A survey of time management and particular tasks undertaken by consultant microbiologists in the UK.

Background: Medical microbiology practice encompasses a diverse range of activities. Consultant medical microbiologists (CMMs) attribute widely differing priorities to, and spend differing proportions of time on various components of the job.

Aim: To obtain a professional consensus on what are high-priority and low-priority activities, and to identify the time spent on low-priority activities.

Method: National survey.

Results: Many respondents felt that time spent on report authorisation and telephoning of results was excessive, whereas time spent on ward-based work was inadequate. Timesaving could also be achieved through better prioritisation of infection-control activities.

Conclusion: CMMs should apportion their time at work focusing on high-priority activities identified through professional consensus.