Consultant Neonatologist

The successful applicant(s) will join the current team of 9 consultants and 2 SAS Doctors, working in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) within the Southwest Neonatal Operational Delivery Network. The service undertakes approximately 3500 Intensive Care and High Dependency Care days and in around 4500 Special / Transitional Care days per year. The service benefits from a team of 1 Nurse Consultant, 9 ANNPs, 6 ENNPs as well as a two-tier team of junior medical staff whose cover duties are exclusively to the neonatal service. The unit supports the nursing team to train as Qualified in Speciality (QIS) adhering to BAPM staffing guidance.

Responsibilities

NICU Service: The NICU Service Consultant is responsible for the day to day running of the neonatal unit, including morning and afternoon handover ward rounds and supervision of junior medical staff. All admitted patients are allocated to the NICU Service Consultant of the week.

Transitional & Perinatal Care / Medical Education: The Transitional Care Consultant is responsible for the day to day running of the transitional care ward, including morning ward rounds and supervision of junior medical staff. Fetal medicine liaison and antenatal counselling services are also provided by this consultant. Undergraduate medical student teaching including an end of week formal feedback session is delivered by the TCW Consultant, as are the multi professional education sessions for the NICU nursing and junior medical staff.

Southwest Neonatal Advice and Retrieval Service (SoNAR): The Transport Consultant undertakes telephone liaison with all Peninsula units each morning as well as the SoNAR North Hub to co ordinate and undertake neonatal transfers as necessary during working hours Monday to Friday. Out of hours medical cover is provided from the North Hub. Opportunity exists to partake in this voluntarily outside job plan, remunerated by extra contractual arrangements.

On Call Week: The fourth service week consists of Mon Thurs on call cover resident until after the 9pm NICU ward round and then non resident.

Continuing responsibility: The new consultants will have continuing responsibility for the care of their patients and for the proper functioning of the department. It is expected that the appointee will embrace the team based approach to patient care and parental communication that the consultant neonatologists work to. The new consultants will share in the provision of cover for consultant colleagues on leave.

Subspecialty interest: The job plan for the new consultants will include time for the development of a special interest, which will be encouraged and welcomed. Subspecialty interests complementing the department's existing range are cardiology, respiratory, developmental outcome, nutrition, transport medicine, research and medical education.

Non clinical duties: The new appointees will be expected to take part in the non clinical activities of the department including full participation in the training and supervision of junior doctors and other staff, participation in clinical audit, continuing professional development as defined by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, clinical governance, and annual appraisal / revalidation. The consultants will undertake the administrative duties associated with the care of their patients and the running of the clinical department.

Person Specification

• Full GMC Registration
• Registration on the Specialist Register
• CCST/CCT in Paediatrics (Neonatal Medicine) or equivalent qualification overseas OR CCST/CCT in Paediatrics (with a minimum of EITHER 3 years post core neonatal training in a UK tertiary neonatal centre OR 2 years post core neonatal training in a UK tertiary neonatal centre AND 1 year of training in an allied specialty e.g. Paediatric cardiology, genetics, paediatric intensive care, paediatric neurology) (or eligible for CCT and registration with training as above within 6 months of interview)
• MRCPCH (or equivalent)
• Able to demonstrate recent experience and practice in neonatal medicine as a subspecialist
• MSc, DM, PhD or equivalent higher degree

Knowledge & Experience

• Wide neonatal experience including Neonatal Transport
• Advanced skills in neonatal medicine
• NLS Provider course (or APLS or equivalent)
• Basic skills in information technology
• Valid level 3 safeguarding training
• Evidence of teaching medical undergraduates, junior doctors, and other healthcare professional staff
• Evidence of commitment to lifelong learning
• Evidence of previous management experience
• Special interest within neonatology
• Skills in diagnostic & functional neonatal echocardiography
• APLS, NLS, ARNI or EPLS instructor
• Advanced IT skills
• Appraisal and assessment training
• Formal training in education
• Experience of organising teaching programmes or specific teaching events
• Completion of management training course

Aptitude & Abilities

• Ability to coordinate and manage the sick infant who requires transport
• Understanding of the principles and importance of clinical governance
• Knowledge and experience of clinical audit, including one or more completed projects
• Logical, analytical, and self critical approach to clinical practice
• Evidence of understanding of research techniques & design, and ability to interpret published results
• Ability and commitment to practice evidence based medicine
• Formal training in neonatal transport medicine
• Experience of air transport
• Formal audit training
• Ability to demonstrate achievement of change
• Potential to develop and lead local and Network Neonatal Services
• Published works in peer reviewed journals
• Ability to supervise research
• Commitment to continuing research

Disposition / Attitude / Motivation

• Clear evidence of career progression
• Leadership skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
• Can work as part of a multiprofessional team
• Can prioritise work and manage own time
• Willingness and enthusiasm to develop special areas and interests

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Service Line Clinical Director - Neonatal Service