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

Please see below for the detailed job description of the role.

This post is for internal applicants to the transformation team only

We are seeking an experienced and passionate  neonatal Nurse to join our team as a Neonatal Preterm Lead Nurse on a 12‑month secondment.

A central part of the role will involve supporting the unit’s performance in the National Neonatal Audit Programme (NNAP). You will help ensure high‑quality data capture, strengthen compliance with evidence‑based standards of care for preterm infants, and lead initiatives that directly influence NNAP measures such as optimal perinatal care, early breastmilk feeding, temperature on admission, and reduction of complications of prematurity. Your leadership will help the unit demonstrate excellence in nationally benchmarked outcomes.

This autonomous yet collaborative role involves providing clinical leadership, coordinating care from the antenatal period through the neonatal journey, embedding evidence‑based practice, supporting quality improvement initiatives, and delivering education across maternity and neonatal services. You will play a vital role in ensuring families receive compassionate, individualised, and seamless care.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced neonatal nurse with a passion for leadership, innovation, and improving outcomes for preterm babies and their families.

University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.

Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast. 

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.

At UHS, we’re committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients. 

At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognising that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We’re committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.

Clinical leadership for preterm care — Provide expert guidance on the care of babies born <37 weeks, ensuring consistent, evidence‑based practice across neonatal and maternity teams.

Coordination of the preterm pathway — Oversee seamless care from antenatal identification of risk through delivery, admission, and the neonatal journey, ensuring timely interventions and clear communication.

NNAP performance support — Strengthen compliance with NNAP measures (e.g., antenatal optimisation, temperature on admission, early breastmilk feeding, reduction of complications of prematurity) and support accurate, high‑quality data capture.

Quality improvement leadership — Lead and evaluate QI projects aimed at improving outcomes for preterm infants, using audit data, NNAP findings, and local priorities to drive change.

Education and training delivery — Develop and deliver teaching for neonatal, maternity, and wider MDT staff on preterm care, stabilisation, perinatal optimisation, and family‑centred practice.

Cross‑department collaboration — Build strong working relationships with obstetric, midwifery, fetal medicine, and neonatal teams to ensure consistent messaging and shared goals.

Clinical governance contribution — Participate in guideline development, incident review, and risk management processes relating to preterm birth and neonatal care.

Support for transitional and discharge planning — Ensure safe, well‑coordinated discharge for preterm infants, including parental education, community liaison, and follow‑up planning.

Championing family‑integrated care — Promote practices that enhance parental involvement, skin‑to‑skin care, and shared decision‑making.

Monitoring outcomes and reporting — Track key clinical outcomes (BPD, NEC, IVH, infection, growth, feeding) and use trends to guide service improvement.