Clinical Nursing Associate / Assistant Practitioner - Neonatal

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust invites applications for a Clinical Nursing Associate / Assistant Practitioner in Neonatal Transitional Care and Special Care. The role spans the Transitional Care Unit and Woodland Ward, requiring commitment to high quality, family-centred care.

You will work under supervision with a multidisciplinary team to assess and deliver care to babies and families.

Qualifications

• NMC registered Nursing Associate or Assistant Practitioner required.
• Experience in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Commitment to family-centred care.
• Willingness to work across Neonatal Transitional Care and Woodland Ward.

Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, deliver and evaluate care for babies and their families under supervision.
• Work with the MDT to provide family-integrated care.
• Provide parent-craft, education and practical support to families.
• Support feeding progression in coordination with the Infant Feeding and Speech & Language teams.
• Contribute to a safe, welcoming environment and discharge planning.

Skills

Communication skills

Problem solving

Autonomous working

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Family-centred care

Education

NMC registered Nursing Associate / Assistant Practitioner with foundation degree

Job description

Clinical Nursing Associate / Assistant Practitioner - Neonatal

Hours: Full time, Part time - 37.5 hours per week

Job ref: 188-NM051026

Site: Princess Anne Hospital

Town: Southampton

Closing: 28/10/2026

Job overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Job Title: Clinical Nursing Associate / Assistant Practitioner - Neonatal Transitional Care and Special Care

Contract Type: Permanent

Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications.

Previous applicants need not apply.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team to work across our Transitional Care Unit, and our new 'Woodland Ward' Special Care Baby Unit. We are looking for people who are dedicated to delivering high quality, family-centred care, and who strive to make a difference to babies and their families.

You will be working in both the Transitional Care Unit alongside the midwife, and Woodland Ward - a purpose built, nurse-led unit caring for sick and preterm babies which opened in October 2024.

Our new Woodland Ward has:

• 16 cots, including 4 family integrated care rooms
• A welcoming, caring and safe environment for all
• An ethos of patients and families come first; Family are at the heart of what we do
• Space for a parent to stay with their baby 24 hours a day, encouraging unrestricted access
• Family-Integrated Care where we can provide guidance, and advice to parents in a friendly and supportive environment enabling them to care for their baby. This helps them to develop close and loving relationships with their baby and values parents as partners in their care.

Applicants must be able to work a full range of shifts including nights.

Working for our organisation

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.

We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 30% lower than London and 17 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

You will be a NMC registered Nursing Associate or an Assistant Practitioner with a health related foundation degree. You must have experience working within a multi-disciplinary team with a passion for family centred care.

Under the supervision of a registered midwife/nurse, and together with the Multidisciplinary Team, you will be responsible for the assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of care of babies and their families, supporting the ethos of family-integrated care. You must have good communication and problem solving skills, with the ability to work autonomously as well as within the wider team.

We actively support and promote effective communication with parents during admission through their participation in ward rounds, providing continuity and consistency. You will work alongside Nurses and Allied Health Professionals to provide parent-craft, education and practical support with empathy, kindness and understanding, empowering them to care for their baby independently. Feeding progression is supported in conjunction with the Infant feeding team and speech and language team. We actively promote and support breastfeeding but also support other parent feeding choices Parents are supported to confidently care for their baby to facilitate a safe and timely discharge and transition to community services.

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