Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Nurse) Neonatal Transport
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
A complete application in a minute
Tailored resume and cover letter, ready to send.
Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
The Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Nurse) – Neonatal Critical Care Transport at Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is a senior, autonomous practitioner spanning clinical practice, leadership, education and research.
The post delivers expert assessment, stabilization and transfer of critically ill neonates within the Southwest Neonatal Network, working within a multidisciplinary transport team to provide compassionate, family‑centred care.
Qualifications
- Registered nurse with RSCN Part 8 / RN (Child) / RM status and postgraduate neonatal/paediatric critical care qualification.
- Master’s in advanced clinical practice with independent non-medical prescribing ability would be advantageous.
- Proven advanced clinical assessment, decision-making and diagnostic reasoning skills.
- Experience in mentoring, clinical supervision or educational delivery in neonatal care.
Responsibilities
- Lead stabilisation, retrieval and transport of critically ill newborns within the Southwest Neonatal Network.
- Provide autonomous, advanced clinical assessment and management in dynamic environments.
- Deliver family-centred care and act as clinical leader within the transport team.
- Support education, workforce development, governance, research and service improvement.
- Contribute to clinical governance, quality improvement and incident learning.
Education
Job description
Main area Neonatal Critical Care Transport Grade NHS AfC: Band 8a Contract Fixed term: 16 months (Secondment considered) Hours
- Full time
- Part time
Employer Bristol NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site SoNAR Base, Aztec West Town South Glos Salary £57,528 - £64,750 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 11/11/2026 23:59
North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1 st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This will create an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.
Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.
The Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Nurse) - Neonatal Critical Care Transport is a senior autonomous practitioner working across the four pillars of advanced clinical practice: Clinical Practice, Leadership and Management, Education, and Research/Quality Improvement.
The post holder will provide expert clinical leadership in the assessment, stabilisation, management and transfer of critically ill and vulnerable neonates requiring transport within and beyond the Southwest Neonatal Network. Working autonomously and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary transport team, the ACP (Nurse) will deliver advanced clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning and decision-making in highly complex and unpredictable environments.
The ACP (Nurse) will act as a clinical leader and role model for the service, promoting compassionate, family-centred and trauma-informed care whilst supporting psychological safety, human factors awareness and continuous service improvement. The role requires highly developed communication, leadership and influencing skills, enabling effective engagement with families, colleagues, referring units, receiving centres and system partners.
The post holder will contribute to strategic service development, workforce development, education, clinical governance, research and quality improvement activities that support the continued development of SoNAR and the wider neonatal network.
The Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Nurse) in Neonatal Critical Care Transport provides autonomous, expert clinical care for critically ill and vulnerable newborn infants requiring stabilisation and transfer across the Southwest Neonatal Network. The post holder will lead and participate in neonatal retrievals, undertaking advanced clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning and independent decision-making in complex and dynamic environments.
Working within the multidisciplinary SoNAR team, the ACP (Nurse) will provide clinical leadership, support safe and effective patient transfers, and deliver compassionate, family-centred care. The role also contributes to education, workforce development, clinical governance, quality improvement, research and service development, helping to shape and improve neonatal transport services across the region.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.
With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
Clinical Practice
- Lead and participate in the stabilisation, retrieval and transport of critically ill and vulnerable newborn infants across the South West Neonatal Network.
- Undertake advanced clinical assessment, diagnosis and management of complex neonatal patients.
- Practise autonomously within the ACP scope of practice, making independent clinical decisions in dynamic and challenging environments.
- Deliver high-quality, family-centred care throughout the retrieval and transport journey.
Leadership and Service Delivery
- Provide clinical leadership within the transport team during neonatal retrieval missions.
- Support the ongoing development of neonatal transport services across the region.
- Contribute to service planning, innovation and the implementation of evidence-based practice.
Education and Workforce Development
- Support the education and development of transport team colleagues and network staff.
- Act as a clinical role model and contribute to training programmes, simulation and clinical supervision activities.
- Promote a culture of continuous learning and professional development.
Quality Improvement and Governance
- Participate in clinical governance, audit, quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.
- Contribute to incident review, learning processes and service evaluation.
- Support compliance with national standards, local policies and professional frameworks.
Research and Evidence Based Practice
- Contribute to research, service evaluation and the implementation of emerging evidence.
- Promote the use of best available evidence to improve patient outcomes and service delivery.
Working for SoNAR
- Work collaboratively with neonatal units, maternity services, ambulance services and other healthcare partners across the South West.
- Represent SoNAR professionally and contribute to the delivery of a safe, responsive and effective neonatal transport service.
- RSCN Part 8 / RN (Child) / RM
- Postgraduate qualification relevant to neonatal / paediatric critical care
- Master’s degree in advanced clinical practice
- Independent non-medical prescribing
- Evidence of advanced clinical assessment, decision-making, and diagnostic reasoning
- Clinical supervision, mentoring, or educational qualification
- Research or quality improvement qualification
- Neonatal and paediatric resuscitation courses
- Advanced neonatal and/or paediatric critical care knowledge
- Excellent advanced clinical skills
- Excellent communication skills in complex and sensitive situations
- Independent prescribing skills and knowledge
- Excellent organisational, prioritisation and problem-solving skills
- Understanding of human factors, situational awareness and crew resource management
- Ability to promote psychological safety and compassionate leadership
- Ability to promote psychological safety and compassionate leadership
- Evidence of ability to use initiative, lead a team and manage change E
- Knowledge of neonatal transport standards and service specifications
- Knowledge of quality improvement methodology
- Knowledge of educational programme delivery
- Experience managing high-acuity patients autonomously
- Experience leading clinical teams in dynamic and high-pressure environments E
- Experience working as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner at equivalent to Tier 2
- Experience supporting patients and families during complex or emotionally challenging situations
- Experience in audit, research and policy development
- Previous critical care transport experience
- Experience of teaching, assessing and mentoring
- Independent prescribing
- Demonstrates professionalism, integrity and accountability
- Acts as a compassionate and inclusive clinical leader
- Demonstrates resilience in emotionally demanding situations
- Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice
- Demonstrates family-centred and patient-focused care
- Evidence of service development and strategic influence
- Evidence of service development and strategic influence
We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.
As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.
IMPORTANT:
Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.
Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification
Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.
As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.
When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M101.744%2012.4726L102.894%2016.1947L99.0021%2013.2201L101.744%2012.4726ZM105.3%208.40937H100.488L99.0026%203.59473L97.5116%208.41047L92.7%208.40385L96.5965%2011.3834L95.1055%2016.1942L99.0021%2013.2196L101.408%2011.3834L105.3%208.40992V8.40937Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cdefs%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='paint0_linear_5593_1381'%20x1='90'%20y1='9.44471'%20x2='99'%20y2='9.44471'%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%3e%3cstop%20stop-color='%2300AD70'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='0.998594'%20stop-color='%2300B67A'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='1'%20stop-color='%23DCDCE6'/%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}
