Job summary
- Main area
- Virology
- Grade
- NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 4 sessions per week (Out of hours)
- Job ref
- 234-MS2483A
- Employer
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
- Town
- Norwich
- Salary
- £113,565 - £150,569 Per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 08/11/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 02/12/2026
Employer heading
Consultant Virologist
NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) is a 1,200-bedded teaching hospital with state-of-the-art facilities for modern patient care: 1100 beds in the PFI and 100 in Cromer Community Hospital.
The NNUH is part of Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group which includes the James Paget Hospital, in Great Yarmouth and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King Lynn.
We carry out nearly one million outpatient appointments, day case procedures and inpatient admissions annually. The population we serve is predominantly the people of Norfolk and north Suffolk, although some patients are referred from further afield especially to access specialist services available at this Trust.
Our staff of c10,000 care for and support patients who are referred to us by around 100 local GP practices and from other acute hospitals. We run more than 60 specialist services as a tertiary centre, including more than a dozen specialist cancer and radiotherapy treatments, and we are one of the biggest cancer centres in the country.
We provide complex spinal surgery services, specialist Neonatal Intensive Care, neurosciences services and specialist cardiac services. Our Trust runs specialist dermatology, rheumatology, endocrinology, adult congenital heart disease services, treatment of complex liver and pancreatic diseases in adults, cystic fibrosis services and intestinal failure services. We are enhancing our urgent and emergency care specialist services for patients with significant injuries as a result of trauma and have an ambition to become a Major Trauma Centre. NNUH is currently the busiest Trauma Unit in the East of England caring for almost 850 trauma patients annually many with complex care needs.
At NNUH it is our privilege to provide healthcare, and our vision is to ‘provide the best care for every patient’. If this inspires you and you share our values, we really want you to join our team.
Our values support our vision and guide the behaviour of everything we do, these are:
People-focused
We look after the needs of our patients, carers and colleagues, to provide a safe and caring experience for all.
Respect
We act with care, compassion and kindness and value others’ diverse needs.
Integrity
We take an honest, open and ethical approach to everything we do.
Dedication
We work as one team and support each other to maintain the highest professional standards.
Excellence
We continuously learn and improve to achieve the best outcomes for our patients and our hospital.
Wish you were here? So do we.
We want all our staff to achieve a balance between work and personal life and understand how important flexible working can be. We welcome applications on a full or part time basis, various shift patterns and hybrid working, where roles allow.
At the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), we know the benefits diversity can bring to our organisation such as creativity, innovation and compassion. All of which have a direct impact towards our staff and patient experience. We are committed to being a Hospital for All – being equitable and inclusive, and a place where all feel a sense of belonging. We therefore particularly encourage and welcome applications from candidates who are underrepresented in NNUH’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and long term conditions and people within the LGBT+ community.
Job overview
The post is newly created to ensure continuity and quality improvement in the Clinical Virology Service at Norwich. The appointee will provide expert clinical virology services across NNUHFT, James Paget University Hospital (JPUH), and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEHKL). The role involves participation in a 1 in 4 out-of-hours rota across Norfolk and is based at NNUHFT in Norwich. Flexible working arrangements and job share options are available, and the Trust encourages applications from all, including those with disabilities.
Main duties of the job
The Consultant Virologist post provides critical virology services across the EPA network, including specialist clinical advice, interpretation of complex laboratory results, and participation in clinical ward rounds at NNUHFT. The role underpins safe clinical decision-making and contributes to clinical governance, audit, service development, education, and research collaboration.
Working for our organisation
Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff!
The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.
We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity.
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Flexible working hours
- Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
- Multi Faith prayer room at NNUH Colney Lane site
- Discounted gym memberships
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
- Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH Colney Lane site
- Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
- On-site Nursery at NNUH Colney Lane
- On-site cafes offering staff discounts at NNUH Colney Lane
- Support in career development
- Flexible staff bank
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Consultant Virologist post provides critical virology services across the EPA network, including specialist clinical advice, interpretation of complex laboratory results, and participation in clinical ward rounds at NNUHFT. The role underpins safe clinical decision-making and contributes to clinical governance, audit, service development, education, and research collaboration.
In 2025, NNUH implemented opt-out bloodborne virus testing in the Emergency Department, generating an additional ~200 blood samples per day across three pathogen targets. This has resulted in a sustained increase in diagnostic activity and demand for timely specialist interpretation. Without sufficient consultant capacity, there is a risk of delayed result validation, slower clinical advice, and downstream impacts on patient management, particularly in acute and emergency care settings.
In parallel, the antenatal screening programme requires rapid turnaround of samples and consistent consultant-level clinical input across all three acute hospitals in Norfolk. Delays or capacity constraints in this pathway carry direct patient safety risks, including delayed identification and management of maternal infection and increased risk of vertical transmission.
Additional consultant capacity is therefore essential to maintain agreed turnaround times, ensure timely clinical advice, and mitigate clinical risk arising from increased service demand. The post also strengthens service resilience, supports safe delivery of a 1 in 4 on-call rota for out-of-hours clinical advice and infection prevention and control emergencies, and reduces the risk of burnout and single-point-of-failure within the virology consultant workforce.
Interview date - 2nd December 2026.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Full GMC Registration
- Entry on the GMC Specialist Register Via; •CCT (Proposed CCT date must be within 6 months of the interview) •CESR or •European Community Rights
- Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists by examination in Virology.
Desirable criteria
- The appointee will hold the FRCPath part 2 in virology or evidence of equivalent qualification
- Further qualifications such as: MRCP or evidence of equivalent qualification, MSc, MD, PhD, DipHIC
- "Teaching the Teachers” or equivalent
Aptitudes
Essential criteria
- Good communicator
- Capable of working in a multi-disciplinary team
- Enthusiasm for service development and teaching
- Demonstrates understanding and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Desirable criteria
- Previous responsibility for service improvement
- Management skills
Experience
Essential criteria
- Applicants who are Nationals from another European country or elsewhere overseas would have to show equivalence to the 5 years training period in the National Health Service required for the specialty
Desirable criteria
- Experience in research or published papers in area of special interest
Interests
Essential criteria
- Commitment to develop an appropriate special interest
Circumstances
Essential criteria
- Flexible outlook on working hours
- Must live within a 15-mile radius of the base Trust or 30 minutes travelling time
- Ability to travel across multi-sites whilst public transport may not be available
Communications
Essential criteria
- Ability to communicate effectively with clinical colleagues, colleagues in pathology and support staff
- Ability to present effectively to an audience, using a variety of methods, and to respond to questions and queries
Desirable criteria
- Good presentation skills
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr Davis Nwaka
- Job title
- Clinical Head of Department Microbiology
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01603 288587
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