Job summary
This is an exciting time to be working at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation one of the biggest NHS Trusts in the UK, delivering care to more than 1.6 million people a year through our three main hospitals: Barnet, Chase Farm and Royal Free.

We are looking for a full time clinical lead nurse for infection prevention and control (IPC) to lead the IPC service based at Royal Free Hospital in parallel with the clinical lead nurses at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals and North Middlesex University Hospital (NMUH).

The successful candidate is required to be able demonstrate the Trust values, the responsibilities of the job description and person specification. In particular you should have proven experience of working as a Band 7 or equivalent within IPC. You should either have a degree in Infection prevention & Control (IPC), or be working towards a degree or Msc degree in infection Prevention and control (IPC).

If you believe you meet the criteria of the person specification and would like to join the Royal Free at this time, we would be interested in receiving your application.

To find out more about working at the Royal Free please visit our website at: www.royalfree.nhs.uk/jobs

For further details please contact (Jelena Heaphy - Deputy Head of Infection Prevention and Control Nursing) on Royal Free Hospital: 0207 472 6607 or by email at J.heaphy@nhs.net

Main duties of the job

• To support Matrons, specialist clinical staff and ward nurses in the delivery of a high-quality patient focused care which contributes to the patients overall experience.
• To deputise as required for the Head of IPC Nursing.
• To develop procedures, guidelines and protocols to support the development of a safe and efficient service.
• To monitor the level of service provided by the support services through regular audit and take remedial action as necessary.
• To supervise the professional development and appraisal of staff through their line management structure.
• To take responsibility for clinical standards, benchmarking/Essence of Care, infection prevention and control management as delegated by the Head of IPC Nursing.
• To foster a culture of incident reporting and responding to incidents, reflections, equal opportunity, openness, mutual respect between the professions and professional development within the unit.
• To support the development of nursing research and audit.
• To ensure that mechanisms are in place for the collection and submission of appropriate data in respect to service delivery.
• To lead to the achievement of reduction of length of stay reduction and efficiency within the service by identifying clear pathways of care for the patient in collaboration with colleagues.

About us
The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's biggest and most innovative trusts. Across three main hospitals, our dedicated army of staff care for over 1.6 million patients, treat more than 200,000 in A&E, deliver over 8,000 babies and carry out more than 17 million tests.

Our size, scale and influence offer you unrivalled career opportunities and a forward-thinking approach to working that works around your lifestyle. From flexible hours and generous benefits, to next level training, we make it easier to take your career to the top.

For more information please follow link https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/

Details
Date posted: 05 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £66,274 to £73,496 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 391-RFL-8374923

Person Specification
Education and professional qualifications

• Essential: Registered Nurse on NMC register
• Essential: Qualification/ training in teaching and/ or professional development
• Essential: Degree in infection prevention and control
• Desirable: Master's degree or professional knowledge acquired through specialist training, experience, short courses to Master's Level equivalent

Experience

• Essential: Recent significant experience working in acute settings in infection prevention and control for a minimum of three years or more working at Band 7 or above
• Essential: Experience in teaching multidisciplinary staff
• Essential: Experience of working in an autonomous/ independent role
• Desirable: Complaints management
• Desirable: Knowledge of formal research skills

Skills and aptitudes

• Essential: Proven ability to contribute to PDP of staff members and ability to play an active role in the recruitment and retention of staff
• Essential: Able to contribute to business plans, policies and clinical protocols
• Essential: Understanding of clinical risk, clinical governance and national benchmarks
• Essential: Understanding of effective staff deployment and management of budgets.
• Essential: Demonstration of knowledge of strategic and national issues pertinent to nursing and infection prevention and control
• Essential: Understanding of national frameworks
• Essential: Evidence of participation in audit and the promotion of evidence-based practice
• Desirable: Research appreciation and ability to influence others through research findings

Personal qualities and attributes

• Essential: Ability to be self-directed but also participate as a team member
• Essential: Skills to act as a clinical supervisor.
• Essential: Understanding of the role competencies of the post being aware of own boundaries and other members of health care team
• Essential: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Others

• Essential: Understanding of the needs of diverse patient populations across trust locations
• Essential: Be positively welcoming and inclusive of all individuals within the MDT
• Essential: Include patient and public priorities and aspirations within work paradigm

Royal Free shared commitments

• Essential: Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust shared commitments.

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.

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.