Job overview

These are 12-month fixed term contract appointments for Clinical Fellows in Tertiary Neonatal medicine, suitable for doctors with paediatric training and advanced neonatal skills to work at tier 2 (Registrar) level. Planned start date September 2025.

 

The successful applicant will have duties on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and transitional care at Derriford Hospital. 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 9 Consultant Neonatologists, 2 Specialty Doctors, 1 Nurse Consultant, 9 ANNPs, 6 ENNPs as well as a two-tier team of resident 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.

Main duties of the job

Communication

The post-holder will be an excellent communicator and will need to convey sensitive and sometimes distressing news to parents. The post-holder will form strong relationships with other members of the team and will be a supportive and reliable presence to other members of staff on the team.

 

Patient Care

It is anticipated that the successful candidate will have prior paediatric and neonatal experience and have been working on the tier 2 rota in the UK (ST4+ equivalent). The successful candidate will be expected to attend deliveries to lead and supervise junior colleagues and be a competent NLS provider. They will be expected to have experience in neonatal procedures including umbilical line insertion. Long lines and have intermediate -advanced airway competences (BAPM). They will be expected to lead the medical team and deliver care to extremely preterm (22+ weeks) and ventilated complex patients and support the service consultant neonatologist (not resident overnight). There will be an expectation to develop competencies in neonatal transport and contribute to the SoNAR South transport service with support from a transport consultant.

 

Service Development and Research

The department has an active research programme and participation is encouraged. It may be possible to be involved in part of a large study or to undertake a small research project. The fellow receives the same study leave allowance and funding as other Tier 2 doctors within the department.

Working for our organisation

Plymouth is the largest maternity unit in the Peninsula (approximately 5000 births per annum) and is designated as one of three Network Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NNICUs) for the South West Neonatal Operational Delivery Network.  The unit manages all the Peninsula’s medical neonatal intensive care infants (excluding those requiring specialist surgical or cardiac care, who are transferred to Bristol or Southampton). Some 3,500 intensive/high dependency care days (HRG 1 & 2) and 2,000 special care days (HRG 3) are provided annually. The Department of Neonatal Medicine is based in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) situated on Level 5 of the Maternity Department, which is connected to the main hospital by a link corridor.  The NICU currently has 14 intensive / high dependency cots, 8 special care cots and 18 transitional care cots