Health Protection Practitioner (Level 1)
Job summary
We are seeking to recruit a Health Protection Practitioner (HPP) to work as part of the South East Region health protection team in our Kent, Surrey & Sussex team. We are looking for Environmental Health Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Registered Midwives or Allied Healthcare Professionals who are seeking to develop their role within the field of health protection.
The post holder will be part of the multi-disciplinary team providing the day-to-day health protection function, including the management of infectious and environmental hazards and supporting response to major incidents.
The post is an entry level Health Protection development post, and the post holder will develop specialist knowledge and skills to undertake case management, liaise with, and provide health protection advice and response across a range of partner organisations, professionals and the public. Candidates holding NMC registration will be appointed on NHS t erms and conditions at NHS AfC Band 6.
Candidates without NMC registration will be appointed on Civil Service terms and conditions at HEO grade. Salary bands: AfC Band 6: £39,959 - £48,117 per annum, pro rata CS HEO (Outer London): £35,587 - £43,244 per annum, pro rata
Main duties of the job
Under supervision, contribute to day to day running of the acute response function to ensure high quality, safe and effective delivery of the health protection service. Provide first point of contact for specialist knowledge, support and advice to health professionals on health protection matters. Undertake initial assessment and management of routine acute response work and non-complex incidents.
Escalate and refer challenging or complex incidents, outbreaks of infectious diseases and non-infectious environmental hazards to senior managers. Manage and carry out continuing responsibility for caseload ensuring accurate, up to date records of contacts/action by completion of relevant records and compliance withteam handover procedures, in line with UKHSAs standards for record keeping.
Utilise an evidence-based approach to manage clinical/professional advice and discussions within team, seeking senior advice as/when appropriate. Support and participate in the team's formal case review process. Contribute to and where required lead under supervision the ongoing longer-term management of issues relevant to a defined geographical area.
Contribute to UKHSA response during incidents in line with UKHSAs Emergency Planning and Resilience Response (EPRR) arrangements as part of the region's responsibilitiesunder the Civil Contingencies Act. Will be required to participate in a local on call rota at regional level. Please note this list is not exhaustive.
About us
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. Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Job responsibilities
Surveillance Contribute to the development and maintenance of effective systems for the surveillance of communicable disease and environmental hazards. Contribute to the use of surveillance outputs to inform and influence local and national Public Health actions, policies and strategies. Support identification and reporting of health needs, health inequalities and health impact assessment.
Partnership Working Through activities delegated/supported by line management, contribute to the development of effective relationships with a range of individuals and stakeholders. With support and guidance from line management, may need to deal with difficult and/or conflicting subject matter problems in day-to-day workload. Contribute to and support the development and implementation of initiatives for public health action and improvement.
Research, Teaching & Training Contribute to research activity to complement the health protection evidence base. Contribute to the development and delivery of teaching resources and activities across a range of audiences with support from senior manager as appropriate.
Support the training programmes for Faculty of Public Health, Foundation Year Doctors and Specialist Trainees in the training scheme as appropriate and to the training ofpublic health and health care professionals and practitioners within the locality as requested by line management. Management & Leadership Act as role model adhering to team professional standards.
Contribute to the development of policies and protocols for a wide range of health protection issues. Contribute to and undertake audit as part of a wider programme of quality/service improvement activity. Undertake projects on defined areas of work as agreed with the line manager. Contribute to specified quality improvement and governance initiatives as agreed.
Ensure compliance with all confidentiality and governance requirements within the team. Proactively contribute to wider organisational development. Contribute to the strategic work of the locality/patch-based health protection team and deputise where appropriate. Contribute pro-actively to the development and testing of the regions business continuity plan.
Personal & Professional Development Participate in organisational and professional appraisal and revalidation as appropriate. Pursue a programme of CPD, including statutory and mandatory training, in accordance with the relevant regulatory body and UKHSA requirements. Agree individual clinical / professional supervision or mentorship arrangements with line manager.
Undergo a programme of on-going development and education to build on existing knowledge and develop skills to meet competencies required to undertake the role. Communication & Key Working Relationships Develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of this role.
You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required. The job description and person specifications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with thechanging needs of the organisation. Essential criteria First degree (Health Related) or demonstrable equivalent experience; OR Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional in relevant clinical discipline with current professional registration e.g.
NMC Working towards registration with an appropriate health or science related professional body Post registration experience as a practitioner in a related field An understanding of and ability to work under the current Health and Social Care Act (e.g. safe guarding vulnerable adults; data protection, information governance) Effective verbal and written communication skills including report writing and presentations Ability to work independently, manage and prioritise own workload and cope with competing demands Ability to problem solve whilst working in an unpredictable environment, often under pressure and to tight timescales Selection process This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift You willbe requiredto complete an application form. You will be assessed onthe listed7 essentialcriteria,and this will be in the form of: an application form(Employer/ Activity history section on the application) a 1000 wordsupporting statement.
This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V please beadvisedyou will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible).
Please do not email us your CV. HealthjobsUK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than1000 words. We will not consider any words over 1000 words. Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of: Meets all essential criteria Meets some essential criteria Meets no essential criteria If used, the pile Meets all essential criteria will proceed to shortlisting.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on: First degree (Health Related) or demonstrable equivalent experience; OR Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional in relevant clinical discipline with current professional registration e.g.
NMC Post registration experience as a practitioner in a related field An understanding of and ability to work under the current Health and Social Care Act (e.g. safe guarding vulnerable adults; data protection, information governance) If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment. Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview You will be invited to a face to face interview in either Horsham or Ashford. Knowledge, experience, skills and abilities will be tested at interview. As part of the interview, you will be required to prepare a presentation (maximum of 10 minutes) that will test your technical skills related to the role. The details of this will be sent to you prior to the interview. Interviews will be held from mid to late November 2026.
Please note, these dates are subject to change. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Location This role is being offered as hybrid working and can be based at either our Horsham, West Sussex or Ashford, Kent site. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow.
This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, averaged over a month) on-site. Eligibility criteria Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Security clearance level requirement Part 1 Successful candidates must pass an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Security (DBS) check before they can be appointed. Part 2 Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard clearance.
Salary information If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary.
Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.
Person Specification
Application form and supporting statement
Essential
Application form and supporting statement Essential criteria
Essential
Questions on knowledge, experience, skills & abilities Presentation
Essential
Presentation
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) . From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .
