Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Acute General Medicine

Job overview

The Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Acute General Medicine will help establish and lead a new ID service at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The role includes running a dedicated ID ward, providing specialist inpatient and outpatient care, supporting virtual hospital services, and contributing to MDTs, teaching, audit and research.

The post rotates between ward and non‑ward weeks, includes participation in the GIM on‑call rota, and offers opportunities to develop special interests such as HIV, tropical medicine and OPAT. The Consultant will work closely with microbiology, support service development, and help shape a modern, expanding ID department within a large, diverse Trust.

Main duties of the job

The Consultant will deliver daily ID ward rounds, triages referrals, lead MDT discussions, and oversee discharge planning and admin tasks such as letters, results and supervision.

They will run specialist clinics—including follow‑up, PUO/admission‑avoidance and a chosen special‑interest area—and support virtual ward reviews.

The role include will include teaching medical students and trainees, contributing to audit, CPD, governance and research activity, and maintaining SPA commitments such as appraisal and service development.

To perform effectively, the post‑holder needs strong organisational skills, clinical leadership, analytical ability, teamwork, clear communication and the resilience to manage busy, complex caseloads.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Conduct daily ID ward rounds, including reviewing complex infection cases and coordinating patient care.
• Triage referrals and manage inpatient caseloads requiring specialist ID input.
• Lead and participate in MDTs (radiology, microbiology, specialty‑specific MDTs).
• Oversee discharge planning, documentation, results review and clinical correspondence.
• Deliver three weekly outpatient clinics, including ward‑discharge reviews, acute infection/PUO clinics and a chosen special‑interest clinic.
• Support virtual hospital activity, including virtual ward rounds and early‑discharge pathways.
• Teach medical students, FY2s, IMTs and GP trainees as part of scheduled training activities.
• Contribute to clinical governance, audit, CPD, appraisal and service‑development work.
• Participate in research activity aligned with the developing ID service and NIHR portfolio work.
• Take part in the General Internal Medicine on‑call rota (1:23).
• Collaborate closely with Microbiology to support diagnostics, ITU reviews, OPAT and infection‑related MDTs.
• Maintain professional standards, including appraisal, revalidation, CPD attendance and adherence to Trust policies.