Consultant Microbiologist | North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust

North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in Tees Valley is seeking a Consultant in Microbiology to provide diagnostic services and participate in infection control governance. The role includes teaching, clinical responsibilities, and standardizing practices across sites. Ideal candidates will have a medical qualification with microbiology specialization. The organization offers a supportive work environment focused on employee well-being and professional development.

Benefits

Health and well-being initiatives

Staff recognition programs

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• Must provide comprehensive diagnostic and clinical microbiology advice.
• Responsible for monitoring patient progress and advising on treatment.
• Ability to work collaboratively with clinical teams and biomedical scientists.

Responsibilities

• Lead role in day-to-day management of infection control problems.
• Participate in weekly multidisciplinary clinical meetings.
• Support Trust infection prevention programs and quality assurance processes.

Skills

Diagnostic microbiology advice

Infection control

Teaching and training

Clinical governance

Audit participation

Education

Medical degree and microbiology specialization

Tools

Laboratory information systems

Job description

Overview

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS FT and South Tees Hospitals NHS FT Foundation Trusts are currently working together to develop a Group Structure to develop a clinical strategy for the benefit of patients, service users and colleagues within the Tees valley.

As part of this collaboration a single pathology service which will be known as the Tees Valley Pathology Service (TVPS) is being developed, delivered by a hub and spoke model with the hubs situated on either the James Cook University Hospital site (JCUH) or University Hospital North Tees site (UHNT).

The Microbiology processing hub is based at JCUH delivering a full repertoire of services.

Technical staff work flexibly between sites. The consultant teams are working collaboratively to standardise a range of SOPs and protocols for the continued benefit of patients and staff, however they continue to work from their base organisation providing advice and support to the clinical teams from both the acute and secondary care services within the catchment area of each Trust.

To provide continuity of service.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive diagnostic and clinical microbiology advice, and infection control service.
• Actively participate in departmental and Trust matters concerning infection control and clinical governance.
• Share clinical responsibility for Microbiology / Serology / Virology with the consultant team.
• Participate in teaching/training of junior staff, medical staff and medical students.
• Participate in postgraduate and undergraduate teaching programmes.
• Perform clinical and laboratory audit.
• Participate in departmental and Trust matters concerning clinical governance and audit.
• Participate in Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• Optimise laboratory working practices.
• Authorise results (approximately 2 hours of the working day).
• Contribute to quality assurance processes within the department.
• Collaborate with biomedical scientists to achieve a diagnostic service that is modern and of the highest standard.
• Contribute to the business planning process for the microbiology service.
• Serve as a member of the Pathology Directorate.
• Support training and development of all types and grades of staff.
• Participate in laboratory audits.
• Offer solicited advice to medical and nursing staff.
• Offer unsolicited advice where this is warranted and of benefit to the patient.
• Monitor progress of patients.
• Make daily visits to the Critical Care Unit (shared).
• Make frequent visits to wards.
• Serve as a member of the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee (when Antibiotic Lead).
• Chair (when Antibiotic Lead) or serve as a member of the Trust Antibiotic Group.
• Participate in audits (including antibiotic audits).
• Participate in a weekly multi‑disciplinary clinical meeting for orthopaedic service – one CMM designated.
• Participate in a weekly haematology ward round – one consultant designated.
• Lead clinical role (when Infection Control Doctor) in day‑to‑day management of infection control related problems.
• Lead role (when Infection Control Doctor) for policy and guideline development.
• Contribute to the prevention and management of outbreaks of infection.
• Support the Trust Infection Prevention and Control Programme.
• Liaise with the Infection Prevention and Control Nurse.
• Liaise with the Director of Infection Prevention and Control (Director of Nursing).
• Chair the monthly Infection Prevention and Control Team meetings (when Infection Control Doctor).
• Serve as a member of the Infection Control Committee.
• Serve as a member of the Healthcare‑associated Infection Operational Group (when Infection Control Doctor).
• Serve as a designated member of the Trust Sepsis Group.
• Serve as a designated member of the OPAT group.
• Liaise with the Consultant in Health Protection and Public Health England (PHE).

Work Environment

At North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust our main priority is, and always will be, to provide safe and high quality care to our patients every day; the kind of care we would want for ourselves and our loved ones. We want our organisation to be the best place to work with the right staff, in the right roles, at the right time, to ensure we deliver exceptional patient care and experience.

We will support staff through providing an inclusive and supportive workplace with health and well‑being initiatives, staff benefits and opportunities for personal and professional development. Staff recognition is very important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Star and Team of the month, colleague recognition – a note of thanks, Managers Awards, Shining Stars and Service Awards.

We support the Making Every Contact Count approach to behaviour change in the promotion of health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

We recruit for values and “Together we are North Tees & Hartlepool”.

Key Commitments

Optimisation of laboratory working practices, authorisation of results, contribution to quality assurance processes, collaboration with biomedical scientists, business planning, membership of various committees and groups, and liaison with national public health bodies.

This advert closes on Tuesday 16 Dec 2025.