Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen within our Neonatal Team Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

If you are ambitious, confident, self-motivated and compassionate, looking to develop your career in neonatal nursing and make a difference, this post offers you the opportunity to play a key role as part of a new and developing team of band 7 clinical leaders.

There has never been a more exciting time to join our neonatal team as we expand our neonatal service. The New Neonatal Unit has opened since November 2025.

The post holder will need to have a good team building skills and be able to demonstrate how they motivate and lead. He/she will be required to work flexibly as a member of the neonatal team to ensure standards are being maintained, evaluated and where necessary improved. As a Sister/Charge Nurse you will work collaboratively with all members of multi-professional team, ensure that the baby and family have a satisfactory experience by evaluating patient processes and redesigning the pathway of care including external agencies and also other hospitals.

If you are a motivated leader with a passion for patient care and service excellence, we want to hear from you. Join us and make a real difference in a hospital that values innovation, collaboration, and compassion.

Main duties of the job
Take responsibility for the assessment of care needs, the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care and rehabilitation for children and their families.

Explore more efficient and effective ways of providing a high standard of family centred care and utilisation of resources.

In conjunction with the staff develop a mechanism for setting goals and benchmarking standards of care.Develop tools to improve the quality of the service and co-ordinate clinical services across the ward/dept.

Support systems for sharing good practice within the ward/dept and trust wide.

Pilot clinical programmes.

Plan and implement a programme for clinical supervision for all registered nurses working in the ward/dept.

Rotational to transitional care

Please see attached documents for further details.

About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job

Job responsibilities
Lead the ward/dept team by an appropriate management style to maintain good morale and a team approach to work:

• Deploy/book staff to meet the workload with an appropriate skill mix for 24 hour cover.
• Hold and maintain the designated budget.
• Influence control of overall ward/dept expenditure.
• Ensure regular risk assessments are carried out to identify clinical risks and prevent incidents.
• Monitor the capability, competence, sickness and absence of staff.
• Ensure compliance to trust policies and procedures amongst the multi-disciplinary team
• Obtain and analyse statistical information for the area of practice.
• Ensure the accurate input of data to I.T. systems.
• Manage stores and supplies for the area of practice.
• Ensure the proper use of and maintenance of equipment.
• Lead in the selection, interviewing and monitoring of staff.
• Attend and contribute actively to relevant meetings (e.g. ward manager and unit meetings) and working parties.
• Act up for the Lead nurse
• Take responsibility and lead on designate tasks in key areas care
• Support band 6 staff with shift leadership and professional development.

Education, Training and Development of Staff

• Guide and support staff in their professional development and clinical competence.
• Reviewing and managing the performance of all staff by identifying their educational and other needs, annual IPR and objectives.
• Ensuring the orientation of staff and preceptorship in in-service training.
• Promote, encourage and participate in research, audit and studies related to the area of practice.
• Implement ward teaching programmes.
• Guide and support staff in the monitoring and assessment for all learners in the clinical area.
• In liaison with universities, provide a successful learning environment for students.
• Participate in a shadowing programme of the senior nurse.

Professional and Legal Responsibilities

• Be familiar with and to observe ward, department, hospital and district policies,the NMC Rules and Code of Practice.
• Update own knowledge and skills in order to develop professionally and to contribute to the improvement of the service.
• Take responsibility for the safe storage of records and the maintenance of confidentiality

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Nurse
• QIS trained with experience
• Current NLS 4 yearly training
• Experience in shift leading

Desirable

• Leadership training/Course or desire to develop
• Research experience
• Risk Management or Quality Improvement Projects participation

Skills
Essential

• Ability to work and communicate as part of the multidisciplinary team
• Good level of IT ie Email/Internet
• Ability to prioritise in order to meet deadlines when writing reports
• Effectively carries out tasks related to audit and evaluating services
• Ability to plan workload and supervise others effectively to meet service needs
• Ability to deal with operational issues
• Ability to deliver on the Key NICU performance indicators

Desirable

• Project leadership skills

Experience
Essential

• Substantial time working in Neonatal unit
• Mentoring students
• Change management skills

Desirable

• Evidence of involvement in project management

Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of teaching and learning
• Able to evaluate and analyse results of audit in order to improve the service
• Experience in change management and/or quality improvement initiatives
• Knowledge of National Neonatal policies & guidelines
• Fully aware of the children's Act & National/Local Safeguarding Children Board legislation

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.

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Arndale House, Luton, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Neonatal Governance Lead, Silvia Sampaio, silvia.lemossampaio@bedsft.nhs.uk, 01582718309

Details
Date posted: 01 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year per anum
Contract: Secondment
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 418-NICU53414-EH
Job locations: Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Arndale House, Luton, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom