Main area Microbiology Grade NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 10 sessions per week (Plus 1 additional PA for on call) Job ref 409-S7080694
Employer Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Whiston Hospital Town Prescot Salary £105,504 - £139,882 per annum (Plus 1 additional PA for on call) YM 72 Salary period Yearly Closing 20/07/2025 23:59
Consultant Medical Microbiologist
NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant
After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. By applying for this post you are agreeing to "name of trust" transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
Job overview
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
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.
Working for our organisation
The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.
From 1 st July 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.
Detailed job description and main 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 UK’s 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 MWL’s award-winning cancer and chemotherapy units as well as rehabilitation and intermediate care facilities.
Ormskirk Hospital is a General Hospital that provides women’s and children’s 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.
Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.
Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.
The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
As a Disability Confident Leader, we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.
If you are having difficulty completing an online application, or require any disability reasonable adjustments, to the application process, please contact Recruitment@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk
We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.
The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details are shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision-making process.
The equality monitoring information you provide is used in the following situations: to review our recruitment practices; where a job is limited to a specific person to verify their eligibility to apply; and to offer disability reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.
Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click here to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorship.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 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.
Please note if applicable, applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment.
If you have not already done so, you are therefore encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service to which a small annual fee of £13 per year applies.
Flexible Working
We actively support flexible working patterns throughout MWL. Changes made to the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook mean that:
· All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
· There is no limit on the number of requests they can make.
· Employees have the right to make requests, have them considered, regardless of the reason.
At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we will consider requests for flexible working. We would also encourage you to also discuss flexible working options at interview stage.
Working for Team MWL
Staff recognition is especially important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Employee of the month. Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.
The Trust is a non-smoking across all our sites. Failure to follow this rule could lead to disciplinary action. For more information, see the Smoke Free NHS website
You must ensure that your application, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated and will check all applications against AI detection software.
Additional Information
Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trusts Values and Behaviours which are We are KIND, We are OPEN, We are INCLUSIVE, which can be found here .
An applicant guide to help and support you with your application and what to expect during your recruitment journey can be accessed in the supporting documents.
Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team MWL very soon.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Name Dr Madhur Vardhan Job title Consultant Microbiologist Email address madhur.vardhan@sthk.nhs.uk Telephone number 0151 430 1836 Additional information
All applicants are invited to visit the Trust prior to short-listing or interview.
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