< Back

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a medically qualified Specialist Doctor or Consultant-level Microbiologist with expertise in Medical Microbiology and Infection to join a highly regarded NHS-managed pathology network in South East England. This replacement post plays a vital role in maintaining the resilience of the senior clinical team while supporting the continued development of microbiology, infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, and clinical infection services across a large integrated pathology network.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:
• Provide expert clinical microbiology and infection advice to clinicians, general practitioners, healthcare professionals, and public health agencies
• Deliver a comprehensive, high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective clinical infection service across multiple hospital sites
• Participate in the diagnosis, management, prevention, and control of infectious diseases
• Support infection prevention and control (IPC) services, including outbreak management and exposure risk assessments
• Provide antimicrobial stewardship leadership and contribute to antimicrobial policy development and surveillance programmes
• Participate in Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services
• Contribute to laboratory result authorisation, interpretation, quality assurance, and governance activities
• Support laboratory management, service planning, policy development, and implementation of new diagnostic methods
• Provide advice to occupational health services regarding infection-related matters
• Collaborate with public health teams in the investigation and control of communicable disease outbreaks
• Participate in multidisciplinary meetings, audit programmes, and clinical governance activities.

About the Service

The post sits within one of the UK's largest and most integrated NHS pathology networks, delivering microbiology, virology, immunology, and molecular diagnostic services across multiple NHS organisations. The network serves six acute hospitals and provides specialist infection services to a large regional population. The organisation is recognised for innovation, clinical excellence, quality improvement, and strong collaborative working across hospital and community healthcare settings.

Clinical Infection and Microbiology Responsibilities

The role includes:
• Daily clinical liaison with medical, surgical, orthopaedic, paediatric, haematology, oncology, and critical care teams
• Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ward round participation
• Telephone advice for clinicians, GPs, and healthcare professionals
• Diagnostic microbiology consultation and interpretation of complex microbiological investigations
• Management of healthcare-associated infections and community-acquired infections
• Support for infection control nursing teams and antimicrobial pharmacists
• Participation in regional infection prevention initiatives and public health collaborations.

Infection Prevention and Control

The successful candidate will play a key role in:
• Day-to-day infection prevention and control advice
• Outbreak investigation and management
• Exposure risk assessments
• Surveillance and monitoring of healthcare-associated infections
• Development of infection prevention policies and protocols
• Collaboration with public health and communicable disease control teams
• Occupational health infection advice and support.

Antimicrobial Stewardship and OPAT

The service has established antimicrobial stewardship and OPAT programmes, including:
• Development and review of antimicrobial guidelines
• Monitoring antimicrobial consumption and resistance trends
• Participation in antimicrobial stewardship group meetings
• Support for outpatient antimicrobial therapy services
• Collaboration with specialist pharmacists and nursing teams
• Contribution to antimicrobial audit and quality improvement initiatives.

Laboratory and Diagnostic Services

The department provides access to:
• Comprehensive microbiology and virology diagnostic services
• UKAS-accredited laboratory facilities
• Automated microbiology platforms and advanced laboratory technologies
• Molecular diagnostics and genomic testing capabilities
• PCR-based infectious disease testing
• Next-generation sequencing opportunities
• Strong laboratory governance and quality management systems
• National External Quality Assurance Scheme (NEQAS) participation.

Teaching, Training and Research

The successful candidate will have opportunities to:
• Teach medical students, junior doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, and GPs
• Participate in formal educational programmes and journal clubs
• Supervise audit and quality improvement projects
• Contribute to postgraduate education initiatives
• Collaborate with university-based research programmes
• Participate in microbiology, molecular diagnostics, and infection-related research projects
• Develop academic interests within a supportive research environment.

Clinical Governance and Quality Improvement

The appointee will actively contribute to:
• Clinical governance activities
• Multidisciplinary clinical audit programmes
• Antimicrobial resistance surveillance
• Development of clinical guidelines and investigation protocols
• Service development and modernisation initiatives
• Laboratory standard operating procedures and quality systems
• Continuous service improvement projects.

Person Specification

Requirements

Essential

• Full GMC Registration with Licence to Practise
• MBBS or equivalent medical qualification
• Fellowship or Membership of the relevant Pathology College (or equivalent)
• FRCPath Part 2 or equivalent specialist qualification
• Broad experience in Medical Microbiology and Infection
• Demonstrable specialist training experience in microbiology
• Ability to provide independent expert clinical microbiology advice
• Strong understanding of clinical governance, risk management, guideline development, and serious incident review processes
• Evidence of audit participation and service improvement activity
• Excellent communication, teamwork, and relationship-building skills.

 

Desirable

• Teaching or educational qualification
• Higher degree, such as MD, PhD, or equivalent
• Postgraduate experience in Infectious Diseases services
• Expertise in microbiology and virology laboratory operations
• Experience with laboratory accreditation and quality management systems
• Research experience and academic involvement
• Evidence of service development and innovation.
Apply now