Health and Safety Advisor
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is now one of the largest trusts in the country, serving a population of 1.2 million people comprising acute hospital sites at Broomfield in Chelmsford, Basildon and Southend.
We are a well-led, high-performing and innovative organisation determined to provide the best health care services for our local population and working in the best interests of the people we serve.
Job overview
We have a fantastic opportunity for a Health and Safety Advisor. You will serve as the focal point for all health and safety matters within the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust. Reporting to the Health Safety Manager and ultimately accountable to the Director of Specialist Services (Estates and Facilities Management Division), the advisor is responsible for ensuring the highest standards of safety across the Trust.
You will provide expert advice and support to maintain and enhance safety provisions within the Trust premises, ensuring compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, NHS Health Technical Memoranda, British Standards, and relevant legislative requirements.As the competent person for health and safety, the advisor will ensure full compliance with all related legislation.
Working closely with internal and external stakeholders, the Health and Safety Advisor will help create and sustain a safe environment for all individuals accessing or supporting the Trust's healthcare services, thereby promoting the overall health and wellbeing of staff and patients.
Main duties of the job
Key responsibilities include conducting safety audits, analysing health and safety incidents, and developing safe systems of work. The advisor will investigate reportable accidents under RIDDOR, ensuring timely and thorough reporting to regulatory bodies.Presenting detailed health and safety incident data to relevant forums is also a crucial part of this role.
The advisor will work Trust-wide, possibly involving travel and work at different hospitals. Duties include implementing health and safety audit programs, conducting random safety checks, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and advising on safe systems of work and protective equipment use.They will also ensure new equipment is safe before commissioning and stay updated on new legislation and NHS directives.
The advisor will develop annual action plans, maintain effective data management systems, and provide comprehensive advice to directors, managers, and staff on health and safety issues. They will identify training needs and deliver health and safety training as part of the Trust’s Education, Training, and Development Program.As a core member of the Trust Health and Safety Forum, the advisor will present relevant reports and papers.
This job description is not exhaustive, as such reasonable requests may be additional to the above narrative.
Working for our organisation
With a workforce of approximately 15,000 staff, we can now do more and go further in delivering health services to our local communities.
Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.
Patients will experience improved care as well as fewer delays and cancellations. We are able to provide more once-in-a-lifetime specialist care region-wide. With our new trust size will come more opportunities for development, research, networking and innovation.
We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached a full job description setting out the details of the role and responsibilities.
We look forward to your application.
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria- Industry Experience: Demonstrated experience in a health and safety role within healthcare, preferably within the NHS or a similar environment.
- Experience managing health and safety across multiple sites or departments, including risk assessments, incident investigations, and safety audits.
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Legislative Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of health and safety legislation, regulations, and standards applicable to the healthcare sector
- Implementation of Best Practices: Proven ability to implement best practices in health and safety, including the development and maintenance of safety policies and procedures
Qualification and Certification
Essential criteria- Minimum requirement of a NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent in Health and Safet
- Additional certifications such as IOSH membership, NEBOSH Diploma, or specialised health and safety training relevant to healthcare settings
Please be aware as per the new Immigration guidelines we cannot sponsor candidates with a salary (full time or pro Rata) under the current minimum threshold.