SoNAR Transport Nurse South Glos

Job summary

As a Band 6 SoNAR Transport Nurse, you will play a pivotal role in the safe stabilisation, transfer and ongoing care of critically ill and vulnerable neonates across the Southwest Neonatal Network. Working autonomously or as part of a multidisciplinary transport team, you will undertake road and aeromedical transfers, delivering specialist neonatal critical care in challenging and dynamic environments.

The post holder will combine expert neonatal intensive care knowledge with excellent communication, leadership and decision-making skills to support infants, families and healthcare professionals throughout the transport process. A key aspect of the role is providing compassionate support to parents and carers during periods of crisis, helping them to understand complex information, manage uncertainty and cope with the emotional impact of their baby's illness and transfer.

The role requires individuals who can build effective working relationships, contribute positively to team culture and psychological safety, and demonstrate resilience when managing clinical, operational and emotional challenges. In addition to clinical responsibilities, the post holder will actively contribute to clinical governance, quality improvement, education, audit, research and service development activities that support the continuous growth and improvement of the transport service.

Main duties of the job

For a detailed job description, main responsibilities and person specification please refer to job description document attached to this vacancy.

About us

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.

Details

Date posted: 09 September 2026

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 6

Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year pa & pa pro rata, enhancements for antisocial hours

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number: 387-W&C2102-GE

Job locations: SoNAR Base, Aztec West, Unit 350 Quadrant Trading Estate, South Glos, BS32 4QA, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Interpersonal and communication skills

• Establish effective therapeutic relationships with parents and families during highly stressful and emotionally challenging situations.
• Communicate complex clinical information clearly and sensitively to families, adapting communication style according to individual needs and understanding.
• Provide reassurance, emotional support and advocacy for parents during stabilisation and transfer episodes.
• Deliver accurate and timely verbal and written handovers between referring and receiving hospitals.
• Liaise effectively with neonatal, paediatric, maternity, ambulance, aviation and transport service colleagues to coordinate safe patient transfers.
• Support constructive multidisciplinary team working through respectful communication, active listening and professional collaboration.
• Contribute to a psychologically safe culture where staff feel empowered to raise concerns, share learning and support one another.
• Manage challenging conversations professionally, including situations involving deteriorating patients, distressed relatives, service pressures or conflicting priorities.

Professional knowledge and expertise

• Maintain expert knowledge and competence in neonatal intensive care, high dependency care and neonatal transport practice.
• Apply advanced clinical assessment skills to evaluate infants requiring transfer and determine suitability for nurse-led transfers in collaboration with medical colleagues.
• Maintain knowledge of transport-specific equipment, procedures, clinical governance standards and national neonatal transport guidance.
• Demonstrate understanding of neonatal physiology and the impact of transportation on critically ill infants.
• Maintain professional registration and comply with NMC standards, Trust policies and service operating procedures.
• Participate in mandatory and specialist education programmes to maintain transport-specific competencies.

Problem-solving and decision-making

• Assess complex and rapidly changing clinical situations and respond appropriately to ensure patient safety.
• Anticipate, identify and manage risks associated with neonatal transport.
• Contribute to decisions regarding transfer prioritisation, logistics and resource utilisation.
• Troubleshoot transport equipment and technical challenges during retrievals and transfers.
• Escalate concerns appropriately and seek support from senior transport clinicians when required.
• Exercise sound clinical judgement in unpredictable environments where immediate decisions may be required.

Planning and coordination

• Coordinate all aspects of assigned transfers including preparation, equipment, documentation and communication.
• Support the organisation of clinical and logistical components of transport requests.
• Prioritise competing demands effectively within a service operating across a large geographical region.
• Contribute to operational planning and service delivery during periods of high demand.
• Assist with coordination of referral calls and communication processes when senior team members are unavailable.
• Manage workload effectively while balancing clinical, educational and service development responsibilities.

Practical and technical skills

• Safely operate specialist neonatal transport equipment including ventilators, monitoring systems, infusion devices and incubators.
• Demonstrate advanced practical neonatal intensive care skills including airway management, vascular access support and patient stabilisation.
• Load, unload and secure specialist transport equipment safely in ambulances and aircraft.
• Maintain competence in equipment setup, fault identification and troubleshooting.
• Utilise electronic systems and digital platforms to support communication and documentation.
• Drive and maintain proficiency in transport-related practical tasks requiring accuracy and dexterity.

Patient care and support

• Deliver high-quality, evidence-based care to critically ill neonates throughout stabilisation and transport.
• Monitor, assess and respond to changes in patient condition while maintaining patient safety during transfer.
• Evaluate ongoing treatment requirements and elevate care appropriately in collaboration with senior clinicians.
• Advocate for infants and families throughout the transfer process.
• Provide holistic and family-centred care that recognises the emotional impact of neonatal illness.
• Ensure comprehensive and accurate documentation of all assessments, interventions and outcomes.
• Support families in understanding treatment plans, transfer decisions and expected outcomes.

