Health and Safety Advisor

Job overview

* PREVIOUS APPLICANTS NEED NOT APPLY *

An opportunity has arisen for a full-time experienced competent H&S Advisor at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust.  The Trust has over sixty premises ranging from in-patient mental health buildings to GP practices, and Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup.

We are seeking a highly motivated and committed individual with H&S experience in a designated H&S role to join our specialist NHS Trust. The postholder will be an integral team member of the H&S and Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response Team.

Candidates will need to demonstrate ability to work closely with team members from all professions, and with wider risk teams to help coordinate the Trust's Health & Safety and Risk agenda.

Previous experience of risk management procedures and Datix are desirable but not essential. Candidates should have excellent IT and communication skills and experience working with structured annual workplans and strategic vision.

Acting in collaboration with our Estates and Facilities department and our H&S Team, you will be an excellent communicator, able to train multidisciplinary team members, partners and contractors regarding risks, controls, and complex procedures. You will assist in providing assurance to the Trust board as to status of health and safety. To work within the team, striving to build a positive Trust safety culture.

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.

Main duties of the job

• To provide competent advice to all Oxleas staff on the requirements of current Health and Safety legislation, initiatives and guidelines and Trust policies, safe systems of work and procedures.
• To be a ‘competent person’ for the Trust in Health and Safety matters as required.
• To undertake an annual programme of Health and Safety compliance-based audits across Trust teams. This will include scheduling the annual programme of audits, of the teams and Directorates allocated to the Postholder and within specified timescales.
• To ensure all Health and Safety Audits conducted (within allocated sites) are evidenced based and appropriate remedial actions are assigned to Team Managers to address all non-conformities, to ensure continuous improvement.
• To promote a positive Health and Safety culture and ensure all works are undertaken with the highest regard to the safety of patients, staff, visitors and contractors.
• Promoting a culture of ownership of health and safety, and risk management throughout the Trust. Working with partner organisations to ensure equitable compliant standards.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Ensure there is compliance with all regulatory provisions regarding Health and safety in all Trust owned or operated properties. To undertake an operational role within the Health and Safety Team, being first link to clinical and non-clinical teams, working with them to help develop safe systems of work to improve the safety of staff whilst at work, including lone workers, contractors and agency staff.

• Auditing departments, clinical teams and directorates.
• Writing training and education material.
• Training staff and management on all aspects of health, safety and compliance.
• Providing data for the writing of status and monitoring reports and statistical analysis.
• Supporting Directorates with all health and safety and risk management related enquiries.
• Collaborative working with departments, clinical teams and directorates, promoting good practice in risk management and risk reduction.
• Monitoring incidents and assisting accident/incident investigation, ensuring RIDDOR reportable incidents are notified to the HSE in timely manner.
• Implement robust processes to ensure best practice health and safety policies, procedures and safe systems of work.

Essential experience and qualifications for the role(s):

• Minimum of NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent).
• Significant previous experience of working in a Health and Safety post is essential.
• Previous experience of auditing; ideally with some community/mental healthcare experience.
• Strong communication skills, and ability to influence and engage with people at all levels.
• Strong interpersonal, IT and organisational skills.

Full Job Description and Person Specification is attached.