Job summary
Are you an enthusiastic nurse looking for a new opportunity in neonatal care? Would you like to advance your career by working for and learn from the Thames Valley lead neonatal unit?

If this is you, then we would really love to meet you.

We are excited to announce that the Newborn Care Unit at The John Radcliffe has new opportunities for Band 5 nurses to join our Team #OneTeamOneOUH. We are committed to offer all the successful candidates the opportunity to gain valuable training so that they cannot only advance their careers but join a team that offers the very best in neonatal care.

Our Newborn Care Unit is a centre of excellence in neonatal care. We provide level 3 care for extremely preterm infants, critically unwell infants & infants requiring a number of specialities, including surgery, neurology, cardiology and ophthalmology. The Newborn Care Unit currently has 16 intensive care cots, 18 high dependency cots and 19 low dependency cots. We are the base for the neonatal transport team - SONeT - covering the Thames Valley area.

We have an enthusiastic education team providing support to both nursing staff and pre/post registration students. We run regular in-house study days and team days. As part of the Thames Valley & Wessex network we are able to offer a Neonatal Preceptorship programme and Qualified in Speciality Course (QIS).

We accept applications from children's nurses, adult nurses and midwives. Critical care experience is desirable, but not essential.

Main duties of the job
Works as a member of the multi-disciplinary team providing evidence-based nursing care to babies & their families.

Ensures that care is assessed, planned, implemented & evaluated on an individualised basis, taking into account the needs of the baby & their family.

Maintains effective communication with babies, families & professional colleagues.

Practices in accordance with NMC guidelines & Scope of Practice, Local, Directorate & Trust policies.

Administers medications safely according to Newborn Care Unit policy & NMC guidelines.

Ensures safe & effective care for babies with complex needs, requiring specialist clinical skills, seeking support when required.

Supports senior members of staff in the safe running of the unit.

Is able to assess & recognise emergencies within Newborn Care, interpreting information & taking appropriate action, seeking support when required.

Assess educational & information needs of families & devise plans to ensure these needs are met, seeking support when required.

Participates in clinical audits & research

Contributes to the orientation, development & training needs of students & new staff

About us
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.

We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.

Job responsibilities
Clinical

• Work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team providing safe, effective, evidence-based care to babies and their families.
• Ensures that care is assessed, planned, implemented and evaluated on an individualised basis, taking into account the needs of the baby and their family
• Provides developmental care to all babies
• Undertakes safe transfer of babies within the hospital, adhering to unit policy
• Administers medications safely according to Newborn Care Unit policy and NMC guidelines
• Undertakes an annual medications assessment.
• Is able to assess and recognise emergencies within Newborn Care, interpreting information and taking appropriate action, seeking support when required
• Works collaboratively with families involving them in their babies care and decision making
• Ensures families receive appropriate education to be able to care for their baby
• Undertakes discharge planning in a timely manner working with families
• Takes appropriate action when an incident occurs and ensures that incidents are reported appropriately via the Ulysses system

Professional

• Clearly documents plans of care and care given in line with NMC, Trust and network policies
• Maintains effective communication with families and colleagues Is able to communicate in demanding and challenging situations, seeking support when required
• Maintains confidentiality at all times
• Completes competencies related to the care of babies in a timely manner
• Treats families and colleagues with compassion and respect
• Practices in accordance with NMC guidelines and scope of practice, local, directorate and Trust policies
• Keeps up to date with current neonatal practice
• Completes all required statutory training, including a yearly resuscitation update
• Contributes to the orientation, development and training needs of students and new staff
• Takes personal responsibility for their own learning and professional growth
• Keeps up to date with local and national professional issues
• Participates in clinical supervision and the appraisal process

Organisational

• Works collaboratively with other clinical areas to promote good working relationships and joined up thinking
• Liaises with other clinical areas to provide effective hand over for babies transferred to other areas

Managerial

• Where appropriate, co-ordinates nursing activity on the unit to ensure the unit operates smoothly
• Supports senior members of staff in the safe running of the unit
• Participates in clinical audits, quality improvement projects and research on the unit

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Childrens Nurse or Registered Adult Nurse or Registered Midwife

Desirable

• Recognised qualification in neonatal nursing practice
• Clinical Assessor and Supervisor Training

Experience
Essential

• Nursing care within a neonatal setting, pre or post-graduation

Desirable

• Nursing care in an acute setting

Personnal skills
Essential

• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrates passion and enthusiasm for neonatal nursing

Desirable

• IT skills

Application.
Essential

• .

Desirable

• .

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).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley way, Oxford., OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Recruitment Lead. Sophy Mathew, sophy.mathew@ouh.nhs.uk, 01865221436

Details
Date posted: 28 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year, Per Annum/Pro Rata.
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
Reference number: 321-NOTSS-8099788-B5-A
Job locations: John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley way, Oxford., OX3 9DU, United Kingdom

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