Senior Clinical Fellow NICU- London NTS Fellowship

Job overview

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for Senior Clinical Fellows aiming to achieve specialist registration in Neonatal Medicine through the Portfolio Pathway by rotating between a busy surgical neonatal unit (Chelsea and Westminster Hospital) and the London Neonatal Transfer Service. The programme is also open to candidates looking to gain valuable neonatal and transport experience via the Out of Programme (OOP) route.

The fellowship programme will run from September 2026, over a period of 1 to 2 years, depending on the candidate's needs and the availability of training spaces in participating hospitals:

a) 12 months: 6 months Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 6 months London NTS

b) 24 months: 12 months Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 12 months London NTS

It will include working across 2 hospitals: Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and the Royal London Hospital. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital will be the main employer, with honorary contracts offered when rotating to the London Neonatal Transfer Service (located at Royal London Hospital).

Main duties of the job

The programme consists of structured rotation through the 2 centres where bespoke educational supervision and support will be provided depending on the needs of the candidate. Both services provide care to a wide variety of patients including premature babies, surgical conditions and those with complex medical needs. There will be access to learning opportunities across clinical care, research, governance, teaching and risk management with a focus on helping candidates achieve the competencies and sign-offs they need for the Portfolio Pathway (previously called CESR pathway).

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

Main duties of the job

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital is internationally reputable for their research excellence. C&W is home to the National Neonatal Research Database used for national and international population neonatal epidemiological studies.

Applicants must have middle-grade experience in Neonatology and be able to demonstrate competency in neonatal resuscitation, intubation and management of ventilated infants. The post holder will gain extensive experience in managing sick surgical infants.

The post would suit both UK trainees seeking out of programme experience/training to enhance their level 2/3 neonatal training and international trainees seeking a training opportunity that parallels UK grid training.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Senior Clinical Fellow/Portfolio Pathway Fellow in Neonatology, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Duties include

• Operational management of NICU under direct supervision of consultant neonatologists
• Daily consultant ward rounds and a weekly nutrition ward round
• Lead ward round and clinical decision making once a week on the registrar led ward round
• Overseeing documentation and progress of discharge summaries
• Support of SHOs in the assessment and management of acutely ill and postnatal ward neonates.
• Attendance at the weekly grand round with neonatal and paediatric surgical consultants
• Weekly liaison meeting with NICU staff and social services
• Weekly perinatal grand round with all obstetricians and neonatologists
• Liaison with neonatal surgical team and anaesthetists, paediatric cardiology and respiratory teams
• Involvement in neonatal medical and neurodevelopmental follow-up clinics
• Participate in neonatal transport (when not performed by NTS)

Provide high quality care to patients

• Maintain GMC registration and hold a licence to practice
• Develop and maintain the competencies required to carry out the duties of the post
• Ensure families are involved in decisions about care and respond to their views

Clinical Research

The department has a strong international reputation for neonatal research, focussing in neonatal nutrition and neonatal surgery. The Neonatal Data Analysis Unit which manages the UK National Neonatal Research Database (NNRD) is based at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. The NNRD is used to support a broad range of service evaluations, audits (including the National Neonatal Audit Programme), quality improvement programmes, as well as clinical, health services and policy research. Candidates are expected to be GCP certified and get involved in the various local and multi-centre clinical trials and observational studies.

Teaching Skills

Opportunities for teaching medical students, nurses and junior medical staff are ample, in both formal and informal settings. These include formal teaching sessions and bedside teaching. Candidates are expected to contribute to the on-going departmental teaching programme for junior doctors.

Teaching Sessions

Potholders would have opportunities to attend protected teaching sessions, which include a multi-session Cranial Ultrasound Imaging lectures (delivered currently by Prof Frances Cowan), journal clubs and informal teaching sessions. The resident consultants provide a regular case based bedside teaching on most of the night shifts, which care formally recorded as WBAs. In addition, there is a monthly one day simulation program that all trainees are expected to attend within their first 6 months into the post. In situ simulation sessions using high and low fidelity mannequins are undertaken, sometimes involving other departments like A&E and Paediatrics. We are in the process of establishing POCUS on the unit and welcome applicants with experience in this area.

Each post holder will have an allocated educational supervisor and are expected to have formal appraisal meetings at regular intervals

Further training opportunities

Candidates are encouraged strongly to utilise their study leave to attend courses and conferences. They are also encouraged to participate and present in network meetings.

Audits & Governance

• Participate in clinical audit, incident reporting and to ensure resulting actions are implemented
• Ensure clinical guidelines and protocols are adhered to
• Keep fully informed about best practice in the specialty areas
• Role model of good practice for infection control to all members of the multidisciplinary team

We look forward to receiving your application and working together to improve the care and outcomes for our most vulnerable patients.

Senior Clinical Fellow/Portfolio Pathway Fellow at London Neonatal Transfer Service, Barts Health NHS Trust

Opportunities include:

• Training in the use of specialised intensive care unit and transfer equipment - ventilation including High-Frequency Oscillation, CPAP and High Flow Nasal Cannula, therapeutic cooling, inhaled nitric oxide
• Practical supervision
• Concise topic teaching three times per week
• Dedicated X-ray meeting
• Training in cranial ultrasound, echocardiography, and Cerebral Function Monitoring
• Specialist clinics: Neurodevelopmental/Respiratory/Cardiology
• Communication, triage and advisory role in liaising with referring units regarding the transfer of sick neonates
• Involvement in the clinical and operational decision-making for neonatal patients with complex and severe problems
• Opportunities to act up and lead operations supported by the attending consultant
• Stabilisation and transfer of critically unwell neonates
• Improve your ability to give constructive feedback and lead/facilitate communication for improvement within teams, including attention to maintaining psychological safety
• Simulation, crisis resource management and situational awareness training
• NTS Outreach sessions

Non-Clinical Training and Responsibilities

Governance:

Postholders are supported in developing and completing audits, quality improvement projects and clinical guidelines. You will be included and welcomed to the regular governance meetings.

Research:

You are welcome to initiate your research with our team and contribute to the projects already running, spanning across cardio-respiratory physiology, neonatal neurology and surgery.

Teaching:

You will be supported in participating in and developing the academic programme that includes multiple healthcare professional groups - medical, nursing and ambulance staff.

Leadership and Management:

You can develop leadership and management skills by attending the London Neonatal Group and Operational Delivery Network meetings. The designated consultant will provide you with the agenda and a post-meeting discussion and reflection before the forum.