Please see the Job Description and Person Specification attached for full details of the post. The Microbiology Department The Microbiology Laboratory provides a comprehensive service covering all aspects of general microbiology to the West Suffolk Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (circa 500 beds plus Virtual Ward), Newmarket Community Hospital (33 beds) and GPs in Bury St Edmunds and the surrounding catchment area. The laboratory is located in the main West Suffolk Hospital building. The microbiology department was assessed by UKAS against ISO15189:2012 standards in December 2023 and has been granted accreditation on the 12th August 2024. The department are awaiting assessment for their first surveillance visit in early 2025. The microbiology Laboratory Manager is Mr Marcus Milner. There are four Band 7 Biomedical Scientists who lead on Health & Safety, Quality and Training. Administrative support for the Microbiology Department, Consultants and Infection Prevention Team is provided by named members of the Pathology Administrative & Clerical team. Team-based administrative support across Pathology helps ensure demand is met regardless of holidays, sickness and any other absence. This team approach also helps with appropriate support when most needed, for example during outbreaks. Pathology uses the CliniSys WinPath Enterprise laboratory information management system and the Q-pulse quality management system. Office space containing a personal computer (with access to email, the internet and the relevant IT systems) will be provided within the West Suffolk Hospital Microbiology Department. A laptop will also be provided to facilitate remote on-call working. The Laboratory undertakes routine bacteriology, parasitology, serology and antibiotic susceptibility testing. It participates in the UKNEQAS schemes for general bacteriology, antimicrobial susceptibility, faecal parasitology, mycology and appropriate viral serology. There is also an internal quality assurance scheme. There is an automated blood culture system (BioMerieux BacT/ALERT), automated urinalysis (Beckman Coulter DxU), a Bruker MALDI-TOF, Serosep EntericBio and BioMerieux BioFire FilmArray. C. difficile toxin gene testing is performed on a Cepheid GeneXpert. Rapid antigen testing is available for Norovirus. The bulk of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza testing is performed on SAMBA IIs in a designated laboratory area within the Emergency Department. Paediatrics have Roche LIAT and Lumira DX analysers for point-of-care Influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 testing. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing uses both the BioMerieux Vitek 2 automated system and EUCAST standardised disc methods. Gentamicin and Vancomycin assays are performed in the Biochemistry department; other antimicrobial assays are referred to the Bristol antimicrobial reference laboratory. Serological testing, including antenatal serology, is performed on a DiaSorin Liaison XL. Chlamydia & Neisseria gonorrhoeae NAATs testing is currently performed at Micropathology. Other molecular testing is performed at UKHSA Cambridge, and specialist virology advice is obtained from regional virologists. Mycobacterial culture is undertaken at a reference laboratory at present. AAFB staining is performed on site. Urgent overnight microbiology samples are transported to UKHSA Cambridge for testing at present, with a plan to repatriate this service. Abnormal results are communicated to the West Suffolk Hospital Consultant Microbiologist on call. WSFT has also been confirmed as one of 40 Trusts across the country to receive funding for a new build hospital from the Governments Health Infrastructure Programme. Planning is well underway, and the Pathology Department has a wonderful opportunity to create a purpose-built department to enable further development of a modernised service for our patients and users. The post-holder will be provided with a Trust laptop to enable remote access into the hospital and pathology computer systems.Out-of-hours infection prevention advice is provided by the on-call Consultant Microbiologist.