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Job overview
Are you passionate about providing the best neonatal care? Do you want to make a difference to babies and their families?
This is a key leadership role, providing specialist clinical expertise in infant feeding to support babies and families across the Neonatal Unit. The postholder will play a central role in promoting evidence-based practice, enhancing family integrated care, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, individualised feeding support for premature and sick neonates.
The Neonatal Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford is one of the largest in the country, and provides specialist level 3 medical and surgical ICU, HDU and LDU care for babies across the Thames Valley Neonatal Network.
If you are an experienced neonatal practitioner with a passion for infant feeding and family-centred care, we would love to hear from you. We would advise any applicant to arrange an informal visit to the Neonatal Unit - please see details below.
Full time and part time hours available (Minimum 30 hours/week)
Main duties of the job
The postholder will:
- Provide clinical expertise and practical assistance on the unit to overcome complex feeding issues and provide specialist input developing plans of care.
- Lead on the implementation of and maintain the UNICEF Baby friendly accreditation on the neonatal unit.
- Promote a clinical environment and culture that facilitates ongoing learning about infant feeding and supports relationship building between parent and baby.
- Provide and facilitate staff education on breastfeeding and infant feeding.
- Uphold the Neonatal Unit’s Ethos.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The postholder will provide specialist feeding support to babies on the Neonatal Unit. They will be a highly competent, knowledgeable and visible practitioner setting the highest standards of care and ensuring the provision of excellent, evidence-based care for all patients and their families.
See job description and person specification for full details.
Person specification
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrate knowledge of Baby Friendly Initiative standards
- Significant experience in Neonatal Care setting, including experience in neonatal infant feeding management and promotion
- Experience of delivering training
- Ability to successfully manage people and change, including conflict management
- Specialist knowledge and skills required to deal with Infant feeding problems and solutions
- Evidence of research and audit in relation to infant feeding
- Team management skills including rotas, teaching, appraisals and overall responsibility for ongoing knowledge and effectiveness of the infant feeding team.
Desirable
- Post registration management and leadership course or experience
- Evidence of developing and implementing guidelines and policies
Qualifications
Essential
- NMC Registered Nurse or Midwife
- Neonatal Qualified in Speciality Course
- Degree level education
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Master’s Degree
- International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) accreditation
- Current training or willingness to undertake UNICEF Baby Friendly Train the Trainer course
Personal Skills
Essential
- Enthusiastic and self-aware
- Ability to manage change and deliver quality service
- Autonomous practitioner who is resilient under pressure
- Ability to work on own initiative, but also as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Desirable
- Coaching skills
Technical Skills
Essential
- Competent IT skills in digital systems
Behavioural Skills
Essential
- Aligned to the Trust values.
- Conducts themselves in a professional manner at all times.
- Flexible in approach to work
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Neonatal Infant Feeding Lead Nurse with Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Oxford, South East, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Nurse (neonatal) role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 Per Annum / Pro Rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 08 Jul 2026.
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