Consultant Microbiologist

Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic and driven candidate to be part of our microbiology clinical team, as a Consultant in Medical microbiology or Medical Microbiology and infectious diseases. The role is offered at 10.4 PA's with 1.4PA on call premium included.

CDDFT pathology is embracing change and this is an opportunity to help shape the service - new equipment and new laboratory information systems are in the pipeline for delivery over the next 2 years, so we are looking for someone with vision to fit into our team and support this exciting period of change.

The service provides a wide range of microbiology, virology and serology testing to the County Durham and Darlington population of 600,000. You will work closely with the laboratory and with clinical staff across the Trust and primary care sector, providing diagnostic results and clinical advice. On call provision is an expected part of this role, supporting a 24/7 laboratory.

Main duties of the job

Be a member of Infection Control team and participate in providing infection Prevention and control services to the Trust and other users of the service helping consultant colleagues and infection control nurses to deal with day to day infection control management across the Trust. Be involved with root cause analysis and action planning where incidents occur. This post will predominantly cover clinical service but in addition may have the need for the appointee to attend key meetings including MDTs where required.

The appointee, as part of the team, will be responsible for the provision of a comprehensive, efficient and cost-effective diagnostic and clinical microbiology service (including bacteriology, virology, mycology and parasitology.)

Provide appropriate advice and result interpretation on the tests performed within the department at Consultant level. This includes making interpretation and decisions on aberrant results and discussions with clinicians including advice on interpretation and further investigations. Ward rounds are an important part of the role.

About us

If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.

You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.

Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

Details

• Date posted: 03 June 2026
• Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
• Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 a year YC72 Pay Scale per annum pro rata
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: C9439-2627-792
• Job locations: University Hospital Of North Durham, North Road, DURHAM, DH1 5TW, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

This is a consultant post in Medical microbiology or Medical Microbiology and infectious diseases.

The service is delivered mainly for 2 acute sites, the University Hospital of North Durham and Darlington Memorial hospital. Based on service needs and in agreement with the appointing manager and applicant, the applicants base will be University Hospital of North Durham. The post holder will however be required to work at any location within the Trust.

The appointee will be expected to be involved in implementing the Trusts Clinical Governance programme. This includes active participation in clinical audit, quality, clinical guidelines/pathways, and professional development.

The post holder will provide, working with other colleagues, clinical advice on medical microbiology to clinical staff in hospitals and in the community, and within the area served by the laboratory and consultants in communicable disease control, environmental health and others. This will include participation in surveillance, hospital infection control and public health microbiology.

The appointee will be expected to work with local managers and professional colleagues in the efficient running of the services and will share with Consultant colleagues in providing a clinical microbiology service to the Trust and local CCGs. This post will predominantly cover clinical service but in addition may have the need for the appointee to attend key meetings including MDT meetings where required.

Clinical

Provide appropriate advice and result interpretation on the tests performed within the department under the overall supervision of the Consultant Microbiologist.

Liaison with clinicians, hospital staff and GP`s concerning the diagnosis and management of patients and prevention of infection.

Liaison with Public Health England and Health Protection Unit to manage infections and notification of notifiable diseases.

Attend and contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings as required. Current opportunities include C. difficile MDT, AMS, OPAT MDT (Outpatient antimicrobial therapy), Ortho MDT, and Endocarditis MDT.

To provide medical input and oversight of policies, procedures and guidelines produced with microbiology, or those produced by other departments that impact on microbiology.

Provide advice and interpretation of test results to clinicians, either directly, or via participation in the departments duty rota.

This post will predominantly cover clinical service but in addition may have the need for the appointee to attend RCA, MDT meetings where required.

Out of Hours Responsibilities

Once the post holder is established they would be expected to participate in the on call rota. There will be a compulsory on call commitment as part of this post.

Infection Control

The substantive post will involve working with the Consultant colleagues and infection control nurses to deal with day to day infection control management across the Trust.

Active involvement in investigation of infection control incidents and in action planning and implementation to reduce hospital acquired infection is expected.

There will be a need to be involved in root cause analysis following infection control incidents.

There will also be a need to be involved in decontamination issues.

Laboratory

To be involved in all aspects of the day-to-day operation to UKAS standards of the Clinical Microbiology laboratory with appropriate technical support.

Regular daily liaison with the laboratory technical staff.

Reporting of laboratory results, authorizing and providing medical interpretation as appropriate.

The appointee will be a responsible for the provision of a comprehensive, efficient and cost-effective diagnostic and clinical microbiology service (including bacteriology, virology, mycology and parasitology.)

To provide clinical input to the laboratory manager to enable effective management of the automated Clinical Microbiology activities in the Trust including- Advising the section senior on the clinical implications of quality issues (EQA and IQC) that can be used to help inform their action plan.

Participate in the introduction of new methods and preparations of business case plan. The service is embracing new ideas to enable us to support expanding and ever changing demands on microbiology.

Share responsibility for quality assurance performance within the department including taking part in all relevant NEQAS programmes.

Works with operational members of laboratory staff to implement the departmental policies. Where possible ensures guidelines issued by the MHRA and NICE are compiled with. Assesses the budgetary, clinical and logistical implications of new guidance, whether National, Regional or local and liaise with other departments in order to provide the required level of service.

Provide clinical input whilst the department is evaluating new methods or equipment and producing reports including statistical analysis and graphical representations of data.

Monitor and advice on budgets and resources in the service as required.

Provide clinical leadership and training of staff.

Education and training- CDDFT has been approved as an HSST training site.

Managerial Roles

There is the opportunity to take an active role in developing one of the key roles supported by the microbiology clinical team. These include developing and leading-

Additional activities would be considered through job planning and allocation of funding (PA) once in post where appropriate. These roles are managed on rotation and the candidate will be required to deliver one or more of these roles.

The appointee will be expected to cover colleagues in their absence, and will be expected to deputise in the absence of colleagues in cases of annual leave, study leave and sickness as far as is practicable and ensure continuous patient care.

Liaison with other Consultant Microbiologists

Liaison with other consultants includes attending meetings of the Microbiology Speciality Group and the Northern Region Consultant Microbiology Group (NERMG).

MDT- Participation in MDTs is expected. Currently there are MDTs for C. difficile (which is trust wide), Arthroplasty infection and Endocarditis.

Other roles

Teaching The Consultants will be expected to participate in teaching of other junior medical staff, medical students and other staff as appropriate.

Research Research activities are considered an inherent part of normal clinical duties and would therefore be encouraged. Research funding may be available for successful applications to the regional research committee.

Audit and Clinical Governance - The Trust has established Clinical Audit and Governance Departments. Within Pathology there is an active combined research & audit group with representatives from each speciality. It is expected that the appointees will actively participate within departmental audit and support cross-specialty audits.