Consultant Medical Microbiologist

NHS; Knowsley; On-site; GBP 105,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Join Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as a Consultant Medical Microbiologist. The position involves building clinical services, overseeing critical microbiological tests, and collaborating with a dedicated team. This role offers competitive remuneration and the opportunity for a fulfilling career in a leading NHS Trust.

Benefits

Wellbeing & Benefits

Qualifications

• Fully registered with a license to practice with the GMC.
• On Specialist Register or obtaining CCT within six months.
• Evidence of thorough training and experience in related specialty.

Responsibilities

• Build the clinical service through Antimicrobial Stewardship.
• Take on lead role in OPAT Service and contribute to MDT meetings.
• Perform over 6.5 million tests in various departments.

Skills

Communication

Flexibility

Teamwork

Leadership

Education

Fellowship (FRCPath) of Royal College of Pathologists

Diploma in Hospital Infection Control

Higher Research Degree (MD or PhD)

Recognised management qualification

Job description

Go back Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Consultant Medical Microbiologist

The closing date is 20 July 2025

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust are looking to appoint two enthusiastic, clinically focused Medical Microbiologists to join the Microbiology team of four Consultants working cross site at all Trust sites .

The posts are whole time - 10 PAs ( less than full time will be considered) and are based at Whiston Hospital. Agile working will be considered.

There is an Category A on call requirement - Currently 1 in 6

Applicants are required to be fully registered with a licence to practice with the General Medical Council and to be on the Specialist Register or due to obtain their CCT within six months of the date of interview. CESR candidates must have written GMC confirmation of successful application.

The appointee will also hold the FRCPath or show evidence of equivalent training and experience.

Interviews will take place on 20th August, 2025 at Whiston Hospital

Main duties of the job

There are opportunities to build the clinical service through Antimicrobial Stewardship taking on the lead role with contributions towards Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) Service, Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings and additional ward presence.

Our Pathology Service provides Pathology for Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals (NHS) Trust as well as the surrounding community.

Each year the laboratory performs over 6.5 million tests which are dealt with by medical, scientific, clerical and support staff in a range of departments

• Haematology and Transfusion
• Biochemistry and Immunology
• Microbiology
• Bereavement

The Trust's Pathology department is accredited to ISO15189: Please follow this link to access the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) websiteand type the department's UKAS ID to access the schedule of accreditation for each of the department.

The UKAS ID codes are as follows Biochemistry and Immunology 8871, Cellular Pathology 8908, Haematology and Transfusion 8864 and Microbiology 8857.

A formal job plan will be agreed between the appointee, the existing Consultant Microbiologists, and the Clinical Director, within 3 months after the commencement date of the appointment.

Depending on the demands of the service, as with the flexible work patterns of most Medical Microbiologists, sometimes a greater or lesser proportion of time may be spent between infection control and clinical microbiology.

About us

The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.

From 1stJuly we have come together as a single organisation under the name Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

The Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.

The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.

Our Vision is to deliver 5 Star Patient Care:

• CAREthat is evidence based, high quality and compassionate
• SAFETY that is of the highest standards
• COMMUNICATION that is open, inclusive and respectful
• SYSTEMS that are efficient, patient centred and reliable
• PATHWAYS that are best practice and embedded, but also respect the individual needs of patients

Our achievements include:

• Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Please see our Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our staff benefits. Accessible version available upon request.

Job responsibilities

For more information regarding the main responsibilities and requirements essential for this role please refer to the supporting documents heading and review the job description and person specification which will outline the duties of the role including a proposed job plan.

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Serving a population of approximately 650,000 people, with a workforce of around 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (MWL) is one of the UKs largest Trusts.

The Trust provides a wide range of healthcare services at 5 hospitals and 16 community sites to people across St Helens, Knowsley, Halton, Southport, Ormskirk, parts of Liverpool and the surrounding areas. Alongside these community and secondary care services, the Trust also provides primary care services from the Marshalls Cross Medical Centre, which is located at St Helens Hospital.

MWL also provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery, and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Merseyside and Cheshire, West Lancashire, the Isle of Man, North Wales and beyond.

As a Trust, our vision is to provide 5 Star Patient Care. We strongly believe that the communities we serve should have equal access to the highest standards of quality care, whilst being sensitive and responsive to the needs of individual patients.

