Overview

Our vision is to embed a prevention approach across the council, tackling the wider determinants of health and addressing health inequalities. As part of the newly formed Prevention and Communities directorate, we are well placed to work collaboratively with colleagues across the council and wider system to develop a prevention model to ensure residents of Swindon live longer, happier, healthier lives.

We are seeking to recruit two substantive Public Health Consultants to lead the delivery of health improvement, health intelligence, healthcare public health, health protection and other priorities as identified by our Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. The current portfolio areas are (1) health protection, sexual health and health improvement and (2) substance use, mental health and health intelligence, but there is opportunity for flexibility in the portfolios based on candidates experience and skillset. Full-time is preferred but part-time hours will be considered for the right candidate.

We are looking for energetic, passionate and forward-thinking generalist consultants, who have a proven track record working across all domains of public health. We need established leaders with highly developed public health skills to help shape decisions over a range of public health functions, operating and influencing across the system to make a significant impact.

Main duties of the job

You will play a significant role developing partnerships with senior leaders and other colleagues across the Council, with the Integrated Care Board and place-based Integrated Care Alliance, our acute trust, the voluntary sector as well as other partner agencies to improve health outcomes and make a positive difference to the lives of people in Swindon.

If you are someone who leads with kindness, with commitment, passion and are able to work in a fast-paced environment, we would very much like to hear from you. You will be rewarded with a diverse role, a passionate team and supportive environment, and opportunities to develop your public health career.

This role is supported by hybrid-working but with a requirement to be able to travel to Swindon and across the Borough as required. The post holder must also be able to travel across the wider integrated care system geography.

About us

For Swindon to thrive in the future, we need to lay the foundations now. Our regeneration and transformation programmes are already underway, so you’ll be joining us at an exciting time on our journey. We look to you to share your knowledge, influence decisions and drive real, positive change. With your contributions, we will achieve our vision of a prosperous, revitalised Swindon together, focused on inclusive growth and better outcomes for residents.

As a colleague, you will receive a diverse and exciting environment in which to work, encouraging creativity and innovation whilst recognising the need to support ongoing personal development and a flexible work-life balance.

Please note Swindon Borough Council terms and conditions apply to this role. Please see our Rewards and Benefits offer.

Job responsibilities

Strategic objectives for this senior post will be negotiated according to organisational requirements, key priorities and expertise within the directorate and will be outlined in the annual job plan. The lead areas will be agreed by the DPH in negotiation with the postholder but may include:

• Ensurings development and maintenance of systems and processes to enable the authority to work with partners to respond to major incidents including health protection threats. The post holder will lead on those aspects delegated by the Secretary of State to the authority. They will ensure that partner organisations (UKHSA, OHID, the ICS, and NHS England) have appropriate mechanisms to enable surge capacity to be delivered as and when required.
• On behalf of the authority to take responsibility for ensuring delivery of the public health mandated services such that the full range of benefits are delivered to residents. These services include sexual health services, NHS Health Checks, specialist public health support to the NHS. This will include taking responsibility for the relevant outcome indicators within Public Health, NHS (and Social Care) Outcome Frameworks and working across organisational boundaries.
• To lead work across all Council directorates as well as influencing partnership boards (dealing with health determinants) to maximise health improvement opportunities and the reduction of inequalities in health outcomes amongst residents. This will include using Outcome Frameworks as well as exploring other relevant routinely collected data systems for suitable indicators.
• To lead on improving health and social outcomes for particular client groups; early years, children, working adults, older adults, learning disabilities, mental health etc.
• The work will include working across the entire Council, NHS bodies (the Council has a statutory duty to provide public health advice to local NHS commissioners and the Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board has a coordinating role for the whole of the health and care system) and other partner agencies.
• It will also involve influencing private sector, voluntary sector and community sector organisations that can impact on health and influencing the attitudes and behaviour both of professionals and of the population generally.
• In delivering the strategic objectives, the postholder will be expected to demonstrate expertise in the full range of relevant competencies as set out by the Faculty of Public Health, including evaluation techniques, policy analysis and translation, and the ability to communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders including politicians. In addition to any direct responsibility for managing staff or budgets, they will be responsible for change and improvement in the agreed areas of work and for supporting the delivery of the statutory duty of the Council to take the steps it considers necessary to improve the health of its communities.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• In line with legislation, 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
• 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.
• MFPH by examination, by exemption or by assessment.
• Masters in Public Health or equivalent.

Experience

• Delivery of successful change management programmes across organisational boundaries.
• Experience of using complex information to explain public health issues to a range of audiences.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£91,073 a year plus a 3.2% pay award including benefits