Clinical Assistant (Occupational Health Technician)

At West Midlands Police (WMP), we are committed to creating an environment that invests in, values, and improves the health and wellbeing of our people. The role of the occupational health unit is pivotal in delivering this commitment to achieve and attain a workplace culture where the wellbeing of our people is reflected in all that we do. With that in mind, the in-house Occupational Health and Wellbeing department at West Midlands Police is going through a period of change. The department welcomed a new Head of Occupational Health and Wellbeing in December 2024 which has led to some changes, as a result we have some roles to offer which will enable us to improve the multi-disciplinary services we provide for a Force which is the second largest in the country with over 7,500 officers and 3,500 police staff.

Are you interested in supporting West Midlands Police provide a safe, efficient, effective and quality service to the communities of the West Midlands? Does our service improvement journey excite you? Whilst keeping things simple, new ideas and ways of working are positively welcomed! Based at Tally Ho!, Edgbaston, Birmingham, however the role will also require some travel across the West Midlands Police estate for some clinics.

1 FTE Clinical Assistant (Occupational Health Technician) Grade 4 - £27,747 to £31,296

We are seeking a Clinical Assistant (Occupational Health Technician) to work within our screening team, under the direction of the Clinical Manager – Occupational Health.

As a full time and permanent role within our great in-house Occupational Health and Wellbeing team, it is a great opportunity for someone looking to contribute to the service we provide to both the officers and staff of West Midlands Police. We are looking for an individual who is a team player, and ideally both trained and experienced as an Occupational Health Technician to support us in ensuring compliance with statutory/legislative and Occupational Health requirements.

The successful individual will undertake Pre-employment, Fitness for Work and Health Surveillance assessments; they will need to be enthusiastic, organised, a good communicator, with a positive and flexible approach to work.

The multi-disciplinary clinical team, supported by a team of Administrators, includes Force Medical Advisors, Occupational Health Nurse Advisors, Trauma Therapists, Occupational Health Practice Nurses, and Occupational Health Technicians.

A robust induction plan will provide the successful candidate with all the necessary support and advice in the early stages of employment with West Midlands Police to ensure that they are best placed to undertake this critical role.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Essential:

Educated to GCSE level as a minimum
Experience of working as an Occupational Health Technician, Healthcare Assistant/Support role or relevant clinical function
Passionate about all aspects of Occupational Health and Wellbeing
Able to develop and proactively promote positive working relationships with stakeholders and customers.
Understanding of the inter-dependencies with other departments within the organisation.
Ability to work under pressure with competing demands
Excellent communication (written and oral) and interpersonal skills
Influential (both up and down)
Flexibility towards work
Uses initiative, is innovative and recognises the need for change and supports delivery.
Excellent IT skills.
Enthusiastic and motivated.
Excellent interpersonal skills and team player.
Critical thinker and organised
Inspirational, innovative, creative, collaborative, and focused

Desirable:

Experience of working in an Occupational Health Environment within the public sector, blue light organisation, or other safety critical industry is advantageous
Qualification in health promotion or health and fitness
Qualifications in Audiometry, Spirometry, and Vision testing
Experience of conducting Pre-employment, Fitness for Work and Health Surveillance assessments
Experience of delivering health promotion activities

Prospective officers and staff must be held to a higher standard of behaviour and accountability than members of the public, and that therefore their right to privacy can be fettered in certain circumstances. This is to ensure that members of the police are fully aware and accountable for the unique position entrusted to them and the standards of professional behaviour we are required to uphold.

Vetting: Successful applicants will be required to pass Management Vetting and Counter Terrorism Clearance scrutiny prior to commencing their role, this will include a full background & financial disclosure as part of the vetting process.

Medical: Appointment to this role will be dependent upon successfully medical checks, which may include a drugs test and if required, a fitness test.

Hours: The post holder will be required to work core service hours (Monday – Friday) with some flexibility on the hours of work to accommodate the service demands, this flexibility is with due regard to prevailing workloads and priorities. Working other hours, such as Evenings, Weekends and/or Bank Holidays may be required based on service need.

Location: Primarily based at Tally Ho!, Edgbaston in Birmingham, but travel within the force area may be required/necessary.

West Midlands Police is a Disability Confident Leader - the highest level an organisation can achieve under the scheme run by the Department of Work and Pensions. As part of our commitment we operate a ‘Disability Confident Interview Scheme’ - all candidates who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. 

It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people who meet the essential criteria for the job. For example: in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. In these circumstances, the employer could select the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job, as they would do for non-disabled applicants.

"Diversity and Inclusion Vision: Maximise the potential of people from all backgrounds through a culture of fairness and inclusion to deliver the best service for our communities"