Our valued workforce is recognised for their expert skills and talents, with our teams winning national awards on a regular basis. Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is the only acute Trust in Cheshire and Merseyside, and one of the few in England, to achieve the rating of OUTSTANDING by the Care Quality Commission

Whiston Hospital

Whiston Hospital is a busy teaching hospital which provides a comprehensive range of acute medical and surgical services, emergency services, maternity services, paediatrics and medicine for older people. The Regional Burns Unit and Mersey Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery Unit are also based on this site. There is a Critical Care Unit consisting of ICU, HDU, CCU and an onsite cardiac catheter laboratory. There is a 30-bed Stroke Unit which accommodates both acute stroke patients and those with rehabilitation needs.

Southport Hospital

Southport Hospital is a General Hospital that includes adults accident and emergency services, intensive care, and a range of medical and surgical specialities. There is also an outpatients department and 13 medical and surgical wards, including a Critical Care Unit and a ward for stroke patients. The hospital also plays host to the Northwest Regional Spinal Injuries Centre which provides specialist care for spinal patients from across the Northwest, North Wales, and the Isle of Man. The site also provides ENT, physiotherapy, audiology and cardiac services.

St Helens Hospital is an ambulatory care centre providing intermediate care and day surgery. Rheumatology, dermatology and diabetes services are based on this site and within easy reach of other acute specialties at Whiston Hospital. The hospital offers a full range of outpatient clinics, day case surgery, and diagnostic suites including CT, MRI and DEXA scan equipment. There is also an intermediate care ward and diabetes centre on site. St Helens is also home to MWLs award-winning cancer and chemotherapy units as well as rehabilitation and intermediate care facilities.

Ormskirk Hospital is a General Hospital that provides womens and childrens services, including paediatric accident and emergency services, surgery, and maternity care. A full range of physiotherapy and occupational therapy services are also provided at the hospital, which now benefits from a newly opened state-of-the-art therapy unit. The hospital provides these services largely for patients living across West Lancashire, Southport, and Formby

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Full and specialist registration, hold a licence to practise with GMC (General Medical Council), or eligible for registration within 6 months of interview.
• Applicants that are UK trained, must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or be within six months of award of CCT by date of interview.
• Applicants that are non-UK trained, will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT. CESR candidates must have written GMC confirmation of successful application.
• Fellowship (FRCPath) of Royal College of Pathologists or show evidence of equivalent qualification
• Diploma in Hospital Infection Control (or equivalent).
• Higher Research Degree (MD or PhD).
• Recognised management qualification
• MRCP or show evidence of equivalent qualification
• Recognised teaching qualification

Knowledge & Experience

• Evidence of thorough and broad training and experience in relevant specialty
• Able to take responsibility for delivering service without direct supervision.
• Knowledge and experience of relevant speciality
• Knowledge of evidence-based practice
• Ability to organise and manage people and resources

Skills

• Broad range of IT skills.
• Good knowledge of, and ability to use, spoken and written English.
• Ability to communicate effectively with clinical colleagues, colleagues in pathology and support staff.
• Ability to present effectively to an audience, using a variety of methods, and to respond to questions and queries.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships on an individual and multi-disciplinary basis with all levels of staff
• Ability to communicate effectively with clinical, scientific, technical, and managerial colleagues.
• Ability to be a flexible team member
• Ability to cope with and effectively organise the workload of a consultant.
• Ability to practise independently as a consultant.
• Ability to take responsibility and show evidence of leadership.
• Ability to adapt and respond to changing circumstances
• Ability to work under pressure and cope with setbacks.
• Awareness of personal limitations
• Understanding of clinical governance and the individual responsibilities it implies.
• Knowledge of the principles of clinical audit and evidence of participation.
• Participation in continuing professional development (CPD) scheme and, where relevant, evidence of participation
• Experience of teaching.
• Knowledge of the principles of research.
• Experience of teaching undergraduates
• Experience of supervising trainee pathologists.
• Evidence of involvement in research.

Other

• Meets professional health requirements.
• Willingness to travel to and work in other sites necessitated by the role.
• Full driving licence.

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.

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

£105,504 to £139,882 a yearper annum (Plus 1 additional PA for on call) YM 72