Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen at NELFT NHS Foundation Trust for the dynamic role of a Senior Health and Safety Advisor.
You will be responsible for providing professional leadership and support for Health and Safety at NELFT NHS Foundation Trust.
Main duties of the job
You will ensure compliance with statutory legislation, deliver training, and carry out inspections and audits of practice against Health and Safety related Health and Safety law, Trust policy and procedures.
We are looking for someone that is highly experienced in Health and Safety, with excellent knowledge within a large community and mental healthcare setting. You will possess a wide breadth of subject knowledge together with a range of management skills to be able to deliver results and support both Management at all levels and frontline clinical and non-clinical staff.
It is important that the individual is open and adaptable to change and willing to challenge unacceptable practice that does not promote the safety of the patients, staff and visitors within the Trust care.
You need to be able to demonstrate; strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills, be organised and possess strong IT skills. be experienced and proficient in the use of Microsoft packages including Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
As a team player, you’ll be able to prioritise your work to meet deadlines and have a team and customer focused approach. Previous experience of working within a healthcare environment or the NHS is desirable but not essential, as full training will be provided. Access to a vehicle is essential for this role.
Working for our organisation
Our Values 2025 - 2030
Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have coproduced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.
They are:
We are kind.
We are respectful.
We work together with our communities.
These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
High Cost Area Supplement – Outer London
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,714 to a maximum of £5,941 per annum (pro rata for part time).
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. Deputise as the Health and Safety specialist.
2. Design and implement health and safety related staff training.
3. Responsible for the development and implementation of Health and Safety related.
4. Trust wide policies for non-clinical and clinical Services.
5. Lead in the design, scheduling, and delivery of at place safety promotional and training programs to meet the needs of all the individuals including twilight, night staff and bank workers.
6. To undertake an operational at place role within the Health and Safety Team being the first link to clinical and non-clinical teams, working with them to help develop safety systems of work to improve the safety of staff whilst at work including lone workers, contractors, and agency staff.
7. To deputise for the head of health and safety at ICD and corporate Quality and Safety.
8. Groups as and when necessary. Compiling and assisting the head of health and safety in the compilation of reports.
9. To lead, as directed by the head of health and safety, all areas of trust health and safety compliance over all ICD’s and corporate areas, liaising with health and safety advisors to ensure a consistent approach across the trust Risk Assessments, advice and audits.
10. Lead and support the H&S strategy and initiatives day to day at place.
11. Lead on health and safety related projects at place.
12. Support the Health and Safety Committee as a standing member reporting on Health and Safety performance at place.
13. Support the Trust to meet its legislative and regulatory requirements to ensure compliance with the Care Quality Commission standards, namely regulation 12,15 and 17.
14. Assist operational managers in their responsibility to ensure the business or corporate area has sufficient number of trained fire wardens and first aid staff in place.
15. To represent the Trust and establish and maintain good relationships with tenants, lead EPRR contacts, Fire Safety manager, authorised persons Estates Operations team promoting a positive health and safety culture.
16. To ensure health and safety incidents are investigated and followed up appropriately. To report to relevant external agencies, including Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Environment Agency and other agencies to meet statutory and mandatory requirements.
17. Ensure that managers are advised on best practice actions and publicise as appropriate.
18. To take immediate action, where a health and safety risk is identified, to remove or mitigate that risk in conjunction with the manager. Minimise, as far as is safe and practicable to do so, the impact of any mitigation on the provision of the service. Liaise with emergency preparedness team, as necessary.
19. To actively contribute towards the development of the risk assessment processes by guiding and supporting managers in undertaking quality and risk assessments in their areas of responsibility. This will also encompass specific areas of focus which will include areas such as lone working, COSHH, DSE, and environment.
20. In conjunction with the relevant managers, monitor and evaluate risk assessment outcomes, identifying significant risks or trends and assisting in the preparation and implementation of action plans to eliminate or minimise risks and hazards to Health and safety.
21. On schemes which do not require the appointment of a coordinator under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015), provide guidance and advice on health and safety requirements during schemes for capital projects, new builds, refurbishments, and changes of use of sites.
22. On schemes which require the appointment of a Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 co-ordinator, undertake audits, as directed by the head of health and safety, on the safe working of the contractor, notifying any concerns as required to the head of health and safety, the head of estates and/or the estates director as necessary.
Front of House
23. To facilitate the provision by external provider and in conjunction with human resources and organisational development, a range of health and safety related training to all trust staff as identified by risk assessments and/or training needs analysis. Including induction days, training seminars or workshops and/or programmes for all levels of staff.
24. To act in an advisory and supportive capacity to ICD and corporate managers/staff on health and safety issues, ensuring staff are aware of their obligations regarding Health and Safety at Work. Support staff to ensure the trust meets its statutory obligations and by assisting managers/staff in the identification of workplace hazards, appraisal of health and safety risk, advising on effective control measures.
25. To advise and support trust staff in accordance with relevant health and safety and related legislation, codes of practice and EU directives. Provide practical and positive support to managers in fulfilling their responsibilities and duty of care obligations to staff, users, patients, visitors, and contractors in respect of health. Providing literature, information and guidance as needed or required.
26. To ensure a library of health and safety literature and guidance is maintained and updated, and accessible to others in the organisation.
Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.
We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.
Use of AI
Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.
Person specification
General
Essential criteria
27. To be aware and demonstrate the Trust Values
28. To be able to travel effectively throughout the Trust
29. Commitment and energy to developing excellent service
30. Able to work flexibility and to adapt to time pressures
Qualifications
Essential criteria
31. Educated to post graduate diploma or equivalent experience
32. Hold a specialist recognised Health & Safety Qualification, NEBOSH Diploma.
33. To be willing to, undertake appropriate training courses to obtain relevant qualifications
Desirable criteria
34. Hold a Chartered membership in Health and Safety
Experience
Essential criteria
35. Demonstrable experience as a health and safety practitioner
36. Experience of handling confidential and sensitive information in accordance with the Data Protection Act
37. Experience of undertaking critical analysis of systems &/or incidents and identifying resolutions
38. Experience of contributing to policy development and implementation
Desirable criteria
39. Experience of managing budgets up to £1m
40. Experience of managing staff
Knowledge
Essential criteria
41. Specialist knowledge of Health and Safety underpinned by theory and practice
42. Sound knowledge basis for health and Safety law, policies and procedures and ability to interpret new laws, guidance or codes of practice
43. Knowledge of our business and how it supports patient care
Skills
Essential criteria
44. Leadership skills and ability to motivate other people
45. Flexible approach to all tasks, with the ability to work as part of a team
46. Ability to influence and negotiate to establish personal credibility through personal and professional approach
47. Advanced specialist knowledge/expertise acquired through Degree or equivalent relevant H&S
48. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills - verbal and written - enabling complex technical aspects of health and safety to be communicated to all
49. Ability to deal with extremely sensitive information
50. Ability to work both independently and as part of a team effectively
51. Report writing skills
Desirable criteria
52. Good presentation skills
Benefits
We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:
53. A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
54. A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity.
55. Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
56. Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.