Consultant Medical Virologist

Job summary

This is a full-time post for virology services at UKHSA Clinical Network Laboratory, Birmingham, providing Consultant level input into the laboratory, clinical virology and public health service. The post is based at the Lead Public Health Laboratory for the Midlands which is situated at the Birmingham Heartlands Hospital in the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (Teaching). However, it is a requirement of employment that the post holder be prepared to work at any additional or different location owned or served by the trust, either on an on-going or temporary basis according to the demands of the service. The provision of clinical virology services at Good Hope, Solihull, Birmingham Heartlands Hospitals and Queen Elizabeth Hospital will be by rotation and in partnership with other infection service consultants. In addition to the clinical virology service, the post holder will be providing public health functions for the Midlands Region.

The University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust is one of 96 Foundation Trusts in England. The Trust was established in the first of April 2018 by the merger of Heart of England and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation Trusts. The new organisation includes Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital, Solihull District General Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Birmingham Chest Clinic. It is a dynamic organisation that represents one of the largest trusts in the UK.

See attached Job Description.

Job description

1. Work with colleagues for the provision of a comprehensive clinical medical virology service including: advice regarding appropriate specimens, involvement in specimen analysis, validation and interpretation of results for transmission to service users. Appropriate involvement in policies guidelines and standard operating procedures preparation, relevant to consultant virologist duties. On-call duty will be shared equitably with the other consultants in virology and will involve supervision and support of the on-call Specialist Trainees on front-line duty and provision for cover for consultant colleagues’ periods of leave. The on-call support is generally through telephone consultation and only on rare occasions is attendance necessary.

2. In conjunction with the other infection (microbiology, virology, infectious diseases, and immunology) consultants, provide ward-based and telephone advice on the prevention, diagnosis and management of infection in individual patients and outbreaks of infection. This will involve ad hoc clinical consults arising from referrals or significant laboratory results, attending multi-disciplinary clinical meetings and regular ward rounds.

3. Collaborate with colleagues in UKHSABPHL and Infectious Disease Unit in delivering a joint infection service for the host Trust and other users of the service

For further details, please refer to the attached Job Description & Person Specification.

Person specification

4. Develop specialist expertise for services in accordance with the needs of the clinical service

5. Provision, with consultant and other colleagues, and when necessary, with the support of Microbiology Services Colindale, of microbiological and epidemiological support, including surveillance, for Consultants in Communicable Disease Control, Environmental Health Officers, DH and others, and for clinical staff in hospitals and the community, within the catchment area of the Laboratory.

6. Collaboration with UKHSA central reference and epidemiological facilities in the reporting and investigation of infections, control of outbreaks, assessment of vaccines, development of laboratory methods, involvement in surveys, etc.

7. Professional supervision, training and management of junior medical staff

8. Responsibilities for carrying out teaching, examination and accreditation duties as required and for contributing to postgraduate and continuing professional development activities locally and nationally.

9. Research activities consistent with the priorities of the UKHSA and subject to the availability of funding and resources.

10. Participation in medical audit, quality control and clinical governance within the laboratory

11. Participation in the RCPath or the RCP scheme of Continuing Professional Development. Study leave will be available in accordance with the terms and conditions of service for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff England and Wales. Funding will be available for agreed purposes.
12.Is responsible for the medical authorisation of reports and issuing clinical advice for Antenatal and New Born (ANNB) screening programme.

13. Participation in arrangements within the UKHSA for appraisal, revalidation and career development.

14. Such additional duties as may be required from time to time by the Clinical Service Director after appropriate consultation.

15. Ensure that expert virological advice is available to HPTs and Local Authorities in the management of infections or infectious diseases in the community.

16. 1.0 PA out of hours work

17. 2.0 Supporting professional activities

18. 10 PA a week.

For further details, please refer to the attached Job Description & Person Specification.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

BENEFITS

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.

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

Stage 1: Application & Sift

This vacancy is using Competency.

At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential qualifications listed in the job advert.

You will be required to complete an:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1500 word supporting statement

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1500 words.

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible)

Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview (Competency based)

You will be invited to a face to face interview. If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Interviews are planned to be held 10th Nov 2026, please note these dates are subject to change.

This vacancy is being assessed using Competency framework. During the interview we will assess against the below:

Knowledge
Experience
Skills and Abilities

You will be asked to prepare and present a 5-10 minute presentation at the start of your interview. The subject of this will be sent to you prior to interview. Slides are permitted.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

For roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.

From time to time, the role holder may be required to support UKHSA’s incident response activity by contributing their appropriate expertise within an Incident Cell; during such periods, supported by the line manager, this work will take priority over normal day-to-day responsibilities, commensurate with their grade, skills and experience.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Abid Hussain, Consultant Medical Microbiologist
• Email : Abid.hussain@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scs.mdrecruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

Attachments

Job description Opens in new window (pdf, 242kB)