Job summary
Consultant Microbiologist 2 Permanent Full-Time Posts

WWL is excited to invite applications for two permanent full-time Consultant Microbiologist positions within our expanding and forward-thinking Microbiology and Virology service. These appointments represent an excellent opportunity to join a dynamic team delivering high-quality clinical microbiology and virology services across the Trust and wider healthcare community.

We are seeking enthusiastic, motivated and clinically excellent microbiologists who are passionate about delivering outstanding patient care, driving service improvement, supporting antimicrobial stewardship, and contributing to teaching and research activities within a progressive NHS organisation.

Applicants must be on the GMC Specialist Register, or be eligible for entry and expected to obtain their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) within six months of the interview date.

The successful candidates will join a supportive and experienced consultant body committed to innovation, collaboration and the delivery of safe, effective and patient-centred care.

Main duties of the job
The Microbiology department at WWL delivers clinical microbiology and virology services to the trust, Primary Care and community services. The department provides an extensive range of bacteriology, serology and mycology services.

Successful applicants will make use of the laboratory services located at Salford Royal Hospital, delivered to both Trusts as part of a joint venture - Pathology at Wigan and Salford or "PAWS".

Key interdependencies for the microbiology service include:

• Clinical liaison service, including strong links with critical care
• Laboratory support
• Infection Prevention & Control team
• Antimicrobial stewardship
• MSK surgical services provided at Wrightington Hospital

About us
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are the proud providers of acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas. At WWL, we value our staff believing that 'happy staff, makes for happy patients'. We have a recognised track record in staff engagement, and living our values 'the WWL Way'.

WWL are committed to placing the patient at the heart of everything we do, and in the provision of safe, effective care that acknowledges and ensures dignity. With this in mind we are seeking to recruit people who share our values and beliefs.

On-Call
Please note that senior positions (AFC band 8A or above) may be expected to participate in an on-call rota, if the role is predominantly operational.

Details
Date posted: 14 July 2026
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Consultant
Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 302-26-8145977-MHR-M
Job locations: Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan Lane, Wigan, WN1 2NN, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
The main duties and responsibilities of the post include:

• Providing a comprehensive microbiology & virology service
• Sharing responsibility with colleagues at Wigan and Salford for providing a 24-hour, 7 day on-call service
• Deputising for the infection control doctor, where applicable
• Contributing towards antimicrobial stewardship
• Complying with RCPath recommendations on appraisal and CPD
• Contributing to undergraduate and postgraduate medical education where applicable
• Adhering to Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trusts policies on Clinical Governance.

The successful applicant will be expected to provide clinical advice by phone and e-mail, manage positive blood cultures and other urgent clinical samples, attend ward rounds, multi-disciplinary team meetings and relevant management and governance meetings, and to provide occasional support to laboratory scientific staff and members of the infection prevention and control team. The successful applicant will be encouraged to develop a relevant subspecialty interest and to participate in research, subject to resources and local priorities.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Full GMC Registration with a current Licence to Practice
• Inclusion on the GMC Specialist Register/CCT or evidence of Higher Speciality Training leading to CCT or be within 6 months of confirmed entry to the Specialist Register from the date of interview.
• FRCPath or equivalent

Desirable

• MRCP/MD/PhD/ Other relevant diploma

Experience
Essential

• Ability to work at consultant level in Clinical Microbiology
• Ability to offer an expert opinion in Infection Control
• Ability to offer an expert opinion in public health microbiology
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of teaching medical students, and/or other relevant professional groups

Desirable

• Experience of working as an Infection Control Doctor
• Ability to offer an expert opinion in a specialist clinical area in line with service needs
• Experience of leading a multidisciplinary team
• Experience in orthopedic infection

Skills
Essential

• Ability to use a computer and the internet
• Ability to follow laboratory protocols
• Proven organisational skills

Knowledge
Essential

• Evidence of participation in CPD over the past 12 months where relevant

Additional
Essential

• A willingness to accept flexibility to meet the changing needs of the NHS
• Effective communicator and negotiator
• Demonstrate effective leadership
• Open and non-confrontational
• Speak English to an appropriate standard relevant to their role, i.e. with confidence and accuracy, using correct sentence structures and vocabulary, and without hesitation

Desirable

• A willingness to develop special interests which conform to the needs of WWL

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such 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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Wrightington Wigan & Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan Lane, Wigan, WN1 2NN, United Kingdom
Employer's website: http://www.wwl.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Recruitment Lead for Live Well and Urgent Care
Daniel Williams-Whitehouse
daniel.whitehouse@wwl.nhs.uk
07786521831

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