Job summary
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking to appoint a Consultant Microbiologist and Infectious Diseases Consultant based at North Tyneside General Hospital.
The successful candidate will join a dynamic Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Service, working alongside four consultant microbiologists and three infectious diseases consultants. The post includes participation in a 1:5 microbiology on-call rota and acting as infectious diseases consultant of the week on a 1:4 rota, providing comprehensive clinical microbiology, laboratory oversight, infection control, and multidisciplinary liaison. Duties encompass supervision of diagnostic methods, result interpretation, quality assurance, policy development, and contribution to hospital committees.
The Trust encourages the development of subspecialty interests, supports continuing professional development, research, and undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in partnership with Newcastle and Sunderland universities. Northumbria Healthcare is committed to promoting a positive work-life balance and welcomes applications for full-time, part-time, and job-share appointments, with flexibility to tailor the role to personal circumstances.
Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a suitable number of applications are received.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases services alongside four consultant microbiologists and three infectious diseases consultants. They will participate in a microbiology on-call rota (1:5) and act as infectious diseases consultant of the week on a 1:4 rota.
Core duties include overseeing diagnostic laboratory services--supervising specimen processing, authorising and interpreting results, and developing standard operating procedures. The consultant will ensure quality assurance through NEQAS participation and maintain UKAS ISO 15189 accreditation. They will advise the infection control team, support hospital and community outbreak investigations, and contribute to relevant committees.
Clinical responsibilities encompass ward and critical care rounds, liaising with multidisciplinary teams to guide antimicrobial therapy. The role involves providing public health surveillance data to the UK Health Security Agency, participating in sentinel and enhanced surveillance, and engaging in service development, business planning, resource management, audit, research, and undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
About us
We manage three major locality hospitals at North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Hexham, plus a number of smaller community hospitals and clinics from Tynemouth to Berwick Upon Tweed, covering one of the largest geographical areas of any NHS trust in the country. Leading in innovation and quality - opening a state of the art Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, the first of its kind in England. Do you want to work in one of the best performing NHS organisations in England? Work in an organisation that supports its staff and focuses on staff experience as much as it does the experience of its patients? You can live and breathe in an area that has the cleanest air, cost effective living, great nightlife, some of the best schools with a wealth of history available on your doorstep. Sound too good to be true? Well it isn't, this is what you get when you work for Northumbria Healthcare, this is the Northumbria Way! Please read 'applicant guidance notes' before submitting your application.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful applicant for this post will work closely with all the Consultant Medical Microbiologists and Infection Disease Consultants to provide a comprehensive, efficient and cost-effective service.
The successful applicant will be expected to take part in:
-
Provide clinical microbiology and infectious diseases consultations for inpatients and outpatients.
-
Participate in a 1:5 microbiology on-call rota and a 1:4 infectious diseases consultant-of-the-week rota.
-
Oversee diagnostic laboratory services, including specimen processing and result authorisation.
-
Develop, review, and implement standard operating procedures and laboratory policies.
-
Maintain quality assurance via NEQAS and uphold UKAS ISO 15189 accreditation standards.
-
Advise the infection control team on outbreak management, surveillance, and prevention strategies.
-
Conduct ward and critical care rounds; liaise with multidisciplinary teams on antimicrobial therapy.
-
Generate, analyse, and submit public health, sentinel, and enhanced surveillance data to UKHSA and regional networks.
-
Engage in service development and support clinical governance through audit, research, and quality improvement initiatives.
-
Deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in collaboration with Newcastle and Sunderland universities.
-
Advise and support clinical staff and committees on antimicrobial stewardship policies and governance.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful applicant for this post will work closely with all the Consultant Medical Microbiologists and Infection Disease Consultants to provide a comprehensive, efficient and cost-effective service.
The successful applicant will be expected to take part in:
-
Provide clinical microbiology and infectious diseases consultations for inpatients and outpatients.
-
Participate in a 1:5 microbiology on-call rota and a 1:4 infectious diseases consultant-of-the-week rota.
-
Oversee diagnostic laboratory services, including specimen processing and result authorisation.
-
Develop, review, and implement standard operating procedures and laboratory policies.
-
Maintain quality assurance via NEQAS and uphold UKAS ISO 15189 accreditation standards.
-
Advise the infection control team on outbreak management, surveillance, and prevention strategies.
-
Conduct ward and critical care rounds; liaise with multidisciplinary teams on antimicrobial therapy.
-
Generate, analyse, and submit public health, sentinel, and enhanced surveillance data to UKHSA and regional networks.
-
Engage in service development and support clinical governance through audit, research, and quality improvement initiatives.
-
Deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in collaboration with Newcastle and Sunderland universities.
-
Advise and support clinical staff and committees on antimicrobial stewardship policies and governance.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Fully registered on the UK General Medical Council's Specialist Register (Microbiology and Infectious Diseases) or Specialist Registrars may apply if within 6 months of CCT at date of the Advisory Appointment Committee.
- Member/Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists or equivalent
- Full GMC Registration
- Certificate of Completed Training (CCT) in Microbiology
Desirable
- Educational Qualification
Experience
Essential
- High standard of clinical skill and expertise in clinical microbiology
Desirable
- Experience in infection prevention and control
- Experience in antibiotic stewardship.
- Experience of audit management
- Experience of teaching basic clinical skills to undergraduates
- Teaching of non-medical health professionals
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Fully registered on the UK General Medical Council's Specialist Register (Microbiology and Infectious Diseases) or Specialist Registrars may apply if within 6 months of CCT at date of the Advisory Appointment Committee.
- Member/Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists or equivalent
- Full GMC Registration
- Certificate of Completed Training (CCT) in Microbiology
Desirable
- Educational Qualification
Experience
Essential
- High standard of clinical skill and expertise in clinical microbiology
Desirable
- Experience in infection prevention and control
- Experience in antibiotic stewardship.
- Experience of audit management
- Experience of teaching basic clinical skills to undergraduates
- Teaching of non-medical health professionals
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
