Job summary
Do you share our health board values; Caring for each other; working together; always improving? If so, we would love for you to come and work for Swansea Bay University HB.
We are looking for Senior Clinical Fellow/ MTI's in Neonatal Care to work alongside our dedicated team. The posts are fixed term for 12 - 24 months. We are looking for individuals to start in September 2024, March 2025 and September 2025.
The Singleton unit is the regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for SW Wales, an area with a birth rate of around 10,000 pa and is a busy level 3 unit. There are 6 fully funded intensive care cots, 8 high dependency cots and 10 special care cots although the unit often works well over its funded capacity and there are plans for further expansion.
A dedicated transitional care unit allows as to provide a higher level of care for some babies without separating them from their mother. The unit provides the full range of medical neonatal care from 22 weeks' gestation and above including novel modes of ventilation, HFOV, nitric oxide. We look after 80-100 babies born < 1500 grams a year. Facilities for cerebral function monitoring and therapeutic total body cooling when required, one of the few NICUs in the UK to have the predictive heart rate characteristics monitoring to detect early illness (HeRO). The unit contributes one week in every three to the Welsh Neonatal Transport Service (CHANTS).
Main duties of the job
The posts would allow training in either echocardiography or enhanced neurodevelopmental assessment depending on the preference of the applicant.
Please note that these posts are not recognised training posts by the deanery however successful applicants will be encouraged to participate in educational programmes, audit and research will be encouraged and supported. There is an active Multi Professional Education Centre and Medical Staff are encouraged to use its facilities. There are also comprehensive Medical Libraries at all sites managed by Chartered Librarians.
The posts will be allocated dedicated time for supporting professional activities. These will be distributed as follows:
The departmental weekly teaching program (Thursday afternoon)
- The Tuesday 'grand round'
- The remainder to be delivered flexibly with in the week to allow training and attendance in outpatient clinic activity related to neurodevelopment or echocardiography.
It is highly desirable that candidates have previous experience of working in the NHS with knowledge of NHS working practices and systems or equivalent. It would be useful, though not mandatory, to have previous paediatric or neonatal experience.
About us
Swansea Bay University Health Board has responsibility for the health of around 390,000 people in the Neath Port Talbot and Swansea areas, with a budget of around £1 billion and employing 12,500 people. We are a University Health Board working in partnership with Swansea University, Swansea School of Medicine, the School of Health Science and the Institute of Life Science. The HB has three major hospitals providing a range of services: Morriston and Singleton hospitals in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot hospital in Baglan, Port Talbot.
The Health Board is part of A Regional Collaboration for Health (ARCH), which is a partnership with Hywel Dda UHB and Swansea University. Aimed at improving the wellbeing and wealth of South West Wales.
Swansea is Wales' second-largest city, and sits on the five-mile sweep of Swansea Bay. An ideal base for exploring South-West Wales, there is also much on offer for visitors in Swansea itself. Swansea has a range of shops, cosy cafes, great restaurants, art galleries as well as being able to offer good outdoor lifestyle with its beautiful coastline and beaches on the Gower Peninsula. Swansea also has excellent sporting facilities including the Wales National pool and Swansea.com stadium home to the Ospreys and Swansea City Football Club.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see Job description for full details
Critical care cot provision is expected to increase following service reconfiguration within the Health Board. We have recently opened a state of the art new transitional care facility and special care area adjacent to the refurbished postnatal ward. The unit is the lead level 3 unit for the SW Wales and functions as part of the Wales Neonatal Network. The unit supports an area with a birth rate of around 10000 deliveries and attracts high risk infants requiring critical care from the local population and elsewhere in the network. In 2018, there were 1719 days of intensive care, 2086 days of high dependency care and 3224 days of special care.
This post would allow training in specialist Neonatal skills such as point of care ultrasound, echocardiography or enhanced neurodevelopmental assessment depending on the preference of the applicant.
