Consultant Virologist | Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust


Company:	Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Salary:	£113,565 - £150,569 Per annum
Hours:	Part-time
Location:	Norwich, NR4 7UY
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	19 Oct 2026
Closing date:	18 Nov 2026

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Summary

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.

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.

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

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.

This advert closes on Sunday 8 Nov 2026

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