Service development and improvement

• Actively contribute to quality improvement projects, service developments and operational initiatives during non-clinical time.
• Engage in the review and development of transport policies, guidelines and clinical standards.
• Support implementation of service changes designed to improve patient outcomes and family experience.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and contribute ideas that enhance service effectiveness and efficiency.
• Participate in audit activities and support the translation of findings into service improvement actions.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement throughout the service.

Finance and resource management

• Maintain transport equipment in a clean, operational and ready-for-use condition.
• Report equipment faults and resource concerns promptly.
• Contribute to the responsible management of service resources and budgetary awareness.
• Support stock monitoring and equipment readiness processes.

Leadership and team management

• Demonstrate leadership and followership skills appropriate to transport environments.
• Support the induction, supervision and development of new staff and learners.
• Participate in education and training programmes within the transport service and wider neonatal network.
• Act as a positive role model who promotes professionalism, respect and compassionate care.
• Support colleagues' wellbeing and contribute to maintaining psychological safety within the team.
• Provide clinical advice, expertise and support to colleagues where appropriate.

Information and data management

• Maintain accurate, contemporaneous and legally compliant clinical records.
• Ensure confidentiality and information governance requirements are upheld.
• Use electronic patient records and transport documentation systems effectively.
• Generate, maintain and retrieve information required for patient care, audit and service evaluation.
• Contribute to data collection processes supporting performance monitoring and quality improvement.

Innovation and continuous improvement

• Participate in audit, service evaluation and research activities relevant to neonatal transport practice.
• Contribute to presentations, publications and dissemination of learning where appropriate.
• Support testing and evaluation of new equipment, technologies and clinical processes.

Autonomy and decision authority

• Work independently within agreed professional, clinical and organisational frameworks.
• Accept accountability for personal clinical practice and decision-making.
• Escalate concerns appropriately and seek senior advice when required.
• Operate within local policies, national guidance, NMC standards and scope of practice.

Physical demands

• Frequently move, manoeuvre and secure specialist transport equipment.
• Undertake prolonged periods of standing, bending, lifting and carrying equipment.
• Tolerate extended journeys and irregular working patterns including nights and weekends.
• Perform clinical procedures requiring dexterity, precision and sustained concentration.

Cognitive demands

• Maintain high levels of concentration during clinical assessment, stabilisation and transport.
• Respond effectively to frequent interruptions and rapidly changing priorities.
• Analyse complex clinical information to support decision-making.
• Balance clinical responsibilities with service development, education and governance activities.

Emotional resilience

• Support families experiencing significant distress, uncertainty and anxiety during neonatal critical illness.
• Manage exposure to serious illness, clinical deterioration and occasionally bereavement situations.
• Provide compassionate care while maintaining professional composure in emotionally demanding circumstances.
• Support colleagues during challenging clinical and operational events.

Work environment

• Work across a variety of clinical, transport and community environments.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Current NMC registration evidenced
• Post registration qualification in neonatal critical care or equivalent
• Degree level qualification or evidence of working towards

Desirable

• Newborn life support qualification
• Advanced neonatal / paediatric life support
• Leadership, coaching or management qualification
• Practice assessor / supervisor qualification

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

• Evidenced neonatal intensive care knowledge & clinical skills
• Evidenced verbal and written communication skills including the ability to convey complex and sensitive information clearly
• Evidence of providing compassionate, trauma-informed support to parents and families during highly stressful situations
• Strong clinical assessment and decision making skills
• Evidenced ability to work autonomously, whilst recognising limitations and seeking remote support appropriately
• Understanding of human factors and situational awareness
• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing clinical and operational circumstances
• Excellent organisational, prioritisation, and problem-solving skills

Desirable

• Knowledge of neonatal transport standards / service spec
• Experience of quality improvement methodologies
• Experience of educational delivery, mentoring or coaching
• Knowledge of psychological safety and compassionate leadership principles

Experience

Essential

• Extensive post-registration experience within neonatal care
• Experience supporting parents and families during emotionally challenging situations
• Experience managing competing priorities working under pressure
• Experience contributing to service, quality, or practice improvements
• Previous critical care transport experience (A/I)

Desirable

• Experience working in environments requiring autonomous decision making
• Experience teaching, supporting, or mentoring colleagues / learners

Leadership, team working and professional values

Essential

• Demonstrate compassionate family-centred practice
• Demonstrate professionalism, integrity and accountability
• Able to lead and contribute effectively within small teams
• Promotes psychological safety, openness, and a culture of learning
• Builds successful, supportive and inclusive relationships
• Demonstrates resilience in emotionally demanding situations
• Motivated to contribute to service development
• Committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-discriminatory practice

Desirable

• Evidence of leading quality improvement / education initiatives
• Experience of championing staff wellbeing
• Aspiration to develop into future transport leadership roles

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

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

Employer details

Employer name: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust

Address: SoNAR Base, Aztec West, Unit 350 Quadrant Trading Estate, South Glos, BS32 4QA, United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

SoNAR Lead Nurse

Patrick Turton

patrick.turton@uhbw.nhs.uk

01173429466

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce.