We are looking for a talented individual from all backgrounds to choose to join our diverse team. We aim to support your work life balance with flexible and agile working options and you can come to explore the wonderful city of Preston and surrounding areas of Lancashire and all it has to offer.

It is an exciting time to join our passionate neonatal team. You will be based in our Newborn Intensive Care Unit based in Preston; our unit caters for infants requiring both neonatal medical intensive care and surgical infants. You will lead Neonatal training of junior staff and undergraduate students and actively contribute in clinical teaching and training of the wider multidisciplinary team. We work in collaboration with the co-located Obstetrics, Fetal Medicine and Paediatrics services, working closely together to provide excellent clinical care and family support. We are also very proud of the welcoming team based culture we have here at Preston.

Main duties of the job

The post is part of a planned expansion of medical workforce for Neonatal services and is a permanent position. It would suit those with a Neonatal CCT or Paediatric CCT with Neonatal interest. The successful applicant will join the existing 8 WTE Neonatologists who provide comprehensive medical neonatal intensive care services at Royal Preston Hospital which is one of the level 3 NICUs for Lancashire and South Cumbria Neonatal Network.

The existing consultants have a number of varied interests and would expect the successful applicant to contribute towards or complement these interests. Opportunities to develop any additional interests would be actively encouraged and facilitated. We have a full range of therapies available in house including nitric oxide and cooling.

The post have 10 programmed activities which include some resident on call duties on the Tier 2 rota of up to 2.3 PAs per week (nights). An indicative job plan is included in the job description.

About us

Whatever you are looking for in your next career move, you will find it with us at Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Trust. So why not consider your next and best career move and join us as a Consultant Neonatologist. We are proud to deliver excellent care our patients, women and individuals across Lancashire and beyond whilst providing a wealth of career opportunities for motivated clinicians.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust forms one of the major Acute Trusts in the North West with all of the usual specialties on site, in addition to being a Tertiary Centre for Lancashire and South Cumbria in the Departments of Neonates, Neurosciences, Oncology, Plastic Surgery, and Renal Medicine. Lancashire Teaching Hospital has been a Foundation Trust since 1995. It is a Teaching Hospital that is increasing its commitment to medical students seconded to the Trust from the University of Manchester.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Clinical:

• Provide consultant-led care, shared with colleagues within the Neonatal services for NICU, Delivery suite, postnatal ward and birthing centres
• Participate in consultant of the week on a 1 in 6 weeks for NICU (hot week), cover acute admissions and delivery suite. The plan is to go up to 1 in 7 with recruitment to these posts
• Supervising the safe resuscitation, transfer and admission of high risk babies from Delivery suite, postnatal ward or Birthing centres as per admission criteria
• Co-ordination of transfer of babies to regional tertiary units for escalation of care or to Local Neonatal Units for repatriation and continuation of care
• Provide advice for neonatal issues to LNUs within the Lancashire and South Cumbria Neonatal Network
• Participate in consultant cover for SCBU, postnatal wards and transitional care on a rotating basis during the cold week. This is currently 1 in 6 weeks and the plan is to go to 1 in 7 with recruitment to these posts
• Co-ordination of discharge processes especially for Complex babies
• Participate in the neonatal consultant on-call rota for nights and weekends on a 1 in 6 basis. This will go up to 1 in 7 following recruitment
• Will have regular Generic baby follow up clinics and Special baby follow up clinics in non- acute cover weeks. At present these are run as consultant led, with other Tier 1 and 2 doctors attending in a supernumerary capacity. It is expected that trainees should attend in accordance with their level of training where possible, and have supervision from the consultant.
• May pursue a special interest that complements that of the Directorate
• Will contribute in covering unexpected sickness/ absence of colleagues
• Will work closely with social services and external agencies in the issues of safeguarding of babies on the neonatal unit, children in clinic and ensure relevant safeguarding procedures are followed
• There is a Consultant led ward round at least once a day and supervised handovers twice a day on NICU
• Supervision and training of trainees, ANNPs and nursing staff
• Consultants should be available for direct clinical care during their acute NICU weeks unless duties have been clearly delegated or swapped. Their role is to ensure optimal delivery and co-ordination of care for babies on the Neonatal Unit and Postnatal wards where medical attention is required.
• Undertake an annual appraisal and job plan review. It is expected that objectives within job plan reviews will be based on Trust objectives such as fulfilment of fixed contractual commitments on the basis of a 42 week working year with due allowance for statutory holidays
• Undergo Continued Professional Development (CPD) in accordance with guidelines stipulated by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the GMC

Person Specification
Research & Development
Essential

• Evidence of interest in personal development e.g. through research and/or publications

Desirable

• Publications in peer reviewed journals
• Higher degree such as MD/MSc

Management
Essential

• Evidence of Clinical Leadership
• Evidence of Commitment to audit and improving clinical practice/service development

Desirable

• Attendance at formal management course
• Evidence of having managed change to service or workplace

Experience & Skills