Job overview

Consultant in Microbiology and Infection

We have an exciting opportunity for a consultant who is interested in working within an innovative NHS Trust that is regarded as Outstanding by the CQC.

Applications are invited for a whole-time Consultant post in Microbiology & Infection (10 PAs, of which 8.5 are DCC and 1.5 are SPA) based at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, which is the main acute site for Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (SASH). The Trust’s catchment area comprises over half a million population, around half of which reside in West Sussex (Crawley, Horsham, Gatwick Airport, and extending towards Haywards Heath and East Grinstead) and half in eastern Surrey (Redhill, Reigate, Dorking, extending towards Epsom and Sutton in the north).

We are particularly looking for an applicant who is interested in developing a lead role, such as antimicrobial stewardship, out-patient antimicrobial therapy or infection prevention & control, and especially in clinical infection services. Applicants must hold FRCPath or equivalent and must be on the GMC Specialist Register (or be within six months of being included in the register). In addition, training in infectious diseases and holding MRCP are highly desirable. We are looking for a consultant who is inspired by the prospects of investment in and development of modern pathology services; who is highly motivated, committed to improvement, patient-centred and a team-player.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be part of a team of three full-time consultants, 1 specialty registrar, 4 infection prevention & control nurses, 1 antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist, 1 practice development nurse and 1 tissue viability nurse. There are academic, teaching and research opportunities through the Trust’s association with Brighton & Sussex Medical School as well as its own highly active R&D department. A suitably qualified candidate may be eligible for an honorary academic appointment at the medical School. The Trust is a partner of Berkshire & Surrey Pathology Services (BSPS), which would present further academic and research opportunities via the University of Surrey. 

The counties of Surrey and Sussex provide an ideal mix of beautiful countryside (the North Downs, the South Downs and an Area of Outstanding Beauty around Box Hill); vibrant city life in Brighton and via easy access to London; a wonderful range of National Trust, National Heritage and other places of interest, such as Wakehurst Place, the Bluebell railway, Epsom racecourse, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Amex Stadium, and many wineries; excellent schools and colleges; and easy access to Europe and further afield via Gatwick Airport and the nearby Channel Tunnel. The Trust offers a contribution towards relocation expenses. 

Working for our organisation

We provide emergency and non-emergency services to the residents of East Surrey, North-East West Sussex, and South Croydon, including the major towns of Crawley, Horsham, Reigate and Redhill; a community of over 535,000 people. We provide acute and complex services and a range of outpatient, diagnostic services whilst Crawley Hospital and Horsham in West Sussex and Caterham Dene Hospital and Oxted Health Centre in Surrey provide less complex planned services. In 2019 the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated our services as ‘Outstanding’ and we are one of the best performing Trusts in England:

• Winners of Health Service Journal Acute Trust of the year award 2021.
• National Patient Safety Awards winner and strive to be a beacon for safety in all that we do.
• We are rated the sixth highest trust in the South East and in the top 25% nationally for staff recommending the Trust as a place to work or receive treatment.