Time for supporting professional activities will be included in the rota pattern. This will include:
- The departmental weekly teaching program (Thursday afternoon)
- The Tuesday grand round
- The remainder to be delivered flexibly with in the week to allow training and attendance in outpatient clinic activity related to neurodevelopment or echocardiography or an alternative specialist interest (such as simulation training/education) depending on the needs of the successful applicant.
Echocardiography Training
The unit has an excellent level of expertise in echocardiography, with three of the consultants having undergone echocardiography training, and two experienced cardiorespiratory technicians who is fully trained in paediatric echocardiography. We have dedicated ultrasound machines which are networked and can transmit images by telemedicine to distant centres. We are well supported by the tertiary paediatric cardiac service at Cardiff, with whom we have excellent working relations.
The post holder will be given opportunity to learn echocardiography and will be encouraged to avail himself/herself of the following learning opportunities:
- Attendance on formal echocardiography courses
- Regular echo practice on the neonatal unit
- Regular attendance at cardiology clinics run by Drs Nittur, Morris and Mansour.
- Review of echocardiograms performed by the post holder by Drs Nittur/ Morris/Mansour.
- Maintenance of a logbook for ECHO training is recommended. Please liaise with Dr S Nittur early, if you have an interest in Paediatric Cardiology.
Neurodevelopmental Assessment
Singleton has a well-developed and structured neurodevelopmental follow up programme for high-risk preterm and other at-risk infants for well over a decade. A number of consultants are trained in undertaking structured neurodevelopmental assessments including Bayley 3 and General Movement Assessments (Prechtl). The programme is well supported by a team of paediatric physiotherapist, neonatal occupational therapist and outreach community nurses. The long term outcome data are collated in our annual report. The post holder would be supported to attend the following learning opportunities:
- Attendance on formal neurodevelopment assessment courses
- Regular attendance at neurodevelopment follow up clinics run by Drs Banerjee/Webb/ Perkins/Makri to develop competency in structured neurodevelopmental assessment
- Develop insight and management skills to establish and manage a structured neurodevelopment service.
- Please liaise with Dr J Webb early, if you have an interest in Neonatal Neurodevelopment and would like to pursue this during this post.
Neonatal Transport (CHANTS)
Singleton NICU provides neonatal transport services as part of the All Wales Neonatal Transport Services (CHANTS). This is a specialized Consultant delivered service. Senior Clinical Fellows are not routinely posted to this service. But if this is a particular area of interest, Fellows could undertake transport along with the Consultant as a pre agreed study leave.
Teaching and training
The unit has a very good reputation for teaching and training, and the post holder will not only benefit from being a recipient of this but may also wish to develop his/her own teaching skills. Excellent experience is offered in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. At undergraduate level the unit has close links with Swansea University Medical School, which is one of the fastest growing medical schools in the UK. There are ample opportunities for taking part in formal teaching sessions under the guidance of experienced tutors. The unit has a well-established programme of simulation training using high fidelity manikins and the post holder would be able to assist in the delivery of this training should he/she wish to do so.
This post is covered by the National Health Service Terms & Conditions of Service Specialty Doctor (Wales). Details of these may be obtained from the Medical HR Department.
You will be required to participate in the shift system for the second tier of medical staff which includes out of hours duties. Ten clinicians participate in the 1st tier rota. The rota operates as a full shift system with annual leave built in. The 2nd on call rota for neonatology has 9 clinicians participating including 2 advanced neonatal nurse practitioners (ANNPs). 11 consultant neonatologists support the unit as well as a number of other specialists. The unit is well known for its friendly and supportive atmosphere and the excellent teaching and training provided. You will be expected to work within all clinical areas including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency and Special Care areas, Transitional Care, Postnatal ward and delivery suite, including attending high risk deliveries.
It is highly desirable that candidates have previous experience of working in the NHS with knowledge of NHS working practices and systems or equivalent. It is essential to have undertaken at least 6 months experience as first on call in a tertiary level neonatal unit. It is also desirable to have experience as second on call in neonatology. The Person Specification is shown at Appendix 2 of the attached job description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see Job description for full details
Critical care cot provision is expected to increase following service reconfiguration within the Health Board. We have recently opened a state of the art new transitional care facility and special care area adjacent to the refurbished postnatal ward. The unit is the lead level 3 unit for the SW Wales and functions as part of the Wales Neonatal Network. The unit supports an area with a birth rate of around 10000 deliveries and attracts high risk infants requiring critical care from the local population and elsewhere in the network. In 2018, there were 1719 days of intensive care, 2086 days of high dependency care and 3224 days of special care.
This post would allow training in specialist Neonatal skills such as point of care ultrasound, echocardiography or enhanced neurodevelopmental assessment depending on the preference of the applicant.
Time for supporting professional activities will be included in the rota pattern. This will include:
- The departmental weekly teaching program (Thursday afternoon)
- The Tuesday grand round
- The remainder to be delivered flexibly with in the week to allow training and attendance in outpatient clinic activity related to neurodevelopment or echocardiography or an alternative specialist interest (such as simulation training/education) depending on the needs of the successful applicant.
Echocardiography Training
The unit has an excellent level of expertise in echocardiography, with three of the consultants having undergone echocardiography training, and two experienced cardiorespiratory technicians who is fully trained in paediatric echocardiography. We have dedicated ultrasound machines which are networked and can transmit images by telemedicine to distant centres. We are well supported by the tertiary paediatric cardiac service at Cardiff, with whom we have excellent working relations.
The post holder will be given opportunity to learn echocardiography and will be encouraged to avail himself/herself of the following learning opportunities:
- Attendance on formal echocardiography courses
- Regular echo practice on the neonatal unit
- Regular attendance at cardiology clinics run by Drs Nittur, Morris and Mansour.
- Review of echocardiograms performed by the post holder by Drs Nittur/ Morris/Mansour.
- Maintenance of a logbook for ECHO training is recommended. Please liaise with Dr S Nittur early, if you have an interest in Paediatric Cardiology.
Neurodevelopmental Assessment
Singleton has a well-developed and structured neurodevelopmental follow up programme for high-risk preterm and other at-risk infants for well over a decade. A number of consultants are trained in undertaking structured neurodevelopmental assessments including Bayley 3 and General Movement Assessments (Prechtl). The programme is well supported by a team of paediatric physiotherapist, neonatal occupational therapist and outreach community nurses. The long term outcome data are collated in our annual report. The post holder would be supported to attend the following learning opportunities:
- Attendance on formal neurodevelopment assessment courses
- Regular attendance at neurodevelopment follow up clinics run by Drs Banerjee/Webb/ Perkins/Makri to develop competency in structured neurodevelopmental assessment
- Develop insight and management skills to establish and manage a structured neurodevelopment service.
- Please liaise with Dr J Webb early, if you have an interest in Neonatal Neurodevelopment and would like to pursue this during this post.
Neonatal Transport (CHANTS)
Singleton NICU provides neonatal transport services as part of the All Wales Neonatal Transport Services (CHANTS). This is a specialized Consultant delivered service. Senior Clinical Fellows are not routinely posted to this service. But if this is a particular area of interest, Fellows could undertake transport along with the Consultant as a pre agreed study leave.
Teaching and training
The unit has a very good reputation for teaching and training, and the post holder will not only benefit from being a recipient of this but may also wish to develop his/her own teaching skills. Excellent experience is offered in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. At undergraduate level the unit has close links with Swansea University Medical School, which is one of the fastest growing medical schools in the UK. There are ample opportunities for taking part in formal teaching sessions under the guidance of experienced tutors. The unit has a well-established programme of simulation training using high fidelity manikins and the post holder would be able to assist in the delivery of this training should he/she wish to do so.
This post is covered by the National Health Service Terms & Conditions of Service Specialty Doctor (Wales). Details of these may be obtained from the Medical HR Department.
You will be required to participate in the shift system for the second tier of medical staff which includes out of hours duties. Ten clinicians participate in the 1st tier rota. The rota operates as a full shift system with annual leave built in. The 2nd on call rota for neonatology has 9 clinicians participating including 2 advanced neonatal nurse practitioners (ANNPs). 11 consultant neonatologists support the unit as well as a number of other specialists. The unit is well known for its friendly and supportive atmosphere and the excellent teaching and training provided. You will be expected to work within all clinical areas including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency and Special Care areas, Transitional Care, Postnatal ward and delivery suite, including attending high risk deliveries.
It is highly desirable that candidates have previous experience of working in the NHS with knowledge of NHS working practices and systems or equivalent. It is essential to have undertaken at least 6 months experience as first on call in a tertiary level neonatal unit. It is also desirable to have experience as second on call in neonatology. The Person Specification is shown at Appendix 2 of the attached job description.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Meet RCPCH criteria for eligibility to apply for MTI training programme
- Demonstrate proficiency in English language at time of interview. 1.IELTS ( Minimum score 7 in each category and minimum overall score of 7.5) 2.OET ( Occupational English Test) - Minimum grade B in each category
Desirable
- Further relevant degree/diploma/teaching qualification
- MRCPCH or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Adequate neonatal intensive care experience in suitably equipped hospitals
Desirable
- Evidence of working with colleagues to improve a service ("Always Improving") Eg: Audit, Quality improvement programmes, Clinical governance Evidence of an ability to develop effective working relationships, on an individual and multi-disciplinary basis with all levels of staff ("Working Together")
- Evidence of particular interest in Neonatology Eg: Research, published papers, fellowships.
- Evidence of neonatal life support training Basic understanding of principles of child protection
Skills
Essential
- Understands the importance of effective Team Working with all levels of staff, take time to listen, understand and involve people; receptive to appropriate change
- Good interpersonal skills - ability to communicate effectively with patients, colleagues, relatives and staff; communicate openly and honestly and explain things clearly
Desirable
- Understands the importance of effective Team Working with all levels of staff, take time to listen, understand and involve people; receptive to appropriate change
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Ability to undertake resident on-call
- Meets professional health requirements in line with GMC standards
- Empathy and sensitivity: ability to listen, understand and involve people; see people as individuals
- Commitment to modern practices
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Meet RCPCH criteria for eligibility to apply for MTI training programme
- Demonstrate proficiency in English language at time of interview. 1.IELTS ( Minimum score 7 in each category and minimum overall score of 7.5) 2.OET ( Occupational English Test) - Minimum grade B in each category
Desirable
- Further relevant degree/diploma/teaching qualification
- MRCPCH or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Adequate neonatal intensive care experience in suitably equipped hospitals
Desirable
- Evidence of working with colleagues to improve a service ("Always Improving") Eg: Audit, Quality improvement programmes, Clinical governance Evidence of an ability to develop effective working relationships, on an individual and multi-disciplinary basis with all levels of staff ("Working Together")
- Evidence of particular interest in Neonatology Eg: Research, published papers, fellowships.
- Evidence of neonatal life support training Basic understanding of principles of child protection
Skills
Essential
- Understands the importance of effective Team Working with all levels of staff, take time to listen, understand and involve people; receptive to appropriate change
- Good interpersonal skills - ability to communicate effectively with patients, colleagues, relatives and staff; communicate openly and honestly and explain things clearly
Desirable
- Understands the importance of effective Team Working with all levels of staff, take time to listen, understand and involve people; receptive to appropriate change
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Ability to undertake resident on-call
- Meets professional health requirements in line with GMC standards
- Empathy and sensitivity: ability to listen, understand and involve people; see people as individuals
- Commitment to modern practices
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
