Locum Consultant Microbiologist

Job overview

Barking Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) are looking to recruit a forward-thinking and motivated consultant microbiologist to join our microbiology team delivering our clinical microbiology and virology services to BHRUT and other users within the local area. The posts present an excellent opportunity for experienced clinicians with comprehensive understanding of microbiology to join our dynamic team committed to the delivery of the highest standard of care.

This is a fixed term post for 12 months to cover maternity absence.

Applicants are encouraged from individuals wishing to take on the additional responsibility of Clinical Lead Microbiology and or Clinical Director Pathology, with additional responsibility allowances for these posts.

The Pathology Clinical Director is a senior leadership role providing leadership and direction to the pathology directorate consisting of multiple clinical services/ laboratories located across Queen’s and King George Hospitals, and other satellite sites.

The Clinical Director will work in the pathology directorate with a dedicated General Manager to lead the pathology team and deliver all objectives as agreed by the Clinical Group Director, with a particular focus on providing high quality, safe, well-governed, productive and cost-effective services which support the Trust in delivering its strategic objectives.

Main duties of the job

Locum Consultant Microbiologist

Typical duties include Clinical Microbiology/Infection consultations, liaison & advice, daily infection ward rounds, laboratory bench rounds, report authorisation, infection prevention & control liaison, antimicrobial stewardship activities/ward rounds as part of the Microbiology/ Infection team, under the supervision of a duty consultant.

It is expected that the successful candidate will participate in the on call Microbiology duties during the post.

The appointee will be expected to attend and actively participate in Departmental and other teaching sessions. It is expected that the appointee will assist with the teaching of undergraduate medical students and postgraduate junior doctors. This post provides a broad experience in the clinical management of Infection. Previous appointees have progressed from this post to further their careers in Infection Specialty roles.

Working for our organisation

We’re an organisation that is getting better and betterand ourimprovements are driven by a determination to deliver care we’re proud of and our patients are happy with. We’re no longer in ; we’ve opened at our Elective Surgical Hub in King George Hospital (KGH); and Matthew Trainer, our Chief Executive, has been named by the Health Service Journal.

We operate from two main sites – KGH in Goodmayes and Queen’s Hospital in Romford. We have two busy emergency departments with more than 330,000 people visiting them last year. We’re campaigning to secure the £35m we need to and get rid of corridor care.

Our patients are benefitting from our in Ilford; an in Hornchurch; and Community Diagnostic Centres (CDC) at and at in Hornchurch.

These CDCs are open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and are providing an extra 88,000 scans a year. 

The majority of our 8,000 staff – who come from 146 different countries - live in the three diverse London boroughs we serve and are from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. Many can and more than 400 of them are on our Ofsted accredited . We’re proud to be a employer.

We’re looking forward to introducing an electronic patient record that will be transformative for our staff and beneficial for our patients.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Laboratories (Microbiology / Virology and Serology)

The BHRUT Microbiology Laboratory serves the two Trust hospital sites, primary care and external commissioners, local general practices and primary care trusts, as well as the local Mental Health Trust and smaller nursing homes in the district. General bacteriology, mycology, faecal parasitology, and mycobacteriology are based at Queens Hospital, with serology and molecular services including chlamydia and Covid-19 testing at the King George Hospital site.

The laboratory operates a 7-day service with a standard working day (0900-1700) Monday-Friday with laboratory presence until 21:00hrs. Normal working hours of 0900-1700 apply at weekends and bank holidays. Out of hours laboratory service is provided by on-call microbiology state registered Biomedical Scientist staff.

With regard to health protection matters which have a wider community implication, the Trust reports to the Northeast and North Central London HPT. Referrals for specialist microbiology services are currently made to several laboratories including those at Barts Health, Colindale Centre for Infection, Manchester, and Cambridge.

The laboratory participates in all relevant external quality assurance (EQA) schemes. It has full UKAS accreditation to ISO15189 (2012).

Activity

We deal with 691000 requests per year of which approximately 40% are from General Practice.

Behavioural qualities

·Act as a role model for compassionate and inclusive leadership and take personal responsibility for obtaining feedback on self, and ensuring all managers and staff within the directorate are trained in EDI.

·Ensure that there is a specific commitment to deliver equality and inclusiveness in all aspects of service line activity including service provision and recruitment, development and management of staff.

·Take an operational leadership role in improving culture at service line level, delivering key actions as agreed.

·Cultivate a safe working environment where there is regular opportunity to hear and act on staff experience feedback and deliver on the plans to improve experience.

·Have difficult conversations and manage performance around behaviour effectively.

·Lead on obtaining staff feedback via different mechanisms i.e., staff survey.

·Ensure there are regular walkabouts scheduled to meet and be known to our staff.

·Clearly share an ambitious vision and goals actively aligning all teams through proactive use of the BHRUT appraisal process.

·Work in partnership with Trade Unions and professional bodies to ensure the smooth running of services, including instigating early discussions with staff side on all organisational change/projects affecting staff.

·Actively challenge discriminatory behaviour and where there is discriminatory behaviour taking place, take the appropriate action.

·Individuals who not only recognise the importance of diverse perspectives and beliefs but also actively contribute to a positive team culture. This entails treating everyone with kindness, regardless of differences, and creating an environment where all voices are heard and respected.

Clinical / operational responsibilities

The laboratory operates a 7-day service with a standard working day (0900-1700) Monday-Friday with laboratory presence until 21:00hrs. Normal working hours of 0900-1700 apply at weekends and bank holidays. Out of hours laboratory service is provided by on-call microbiology state registered Biomedical Scientist staff.

·Clinical microbiology & infection consultations, ward liaison and provision of advice. There will be laboratory induction period for approximately 2 weeks depending on previous experience.

·Participation in infection ward rounds (Bacteraemia, ITU/HDU ward round, MRU and C. diff) and MDTs (Haematology, Diabetic Foot, Orthopaedic)

·As required and after discussion with duty Microbiologist, prescribe or amend antimicrobial prescriptions accordingly.

·Authorisation of microbiology laboratory reports under supervision of a consultant microbiologist

·Antimicrobial stewardship activities: ward round/ audit/ development of guidance

·Infection control placement & experience

·The post holder will have the opportunity to learn a wide range of skills, knowledge and attitudes related to clinical and laboratory microbiology, including virology.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Appropriate Clinical Training and wide experience in Clinical Microbiology/ Virology and Infection Control
FRCPath or equivalent

Desirable criteria

Experience of Educational Supervision, teaching skills or qualifications, developing Infection/Microbiology teaching and training programmes
MRCP or equivalent qualification

Applicant requirements

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.