We have two neonatal units; 

- a big neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) which looks after extremely preterm infant, and infants with cardiac, surgical and neurosurgical problems. This is L43, Clarendon wing at the Leeds General Infirmary  

- a special care baby unit (SCBU) which is J01,  Gledhow wing at St James Hospital.

Leeds has approximately 9 000 births per year. 

We also look after babies born all around the region who come to us for specialist care for heart conditions, surgical problems, liver and kidney problems and respiratory problems. We are a busy unit and care for many babies with very complex problems along with our colleagues from the paediatric specialist services. 

It is a busy job but you will learn a lot and will have the opportunity to experience many things that you may not see in other neonatal units.

The more you put in, the more you will get out of it.

We hope you enjoy your time with us on the neonatal unit.

The neonatal consultants

Neonatal Induction

• Weds-Friday 8.30-5pm every day

• Timetable to be uploaded asap

• Lunch provided Wednesday only

Checklist:

Things to do now (before induction): 

For induction

• Let me know if you haven’t received an email about Trust/LCH induction by end of next week

• Let me know if you do not need to attend Trust/LCH induction (have done it within the last year)

• Let me know if you cannot attend any of the induction 

• Send me a photo of you and your phone number for the contact list

• Let me know any dietary requirements for the lunch on day 1

• Complete and return the competencies questionnaires

For access to systems

• Complete your onboarding and IT training

• Send me your GMC number if you haven’t been here before, for your NIPE username

• Fill in your Badger access form/email Molly to update your access

• Watch the blood culture video

• Read the blood track slides

  
  

   Things to do after induction

• Check all the systems work

• Request K2 access via IT service desk

• Complete mandatory training.

• Meet your clinical supervisor within the first 2 weeks

• Get your competencies signed off

Working in intensive care is challenging and the babies we care for are very vulnerable. They benefit from continuity of care and this also provides a good training base for the registrars on the unit.

It is also important to be able to take annual leave and attend any training that would be beneficial. Please request your annual leave as soon as possible.

The rota has been designed to maximise your annual leave, with unallocated short days placed within weeks with rostered off days. If these days are taken as leave it facilitates week-long spells of off time within a busy rota.

Due to the importance for clinical care and training, swapping or taking leave during ICU or HDU service weeks is not encouraged and will only be approved if unavoidable.

The support/PNW and SJUH shifts can be easily swapped if needed but there should always be someone working the shift.

1. Swaps

Please go through medical deployment ltht.medicaldeploymentgreen@nhs.net   for simple swaps, and they should be able to sort for you.  For anything more complicated, we may need to be involved, but try to make deployment your first port of call please.  Ideally go to them with a SOLUTION to the swap, rather than a request for them to sort it for you.  They will however try to help facilitate swaps if not immediately clear.

2. Sickness / last minute absence

Please phone the on call consultant of the day / night (contactable via switchboard) AND email medical deployment as soon as you know you will be off.  Please keep both up-to-date regarding your expected return to work – a daily phone call & email is expected.

3. Annual / study leave

The rota can be tight for leave, so please do get your requests in ASAP.  We would strongly recommend starting with requesting SDs (or support shifts for HSTs) off, and if you run out of these, let us know and we can help find suitable other days to take.

We have taken into account the provisional leave requests submitted via questionnaire when constructing the rota slots, and allocated predominantly SDs during these periods.  This hopefully minimises the number of swaps needed.

Leave will automatically be granted on a SD / Support day.  Any leave requests on a day you are allocated to a specific area (ICU / HDU / Surgery / Postnatal / SJUH) will require you to organise a swap before being approved.

We will look through and approve leave as soon as possible, but do bear in mind this may not be immediate, as we will be working around our own clinical commitments / leave.  If something is particularly urgent, and you have not heard back from us, please raise it with the on call consultant.

4. Study leave

When requesting leave, please state the reason – we cannot approve SL until you do.

5. SPA Time

We have incorporated SPA time into the rotas.  This is the first time we have done so, based on feedback from your colleagues, so please do let us know how it is working out! 

SPA time is to be taken on-site.  You should attend morning handover at 08:30 and will then be released to take your SPA time if acuity and staffing allows. 

We appreciate the rota is pretty complicated, but we will try our absolute best to accommodate your requirements if possible.  There is usually a creative solution to be had, so long as you are able to be flexible in return!

and more coming!

Virtual Tour of SJUH

Please note, this is how we expect everyone to do this. 

You can refer back to these and check things ( paperwork, systems processes etc) as you need to. 

wash your hands

scrub up using alcohol gel

set up a sterile field

Everyone will be involved in a neonatal Quality Improvement (QI) project during the next 6 months.

The QI teams include a consultant, ANNPs and neonatal nurses. We would recommend that the HSTs lead the teams as this is a really useful experience.

There are the following QI projects for September 2026:

1. Improving Participation in Research on the Neonatal Unit

2. Creating a Better Working Environment for the Neonatal Team

3. PrevEnT – Preventing Unplanned Extubations on NNU

4. My Baby, My Voice: Increasing Infants' Exposure to Parental Voice on the Neonatal Unit

5. Going for GOLD. Preterm optimisation

Please email Dr Alix Fonfe with your top 3 choices of which project you would like to be involved with.

• Respiratory conditions

• Jaundice

• Hypoglycaemia

• HIE

Here is a link to an online learning package (https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/avoiding-term-admissions-into-neonatal-units/

The unit provides specialist care for infants with surgical problems from all around Yorkshire and beyond. 

Infants may be born in Leeds ready to receive specialist care from birth or may be transferred in from other units after birth. Conditions commonly seen include gastroschisis, congenital diaphragmatic hear, anorectal malformations, Hirschpungs disease, meconium ileus, small bowel atresia's and many others. 

The neonatal surgical outreach team provide an outreach service between SNU and our surrounding hospitals in Yorkshire.

The Central Line QIP team have created these posters to help improve this important aspect of care for our infants. 

https://youtu.be/7uYi61o-WOQ

-sterility

-its all in the preparation

-line checklist to be completed

• prepare - including a plan B

• use the checklist

• THERMOREGULATION

• allocate roles

Key things to note:

• is it plugged into the wall or on cylinders

• check pressures with every use

• Heater is not as efficient as other models

• Often in the corner so clear space round it when needed

• WARNING:Increasing the flow does NOT increase the oxygen concentration it simply increases the pressure delivered

Remember to complete your ventilation workbook with a grid trainee to share with your supervisor at our supervision meetings. This will make great evidence for your portfolio!

There is an active simulation programme on the unit so you will get to repeat these skills frequently during the job. If in doubt always take help with you to a delivery - you can always send them away!