Consultant in Neonatal Medicine

Job overview

Liverpool Women’s Hospital is seeking a consultant in Neonates to join its team at Liverpool Women’s and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital partnership.

Fixed clinical sessions providing neonatal intensive care, neonatal high dependency care and neonatal special care with resident nights on call at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, as well as neonatal high dependency care at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

The post holder will be expected to undertake follow-up of babies in outpatients, and joint antenatal counselling in the fetal medicine unit. These shifts are distributed in an annualised job plan.

The Liverpool Neonatal Partnership brings together two world renowned NHS organisations, working together to provide seamless Neonatal Services for the city of Liverpool: Liverpool Women’s and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation trusts.

This is an exciting time to join the team. Our new 44 cot Neonatal Intensive Care Unit opened on the Liverpool Women’s Hospital site in Spring 2020 and a 22 cot Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will open on the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Site in January 2024. This new unit will consist of single-family rooms only and be the only unit of its type in the UK.

Main duties of the job

Fixed clinical sessions providing neonatal intensive care, neonatal high dependency care and neonatal special care with residents nights on call at Liverpool Women's Hospital, as well as neonatal high dependency care at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. The post holder will be expected to undertake follow up of babies in outpatients, and joint antenatal counselling in the fetal medicine unit. These shifts are distributed in an annualised job plan. We are in the process of establishing a clinical commitment for consultant time to connect North West, the transport service which operates across the North West ODN, and there may be opportunities for the successful applicant to contribute to this service.

Liverpool Women’s Hospital provides acute care for intensive care and high dependency babies in mixed acuity rooms.  There are two consultants on for acute care between 08.15 and 17.15 on weekdays and 14.30 on weekend days. Thereafter there is one resident consultant until 20.30 with handover to the resident night consultant 20.00-08.30.

There is a consultant present on the Alder Hey unit from 08.30 until 16.30 on weekdays, and 14.30 on weekend days. It is anticipated the consultant cover will extend with enhanced consultant workforce. Alder Hey sessions involve morning ward rounds on the Neonatal Surgical Unit and review of surgical neonatal patients on the Paediatric Intensive Care and High Dependency units.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Fixed clinical sessions providing neonatal intensive care, neonatal high dependency care and neonatal special care with residents nights on call at Liverpool Women's Hospital, as well as neonatal high dependency care at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. The post holder will be expected to undertake follow up of babies in outpatients, and joint antenatal counselling in the fetal medicine unit. These shifts are distributed in an annualised job plan. We are in the process of establishing a clinical commitment for consultant time to connect North West, the transport service which operates across the North West ODN, and there may be opportunities for the successful applicant to contribute to this service.

There is an additional service week that incorporates support of twice weekly special care ward rounds with the lead ANNP for low dependency and transitional care, undergraduate teaching, antenatal counselling in the fetal medicine department and a weekly outpatient follow up clinic.

In line with the Trusts Job Planning Policy, all Consultants will be allocated 1.5 core SPA sessions per week. This time will be used for participation in undergraduate and post graduate teaching, continuing professional development, mandatory training, non-patient administration, participating in clinical audit and preparation for annual appraisal and revalidation. The additional 1 SPA will be used for activities in defined roles such as the educational Supervision of trainees, lead roles in service development, safety, safeguarding or other activity. Neonatal research is actively encouraged and for suitable candidates 1 PA is available if to develop research activity. Any proposed research activity must be in keeping with the wider research strategy. There is a diverse consultant workforce. Applications from individuals with experience in research, risk management and neonatal transport would particularly welcome.