strategic leadership and collaborative working for health
• Key area 10 – Integration and application of competences for consultant practice

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include;

 Internal

• UKOTs Programme team
• UKHSA Global Public Health Teams, particularly Global Operations
• Technical experts from UKHSA
• Other UKHSA divisions and directorates
• UKHSA Director of Global Operations

External

• Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), particularly Office for Health Improvements and disparities (OHID)
• Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)
• Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO)
• Chief Medical Officers (CMO) and Ministry of Health (MoH) colleagues in the UKOTs
• Clinical staff in the NHS

 MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS 

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 post holder will be professionally accountable to the Public Health Training Programme Director of the relevant School of Public Health and managerially accountable to the Consultant in Global Public Health.  The Consultant will be the training educational supervisor and will undertake job planning and appraisal with the post holder in line with the ARCP process. 

ADDITIONAL DUTIES

1. The post-holder may, with their agreement – which should not reasonably be withheld – be required to undertake other duties which fall within the grading of the post to meet the needs of this new and developing service. The employing organisation is currently working in a climate of great change following a transition to UKHSA It is therefore expected that all staff will develop flexible working practices both within any relevant local public health networks and at other organisational levels as appropriate, to be able to meet the challenges and opportunities of working in public health within the new and existing structures
2. The post holder will participate in departmental quality improvement programmes including clinical audit
3. As a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, UKHSA has a set of civil protection responsibilities which it must fulfil in the response to any emergency or major incident. Staff may be asked to contribute to the preparedness for and response to major incidents and emergencies (as defined in the UKHSA Concept of Operations) as required.

PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS

The Consultant will be expected to:

1. Participate in the organisation’s appraisal scheme including the professional appraisal scheme and ensure appraisal and development of any staff for which s/he is responsible.
2. Contribute actively to the training programme for Foundation Year Doctors/Specialty Registrars in Public Health as appropriate, and to the training of practitioners and primary care professionals within the locality
3. Pursue a programme of CPD, in accordance with Faculty of Public Health requirements, or other recognised body, and undertake revalidation, audit or other measures required to remain on the GMC/GDC Specialist Register or the UK Public Health (Specialist) Register or other specialist register as appropriate
4. Complete all Civil Service mandatory training as required, e.g. fire safety, information governance, counter-fraud, bribery and corruption

These professional obligations will be reflected in the job plan. The post-holder may also have external professional responsibilities, e.g. in respect of training or work for the Faculty of Public Health.  Time allocation for these additional responsibilities will need to be agreed with the Health Protection Lead.

ACADEMIC LINKS

The team is research active and there are links and active participation with several academic institutions.

APPOINTMENT:

1. Appendix 1 details the Faculty of Public Health competencies expected of all consultants/specialists in public health irrespective of their background.

Education / Qualifications

Essential criteria

• GMC full and specialist register with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) or UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists or be eligible within 6 months
• If included in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in a specialty other than public health medicine, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health medicine practice
• Public health specialty registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in dental public health/UKPHR must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry at the date of interview; all other applicants must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they have applied for inclusion in the GMC/GDC/UKPHR specialist registers [see shortlisting notes below for additional guidance]
• If an applicant is UK trained, 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 in accordance with the requirements of Faculty of Public Health/ Royal College of Pathologists/Royal College of Physicians or other recognised body
• MFPH by examination (or exemption or assessment) or equivalent MRCPath or MRCP

Experience

Essential criteria

• Significant strategic experience of leadership for public health
• Staff management and training
• Practical experience in facilitating change
• Experience of working with other agencies

Desirable criteria

• Scientific publications, presentation of papers at conferences, seminars etc
• Experience of working on global health projects

Skills

Essential criteria

• Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills
• Proven excellent oral and written communication skills (including presentation skills and dealing with the media)
• Proven and effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills
• Ability to respond appropriately in unplanned and unforeseen circumstances
• Sensible negotiator with practical expectation of what can be achieved
• Substantially numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data
• Ability to apply epidemiological methods and statistics
• Ability to design, develop, interpret and implement policies
• Resource and staff management skills
• Project Management skills
• Budget management skills

Desirable criteria

• Training and mentoring skills

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• High level of understanding of epidemiology and statistics, public health practice, health promotion, health economics and health care evaluation
• Understanding of NHS and local government cultures, structures and policies
• Knowledge of methods of developing clinical quality assurance, quality improvement and evidence based clinical and/or public health practice
• Understanding of social and political environment
• Understanding of interfaces between health and social care
• An understanding of the public sector duty and the inequality duty and their applications to public health practice
• Understanding of key agencies involved in health improvement

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of grant development and research methodology

Equality and Diversity

Essential criteria

• Demonstrate appreciation and acknowledgement of the range and complexities of diversity; self awareness in terms of emotional intelligence, biases and personal triggers; cultural competence – cultural sensitivity and awareness.

• Accessibility statement
• Privacy notice

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Job contact :

• Name : Natalie Wright
• Email : natalie.wright@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : SCS.MDrecruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk