Consultant Neonatologist
Medway NHS Foundation Trust · Doctor & Consultant · viaNHS Jobs
£113,565–£150,569 a year
- Closing date
- 28 Nov 2026
- Posted
- 4d ago
- Specialism
- Doctor & Consultant
- Sector
- Healthcare
- Reference
- nhs-5715927
This advert was published by NHS Jobs and is shown here for reference. BOQQS did not take this listing directly from the employer. View the original on NHS Jobs
Job summary
Consultant Neonatologist
Division: Women, Children and Young People
Care Group: Children and Young People
Salary: £113,565 - £150,569 per annum
Interview Date: TBC
The new consultant will join a dedicated team of Neonatal Consultants, committed to delivering exceptional patient care while contributing to teaching, research, quality improvement, and leadership. This substantive role offers a well-structured nine-week cycle of responsibilities, balancing clinical, educational, and managerial duties to ensure professional growth and development within a supportive environment. No specific sub-specialty interest is required; the department will actively support the appointee to develop a clinical or academic special interest of their choice, aligned with service needs, with time agreed through job planning.
Main duties of the job
The nine-week cycle incorporates four attending ("hot") weeks
- HDU (Week 1),
- Weekend on-site (Week 3),
- ITU (Week 5)
- Transitional Care/Postnatal Wards (Week 9) - each designed to provide focused and comprehensive neonatal care.
Non-attending weeks are structured to balance clinical duties with professional development activities. Key responsibilities include:
- Outpatient clinics:
- Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Meetings:
- Supporting Professional Activities (SPA):
The consultant will play a pivotal role in education, fostering the development of junior doctors, medical students, and nursing staff.
Quality Improvement and Clinical AuditThe unit prides itself on a robust quality improvement (QI) program that has driven significant advancements in care delivery
ResearchThe unit has an active academic and research portfolio. In 2025 it delivered 14 NIHR portfolio studies
Managerial and Leadership ResponsibilitiesThe consultant will hold a senior leadership role within the department, contributing to strategic planning and service development
About us
The Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit opened to intensive care in 1984 with two regionally funded neonatal intensive care cots. Since 1999, the unit relocated to the new wing of the Medway Maritime Hospital where it is based currently. We are an award winning team and are considered to be one of the busiest tertiary neonatal intensive care units in KSS as we are afully recognised tertiary referral centre. The unit is the lead intensive care provider for the Kent Network. We have primary responsibility to providing intensive care for babies born in West Kent. We host the Kent arm of the KSS Neonatal Transport Service.
We have well developed purpose-built facilities for 12 intensive care cots, 8 high dependency cots and 12 special care baby cots. In addition, we provide neonatal transitional care services on the post-natal ward. These comprise of 8 neonatal transitional care cots (NTC) and 6 midwifery additional care (MAC) cots. The latter was a reconfigured addition to the current neonatal bed base in 2019 due to an increasing demand for this service and has won the Medway NHS Foundation Trust "Best Innovation Award" in 2020.
The unit is located next to the labour ward and on the same floor as the post-natal wards, allowing for good communication at all times with the maternity department.
The neonatal unit has a comprehensive set of protocols and guidelines, developed collaboratively by trained staff, postgraduate doctors, and nurses.
Details
Date posted
09 November 2026
Pay scheme
Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade
Consultant
Salary
£113,565 to £150,569 a year per annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
275-2611-CONSNEO
Job locations
Medway Maritime Hospital
Windmil Road
Gillingham
ME7 5NY
United Kingdom
Job description
Job responsibilities
Week 1: High Dependency Unit (HDU) and Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU)During this week, the consultant will oversee care in the HDU and SCBU, leading on morning ward rounds and managing patient care across these units. The consultant is also responsible for all high risk deliveries in labour ward.
Week 3: Weekend Cover
During the weekend hot week, the consultant is the only consultant on duty on Saturday and Sunday and covers the whole neonatal unit ITU, HDU, SCBU, transitional care and the postnatal wards. The consultant is on site from 08:30 to 20:30 on both days, leads the weekend ward rounds, manages all new admissions and high-risk deliveries, supports the resident team, and remains on call overnight.
Week 5: Intensive Care Unit (ITU)
The consultant will act as the attending Neonatologist for the ITU, taking full responsibility for all new admissions and ongoing care of critically ill neonates. Key responsibilities include leading daily ward rounds from 08:30 to 12:00, coordinating multidisciplinary care, and making day-to-day decisions for all ITU patients. This week demands strong clinical leadership, collaboration, and critical thinking to ensure the highest standards of care for the most vulnerable patients.
Week 9: Transitional Care and Postnatal Wards
This week combines clinical responsibilities in Transitional Care and Postnatal Wards with broader leadership and teaching roles. Alongside providing hands-on patient care, the consultant will manage neonatal alerts, conduct antenatal consultations with families, chair PMRT meetings, lead postgraduate teaching sessions, conduct virtual ward consultations for patients under team NOAH, oversee daytime neonatal transfers, lead simulations sessions
On-Call Rota
The consultant will participate in a 1:9 on-call rota covering weekends and nights. Key details include:
On-call duties require a presence on-site for 12 hours daily (08:30 to 20:30) in accordance with BAPM and GIRFT recommendations, with availability for acute decision-making outside these hours. Key responsibilities during on-call days include facilitating evening handovers and conducting evening ward rounds to ensure seamless continuity of care.
Non-Attending Weeks
Non-attending weeks are structured to balance clinical duties with professional development activities. Key responsibilities include Outpatient clinics, MDT meetings, SPA
Teaching Responsibilities
The consultant will play a pivotal role in education, fostering the development of junior doctors, medical students, and nursing staff. Key teaching responsibilities include:
- Weekly Teaching Program
- Undergraduate and Physician Associate Teaching
- Nursing and Midwifery Education
Quality Improvement and Clinical Audit
The unit prides itself on a robust quality improvement (QI) program that has driven significant advancements in care delivery. The consultant is expected to contribute to QI initiatives, participate in audits, and lead projects aimed at sustaining high performance across key metrics in the National Neonatal Audit Programme (NNAP).
Research
The unit has an active academic and research portfolio. In 2025 it delivered 14 NIHR portfolio studies, four of which exceeded their recruitment targets and produced 7 peer-reviewed publications, 8 oral presentations and 3 posters at national and international meetings. Consultants are supported by three dedicated research nurses and an on-site library with comprehensive journal access.
Managerial and Leadership Responsibilities
The consultant will hold a senior leadership role within the department, contributing to strategic planning and service development.
Continuing Professional Development
The consultant will be supported in pursuing CPD to enhance their expertise and align with Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health standards. Study leave and funding are available to attend conferences, courses, and other professional development opportunities.
Job responsibilities
Week 1: High Dependency Unit (HDU) and Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU)During this week, the consultant will oversee care in the HDU and SCBU, leading on morning ward rounds and managing patient care across these units. The consultant is also responsible for all high risk deliveries in labour ward.
Week 3: Weekend Cover
During the weekend hot week, the consultant is the only consultant on duty on Saturday and Sunday and covers the whole neonatal unit ITU, HDU, SCBU, transitional care and the postnatal wards. The consultant is on site from 08:30 to 20:30 on both days, leads the weekend ward rounds, manages all new admissions and high-risk deliveries, supports the resident team, and remains on call overnight.
Week 5: Intensive Care Unit (ITU)
The consultant will act as the attending Neonatologist for the ITU, taking full responsibility for all new admissions and ongoing care of critically ill neonates. Key responsibilities include leading daily ward rounds from 08:30 to 12:00, coordinating multidisciplinary care, and making day-to-day decisions for all ITU patients. This week demands strong clinical leadership, collaboration, and critical thinking to ensure the highest standards of care for the most vulnerable patients.
Week 9: Transitional Care and Postnatal Wards
This week combines clinical responsibilities in Transitional Care and Postnatal Wards with broader leadership and teaching roles. Alongside providing hands-on patient care, the consultant will manage neonatal alerts, conduct antenatal consultations with families, chair PMRT meetings, lead postgraduate teaching sessions, conduct virtual ward consultations for patients under team NOAH, oversee daytime neonatal transfers, lead simulations sessions
On-Call Rota
The consultant will participate in a 1:9 on-call rota covering weekends and nights. Key details include:
On-call duties require a presence on-site for 12 hours daily (08:30 to 20:30) in accordance with BAPM and GIRFT recommendations, with availability for acute decision-making outside these hours. Key responsibilities during on-call days include facilitating evening handovers and conducting evening ward rounds to ensure seamless continuity of care.
Non-Attending Weeks
Non-attending weeks are structured to balance clinical duties with professional development activities. Key responsibilities include Outpatient clinics, MDT meetings, SPA
Teaching Responsibilities
The consultant will play a pivotal role in education, fostering the development of junior doctors, medical students, and nursing staff. Key teaching responsibilities include:
- Weekly Teaching Program
- Undergraduate and Physician Associate Teaching
- Nursing and Midwifery Education
Quality Improvement and Clinical Audit
The unit prides itself on a robust quality improvement (QI) program that has driven significant advancements in care delivery. The consultant is expected to contribute to QI initiatives, participate in audits, and lead projects aimed at sustaining high performance across key metrics in the National Neonatal Audit Programme (NNAP).
Research
The unit has an active academic and research portfolio. In 2025 it delivered 14 NIHR portfolio studies, four of which exceeded their recruitment targets and produced 7 peer-reviewed publications, 8 oral presentations and 3 posters at national and international meetings. Consultants are supported by three dedicated research nurses and an on-site library with comprehensive journal access.
Managerial and Leadership Responsibilities
The consultant will hold a senior leadership role within the department, contributing to strategic planning and service development.
Continuing Professional Development
The consultant will be supported in pursuing CPD to enhance their expertise and align with Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health standards. Study leave and funding are available to attend conferences, courses, and other professional development opportunities.
What you need to do now
Applications are handled by Medway NHS Foundation Trust on their own site — BOQQS does not collect CVs or hold your application. This listing closes on 28 Nov 2026.
Apply now