Associate Director of Infection Prevention and Control

Job overview

Join Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust as the Associate Director of Infection Prevention and Control (ADIPC) and lead our commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care for our diverse community.

This pivotal role offers the opportunity to shape and influence infection prevention and control (IPC) strategy at organisational, regional, and national levels.

As the ADIPC, you will drive innovation, champion best practice, and provide expert guidance to clinical and operational leaders across both hospital and community settings.

You will collaborate closely with senior leaders, demonstrate visionary leadership, and ensure that IPC remains at the forefront of our patient safety and quality agenda.

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious and experienced IPC leader to join a dynamic Trust passionate about improvement, staff wellbeing, and community health outcomes.

Main duties of the job

To provide visionary leadership for Infection Prevention and Control across the organisation, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality care through strategic influence and operational excellence. The postholder will act as the professional lead for IPC nursing, shaping policy, driving innovation, and embedding best practice at all levels of the organisation and wider system.

The Associate Director of Infection Prevention and Control (ADIPC) will be an expert in Infection Prevention and Control and in close collaboration with the lead microbiologist for IPC will develop and deliver the IPC strategy ensuring it aligns with the Lewisham and Greenwich Trust strategy and objectives. As an expert the ADIPC will act as an advisor to the Director of Infection Prevention and Control (Chief Nurse) and the Chief Medical Officer to ensure best practice decision and actions are implemented. They will be responsible for the delivery of the IPC annual plan, will lead and line manage the IPC nursing team, and will demonstrate flexibility and agility to prioritise and respond to competing challenges and demands, maintaining optimum safety and high quality care in the delivery of practice.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of the organisation’s IPC strategy in alignment with national standards and system and Trust priorities.
• Influence IPC policy and practice at board level, contributing to strategic planning and assurance frameworks.
• Represent the organisation in system, regional and national IPC forums, fostering collaboration and shared learning.
• Drive innovation and transformation in IPC models, leveraging research, technology, and evidence-based practice.

Operational Excellence

• Lead and line manage the IPC nursing team to ensure a flexible and agile service is delivered to both acute and community sites and to meet competing priorities, performance metrics and safe care.
• Provide expert IPC advice and leadership to clinical and non-clinical teams
• Oversee the management of IPC performance data, reporting and escalation whilst establishing effective communication and challenge to leaders to support the improvement of practice.
• Lead outbreak investigations and ensure timely, effective response and reporting.
• Work in close collaboration with estates and facilities colleagues to ensure performance and best practice is maintained in day to day practice and estates development/adjustments.
• Ensure the delivery of the FIT testing programme.
• Oversee the development and implementation of IPC policies, procedures, and audit programmes.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and contribute to clinical governance processes.