Job overview
****** THIS POSITION IS ONLY OPEN TO CURRENT UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST EMPLOYEES ******
The Specialist division delivers highly complex care across a range of surgical specialities, including cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, spinal, vascular and renal. Teams work collaboratively to support patients with some of the most challenging and high risk conditions, ensuring safe, compassionate and coordinated care throughout the pathway. The Specialist division is committed to clinical excellence, innovation and continuous improvement, underpinned by strong MDT relationships and a culture that values learning and high professional standards.
This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route however sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds (£25000), and any role-specific criteria.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will lead the delivery of the Specialist Surgical Site Infection Surveillance (SSI) service across the Specialist Division, ensuring accurate data collection, analysis, and reporting to drive improvements in patient outcomes. They will oversee surveillance processes, including data entry, validation, case review preparation, and dissemination of results to the clinical teams. The role requires close collaboration with surgical teams, ward staff, microbiology and the the IPC team to translate learning into practice and support reductions in surgical site infections.
Key duties include supporting the wider surgical teams in applying evidence based practice, leading case learning reviews, and ensuring Trust and national SSISS audit requirements are met. The post holder will contribute to the development and implementation of guidelines and promote early identification and management of wound complications. They may also support post discharge surveillance.
The post holder will maintain high standards of communication, produce reports for directorate and support divisional governance meetings.
Working for our organisation
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
Candidate Pack
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Specialist Surgical Site Infection Surveillance Nurse is a key member of Specialist division, responsible for delivering a high quality surveillance service across the specialist services at UHS. The post holder leads the collection, validation and interpretation of SSIS data, ensuring national and trust standards are met. They will develop systems for robust surveillance, support data quality and present findings to surgical teams, directorate and divisional leadership and governance committees.
Clinical responsibilities include providing expert advice on infection prevention and facilitating appropriate escalation. The role requires assessing and interpreting complex clinical data, contributing to guideline development and supporting the implement of best practice to reduce SSI across all the services within Specialist Division. The post holder will undertake audits, participate in RCA, and learning reviews, collaborate with microbiology and IPC colleagues and ensure patients receive timely evidence based care throughout their surgical pathway.
Strong communication skills are essential for sharing sensitive information with patients and families, reporting to committees, and fostering collaborative relationships across multidisciplinary teams.
The post‑holder must demonstrate strong leadership, professional accountability, and effective workload management. They will participate in quality improvement, use Patient First methodology, and support digital transformation initiatives related to surveillance. Adherence to Trust policies, safeguarding requirements, and equality and inclusion standards is essential. The post‑holder is expected to maintain their own professional development, engage in appraisal, and contribute to service development that supports Excellent Care Everywhere
Person specification
Application and interview
Essential criteria
1. Professional registration and qualifications - RN with NMC registration
2. Evidence of degree level study or equivalent experience
3. Understanding clinical audit and guideline-based practice
4. Clinical Experience - minimum 12 months experience with a surgical setting (any specialist)
5. Experience collecting, interpreting and reporting clinical data, as well as ability to input and validate data.
6. Ability to priortise workload, organise tasks and work independently within a service.
7. ENB 998 or equivalent Evidence of understanding clinical audit and working to guidelines
Desirable criteria
8. Up to date knowledge of IPC and surgical care standards
9. Postgraduate study in infection prevention and or surveillance
10. Experience in infection control or surveillance roles
11. Evidence of using analytics tools, databases and supporting of digital adoption.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Essential criteria
12. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
13. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role)
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications