Consultant – Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases

About the role

This full‑time Consultant position leads the integrated Microbiology and Infectious Diseases department at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy. The role combines direct patient care for complex infections with service development and academic collaboration.

Key responsibilities

• Manage acute‑hospital patients with complex bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections.
• Develop and expand the Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) service.
• Provide emergency on‑call cover for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control (1‑in‑5 rota).
• Oversee laboratory duties on Saturdays and Sunday on‑call, with appropriate time‑off compensation.
• Collaborate with the University of St Andrews on joint clinical‑academic projects.
• Contribute to the department’s UKAS‑accredited laboratory operations, processing ~300,000 specimens annually.

Required profile

• Full GMC registration, licence to practise and eligibility for the Specialist Register.
• Evidence of higher specialist training (CCT) or within 6 months of confirmed entry; Portfolio Pathway applicants only after award.
• Commitment to both clinical service and academic activity.

Required skills

• Clinical microbiology and infectious disease expertise.
• Molecular diagnostics (PCR, Enteric PCR).
• Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) management.
• Infection control and emergency laboratory cover.
• Point‑of‑care testing for respiratory viruses, including SARS‑CoV‑2.

What we offer

• Permanent full‑time contract within the NHS Scotland framework.
• Dedicated academic time for research and teaching collaborations.
• Access to a state‑of‑the‑art, UKAS‑accredited microbiology laboratory.
• Supportive on‑call rota with time‑off in lieu.