Job responsibilities
- Liaise in a timely manner with the Head of Department Microbiology / DIPC, clinicians, hospital staff, other medical microbiologists, general practitioners, BMS, ICN staff and UKHSA consultants concerning the diagnosis and management of patients, prevention and control of infections including the provision of telephone advice.
- Taking a proactive role within the Trust / hospital in matters relating to infection management including in outbreak and emergency situations.
- Providing Microbiology and antibiotic related information as a regular commitment to wards/departments/unit e.g., ward rounds, multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and other clinical or audit meetings (including commitments to for example, medicines management, and other non-infection control committees).
- Leading on antimicrobial stewardship initiatives across the Trust including attending the relevant committees, ward rounds and participating in regular audits.
- Taking part in Root cause analysis meetings for C difficile, MRSA bacteraemia and other alert organisms especially if the ICD is unable to attend.
The new consultant is expected to have particular areas of responsibility, currently anticipated to be antimicrobial stewardship and clinical microbiology, have daily liaison with BMS staff, and ward liaison with relevant senior and junior medical and nursing, pharmacy, and managerial staff on a daily basis.
The consultant will be expected to contribute to the following:
- Day-to-day clinical oversight of diagnostic methods and examination of specimens
- Authorisation and interpretation of results on a daily basis, the new consultant will be expected to authorise the vast majority of the results
- involvement in policy and SOP preparation ( Microbiology and IPC)
- Responsibility for quality assurance performance within the department, including taking part in all relevant national external quality assurance (NEQAS) programmes
- Responsibility for achieving and maintaining full Microbiology laboratory UKAS accreditation
- Business planning, including the assessment and introduction of new methods, and forward planning for staff and equipment requirements.
Compliance with health and safety and security requirements and with agreed SOPs and investigational algorithms is mandatory.
Management arrangements are consistent with the recommendations of the Strategic Review of Pathology Services.
Provision of surveillance data to UKHSA at local, regional, and national levels and participation in sentinel or enhanced surveillance activities is expected.
The new Consultant will be the Trust antimicrobial lead. In addition to clinical microbiology, this will be one of the main duties of the post holder. The new Consultant is expected to support the PAHT AMS committee, the ICS AMS committee, and work closely with the Trust antimicrobial pharmacist, all clinicians and the Microbiology department.
The new consultant will be expected to perform IPC duties initially on two days of the week, expanding the role according to interest in the future. Liaison with the infection prevention and control team, DIPC, Public health team (as required), including liaison with relevant UKHSA staff in the investigation and prevention of communicable diseases in the community.
The post holder will assist in the investigation and control of community outbreaks and contribute to hospital policies for infection prevention and control, risk assessment and management of accidental exposures to infection.
The IPCNs provide first line infection prevention and control on-call service. They contact the Consultant Microbiologist on call if and when support is required; this will continue to be provided as currently.
Participation in the out of hours service is expected on a 1 in 3 basis (includes infection control support to the IPCNs) usually in response to clinical microbiology / antibiotic enquiries by senior medical staff, including GPs and the Patient at Home service. Currently laboratory-based work on a Saturday, Sunday, Bank holidays or out of hours on weekdays is not expected; however BMS, IPCN, clinician, matron and site manager support by telephone and urgent result validation may be required. One PA is provided for out of hours liaison along with the standard B on call rate. Cross cover is currently not provided for other institutions, either in normal hours or out-of-hours.
The appointee will be expected to participate in multidisciplinary clinical audit, and in the implementation of an on-going clinical audit programme within the department and the Trust. The appointee will also be expected to provide advice in development of clinical guidelines, IPC guidelines, investigation protocols, laboratory SOPs and guidance on the appropriate use of antimicrobials, to the clinical units supported. Time and facilities will be available.
This would include medical microbiology, antibiotic stewardship and IPC, supervision, and training of medical staff in medical microbiology and virology, teaching of undergraduate medical students, postgraduates and others, locally as appropriate. Teaching/training programmes for medical, clinical scientist and BMS staff is also included. The department has IBMS approval status for training of BMS staff pre and post registration. Note there is a Monthly CPD Lunchtime meeting for the staff development and training.
Contribute to management within the Trust/hospital, via the Directorate structure. Act as custodian of data under the Data Protection Act, and custodian of stored samples. Service and administrative duties on various committees, which may include the following: Hospital/ Trust/ICS Infection Prevention and Control Committees; Directorate of Pathology or equivalent; Medical Advisory Committee.
The Consultant Microbiologist will be expected to write and review Microbiology and IPC policies and SOPs and to participate in internal and external laboratory and clinical EQA.
The appointee will be expected to participate in clinical audit and to be registered for continuing professional development (CPD) with The Royal College of Pathologists (or equivalent body, e.g., Faculty of Public Health or The Royal College of Physicians) and to fulfil requirements for annual certification and for appropriate revalidation. Time, facilities, and financial support for study leave and CPD will be as designated for consultant medical staff. A personal development plan must be agreed annually with the Lead Doctor, Pathology.
The job plan indicates sufficient PAs are allocated for supporting professional activities (1.5 PAs in a whole time 10 PA contract). Any SPAs off site for Consultant staff in the Directorate are by prior agreement with the Pathology Clinical Lead.
