Consultant Microbiologist or Consultant Clinical Scientist in Cambridge

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health. UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health.

As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:

• Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
• Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
• Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
• Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
• Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.

The UKHSA microbiology laboratory in Cambridge is a directly managed public health laboratory based at Addenbrooke’s Hospital on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. The laboratory functions as part of the UKHSA regional laboratory network and partners similar facilities in Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester as well as the collaborating centres in Newcastle, Brighton and Leeds.

The appointee will work with colleagues to enable the laboratory to fulfil its role as a Regional public health laboratory and to contribute to the provision of the local clinical microbiology service in microbiology within Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. They will also promote the high quality care of communicable diseases within the local area and more widely in the East of England.

Applicants will be expected to have relevant qualifications and experience in providing specialist microbiology services and the clinical management of communicable disease and its application to public health. Any medical applicants must have Full and Specialist registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) (with a license to practice) for Medical Microbiology, or be eligible for registration within six months of interview. Consultant Clinical Scientists should have HCPC registration and have exited HSST training programme or provide evidence that completion is expected within 6 months of interview. Applicants wishing to work less than full time are welcomed.

Clinical Responsibilities:

• Provision with colleagues of a service to healthcare providers contracting with the UKHSA laboratory, primarily Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust, with responsibility for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infection, and the proper functioning of the department
• Out-of-hours responsibilities, including participation in the Consultant on-call rota
• Work closely with regional and national UKHSA colleagues, particularly those in the Health Protection Team and Field Epidemiology Unit, to optimise the department’s contribution to public health
• Cover for colleagues' annual leave and other authorised absences
• Participate in medical audit, UKHSA and the Trust’s Clinical Governance processes and in CPD

Education and Training:

• Professional supervision and management of junior medical staff
• All clinical staff are encouraged to undertake a formal “Training the Trainers” course

Research:

• Engagement in research

Leadership and Management:

• To act in a professional manner and as a role model to other staff members
• To perform your duties to the highest standard with particular regard to efficient and effective use of resources, maintaining quality and commitment to drive improvements

For full details, please see attached Job Description & Person Specification.

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

Accountability: The post is professionally accountable to the Clinical Services Director of the UKHSA Laboratory, Cambridge and to the Medical Director of Cambridge University Hospitals for Trust clinical governance matters. It is managerially accountable to the UKHSA Chief Scientific Officer, via the Clinical Services Director and Deputy Director of the Public Health Microbiology Division.

Key Working Relationships: The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA.

• The UKHSA Clinical Services Director, Head of Laboratory Operations, Network Business Managers, and other senior staff of UKHSA.
• Consultant microbiologists and virologists, clinical scientists, BMS and other staff employed at the Cambridge laboratory.
• Consultant clinical staff and medical trainees at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Papworth NHS Foundation Trust and other service users contracting with the laboratory.
• General Practitioners and other Primary Care staff within the catchment areas of the above hospitals and who may have contracts and service level agreements with the Cambridge laboratory.
• Infection control nurses and other senior nursing, paramedical and administrative staff in the Trusts and other healthcare providers served by the laboratory.
• Consultant microbiologists and other health care staff in the wider East of England.
• Senior NHS public health staff, including Directors of Public Health in the Region.
• EHOs and other Local Authority staff in the Region.
• Local Occupational Health Services.

Job Plan: A formal job plan will be agreed between the appointee and their Divisional Director or agreed delegate, on behalf of the Medical Director, three months after the commencement date of the appointee and will be effective from the commencement date of the appointment. The job plan for the first three months will be based on the provisional timetable shown in the table below. Clinical duties are split between Laboratory-based consultant and ward-based consultant. The Laboratory consultant predominantly provides clinical advice, report validation, trainee supervision and laboratory liaison. The Ward-based consultant predominantly undertakes MDTs and stewardship ward rounds. Opportunities to develop areas of interest can be discussed on appointment. The job plan will then be reviewed annually.

Desk space in a shared office with a desktop computer will be provided. The hospital and department computer network can be accessed from any computer workstation and remotely from home. Consultants share access to department administrative staff.

External Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Application & Sift: This vacancy is using Competencies. At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the job advert and attached Job Description & Person Specification. You will be required to complete an application form and a supporting statement (up to 1500 words) outlining how your skills, experience, and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role.

Successful candidates for this role must pass an enhanced disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed. This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our lab at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

Benefits of working at UKHSA include:

• Generous annual leave: 26 days for the first 5 years of continuous service, 28 days after 5 years, and 32 days after 10 years, plus public holidays and one privilege day for the King’s birthday.
• Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
• Access to a retail discounts and cashback site.
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours).
• Generous maternity/paternity and adoption leave package.

UKHSA operates a hybrid working model where business needs allow, providing greater flexibility about how and where we work.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria at sift to ensure these candidates are invited to interview.

If you wish to be included in this scheme please tick the box on your application form.