Specialist Practitioner Infection Prevention & Control

Job overview

The IPC Clinical Practitioner Specialist will support the delivery of a  high-quality, data-driven Infection Prevention and Control service across the Trust. The post holder will provide expert clinical advice, undertake IPC audits, lead the Trust’s hand hygiene programme, support outbreak management, and contribute to the development of policies, education, and assurance processes. They will act as a visible presence across clinical areas, promoting safe practice, supporting staff, and helping to maintain compliance with national IPC standards.  This role incorporates clinical IPC responsibilities alongside enhanced operational duties in audit, digital reporting, and hand hygiene improvement to support the Trust’s evolving data-driven IPC strategy.

Main duties of the job

• Be a highly visible presence on the ward and departments and community services, working on education programmes, training and development to positively affect the safety of patients, their families and staff in the organisation.
• Undertake audits and monitoring of IPC practice
• Support clinical teams in the process for registering proposed IPC clinical audits and service evaluation projects.
• Support teams with Hand Hygiene advice and improvement.
• Assist in developing IPC clinical audit tools to support collection of data and automated data analysis on completion of data collection.
• Provide update reports on progress of IPC clinical audit activity and service evaluation within the Divisions.
• Maintain/update IPC audit action plans.
• Support and advise Trust staff in the process for undertaking IPC clinical audits and service evaluation projects.
• Prioritise workload and ensure that all work is completed to agreed deadlines set by the DIPC.
• Maintain personal and professional development, through participation in continuing education.
• Undertake any other duties as required to meet the needs of the IPC team, appropriate to banding.
• Forge strong collaborations with stakeholders from various departments, offer guidance and mentorship to IPC team members, and champion best IPC practices and Hand Hygiene across the organisation.
• Play a crucial role in contributing significantly to ongoing IPC quality improvement and reducing healthcare acquired infections.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication Skills  • The post holder will interact on a regular basis with other members of the IPCT, Trust staff, parents and patients.  • Communication skills are required include influencing, negotiation, and  motivation.

Analytical Skills  • The post holder will be expected to interpret test results from the Microbiology Laboratory and provide support and advice to the clinical areas based on that information.  • Use digital systems to store, analyse, and transmit IPC information in line with GDPR.  • Ensure accurate record keeping and maintain audit trails.  • Support preparation of training materials, meeting documentation, and IPC

Planning and Organising Skills  • The Post holder will be expected to organise their  own workload.  • They may be required to organise meetings with other members of the MDT.  • Prioritising work plan as agreed with the IPC Team and DIPC.  • Preparing and gathering relevant information ahead of IPC meetings and distributing to attendees.  • Ensuring relevant resources are available online and in person IPC, Audit & Hand Hygiene meetings.  • Provide comprehensive IPC meeting notes to accurately capture discussion and resulting actions.  • Ability to manage own time and ensure deadlines are met by self.  Responsibility for Patient/Client Care  • The post holder will be responsible for accessing and planning and evaluating patient care with regard to infection prevention and control.  • The post holder will undertake regular support to clinical staff which will include being part of the review process when there is an issue with IPC practice and outbreak management as directed by the IPC Nurse Specialist Team Leader and DIPC  • They will liaise with all members of the IPCT and Trust staff.  • They will advise on and recommend decolonisation treatments for patients with multi antibiotic resistant organisms.  • They provide advice to all members of Trust staff on infection prevention and control.  • To act as the first point of contact for responding to Trust staff who want advice and support with IPC audits and Hand Hygiene improvement.

Responsibility for Policy/Service Development  • The post holder will be required to assist with the implementation of IPC policies.

Responsibility for Financial & Physical Resources   • Nil

Responsibility for Human Resources  • The post holder will deliver formal Mandatory training / and assist with the facilitation of study days as directed by the Team Leader.  • The post holder will contribute to the supervision of pre-registration learners who are placed with IPC.   Responsibility for Information Resources  • The post holder will have responsibility for record keeping and using infection control data bases.  • Development of secure, electronic IPC clinical audit tools  • To support staff in collection and storage of accurate IPC data whilst ensuring and maintaining patient confidentiality  • Ensure safe exchange of IPC information using email facility.  • Provide comprehensive IPC meeting notes to accurately capture discussion and resulting actions

Responsibility for Research and Development  • The post holder may be asked to participate in research as required .  • Promote good IPC education at ward inductions and training days.