NICU Coordinator | Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Posting date:	21 January 2026
Salary:	Not specified
Additional salary information:	£56,276 - £63,176 Pro rata per annum incl. HCAS
Hours:	Part time
Closing date:	20 February 2026
Location:	London, SW10 9NH
Company:	Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	7733541/289-SC-261

Summary

The Neonatal Senior Sister/Charge Nurse will be responsible for the daily clinical and operational management of the clinical areas and the professional development of the staff within those areas. The Neonatal Senior Sister/Charge Nurse will provide support to all staff and will be required to work in partnership with all multi-disciplinary teams. You will be responsible for providing leadership and professional development for the nursing and support workers within the services
You will work with the Neonatal Matron and paediatric senior nurses to develop best practice and ensure that there is consistency across the directorate. In collaboration with the relevant senior nursing team and Matrons, they will be required to provide senior nursing cover for Neonatal unit.
You will also be expected to ensure all staff are compliant with the Trust Safeguarding Policies and procedures.

Be aware of the Trust’s safeguarding policies and procedures and demonstrate the ability to be able to and enable others to raise concerns and work closely with the Trust’s safeguarding team and other agencies to protect children.
 To be flexible in the approach to the clinical area and provide cover for any area specified with in your clinical competence.
 Participate in the detection, management and prevention of safeguarding issues within the Neonatal unit.

Roles and responsibilities
To be an expert practitioner, role modelling, demonstrating advanced communication and nursing skills, using expert knowledge and decision making skills in nursing premature and ill new born babies.
To recognize deterioration in clinical conditions and initiate a rapid and appropriate response.
To be accountable for nursing practice and take every opportunity to sustain and improve knowledge and professional competence of staff.
To have responsibility for resolving patient/parent complaints relating to clinical care/operational issues within the area.
To make an assessment of the neonate and families psychological and social needs, implementing an agreed management plan including appropriate referral.
To promote communication between primary and secondary health care providers and Chelsea & Westminster Foundation Trust, as well as the non-statutory sector of Children’s Hospices.
To participate in discharge planning from hospital to community services and the families’ home, ensuring a seamless and smooth process. Ensuring care planning is comprehensive and effective.
Working in collaboration with the Neonatal MDT support the transition for babies who are referred to other inpatient services and provide support for families during the transition process.





Our Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—along with award-winning clinics across North West London.

Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5m, providing full clinical services including maternity, A&E and children’s services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health care. The CQC rates us Good in safety, effectiveness, care and responsiveness, and Outstanding in leadership and resource use.

We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Mid.

We are delivering sustainable healthcare through our Green Plan. In line with Greener NHS ambitions, we aim for net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Achieving this requires collective effort. We encourage staff to reduce their impact on carbon, waste and pollution wherever possible. Every action counts to create a healthier, more sustainable future.

We are committed to equal opportunities and believe diversity drives innovation and excellence. We welcome applications from the global majority, veterans and underrepresented communities, valuing the perspectives they bring.

If you haven’t heard from us within 3 weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probation.

Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.

Education and Training
With the Neonatal education lead and Neonatal matron identify the training needs of the neonatal nursing staff in relation to knowledge and competence in providing evidence-based practice in preparing the parents for their baby’s discharge.
Provide formal and informal teaching sessions to all neonatal staff to facilitate understanding of the importance of planning the discharge process early in the journey of the baby and parents/carers that is evidence based.
Develop, maintain and deliver a discharge training programme for the parents to ensure competency and safety prior to discharge.
Lead and contribute to the health education of families, ensuring that all families receive appropriate advice and support to maintain/achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Act as a mentor to student nurses and midwives. Participate in the orientation, supervision and on-going development of junior and new staff.
To support the process of continuous quality improvement, assisting in audits and the development of policies and protocols. Formally evaluate the discharge processes and suggest and implement changes in light of such findings.

Management and Leadership
To provide leadership and management for a team of nurses. Including absence management, identifying training and development needs and completing appraisals.
To ensure all incidents are reported and documented as per the Trust’s Risk Management Policy. To participate in all aspects of Clinical Governance including investigations completing risk reports to support quality improvement.
Maintain a safe working environment, recognising the health and safety requirements of patients, learners, staff and visitors within the area, and undertaking risk assessment and management on a shift basis.
Develop robust systems to ensure data quality pertaining to timely discharge and complex care is auditable. Ensure screening processes are up to date and clear records are kept within a timely fashion
Support the Neonatal Matron in recruitment and retention where required and directed.
To identify and investigate any issues of conduct, discipline and performance within the team in accordance with trust policy and to liaise with the designated Matron and HR team
To develop ward/unit policies and guidelines and to ensure these are implemented and audited to ensure compliance and best practice.
In conjunction with the matron, nurse in charge and Medical team ensure the optimal cot usage, facilitating timely admission and discharge of babies.
Be flexible in the work schedule in order to provide cross cover where and when needed. Assist the matron and other senior nursing staff in adjusting staffing levels to meet the demand and delivery of a cost effective service
To be familiar with the trust and division objectives and to ensure key performance indicators are met in particular in relation to ‘saving lives’ and staff individual performance reviews

Professional Development
Demonstrated an insight into own personal professional development, contributing to the process of identifying own educational and clinical training needs through annual appraisal. Be responsible for undertaking timely annual appraisals for own team.
Maintain own development and continue clinical competency by working clinical shifts in all areas of the NICU with a ratio of 80:20, including taking charge as required by the matron.
Undertake mandatory training according to Trust requirements.
To act in accordance with the NMC Professional Code of Conduct for Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors

Policy and Service development
To be actively involved in the development of Trust policies and procedures, providing specialist input, leading their implementation and reinforce their use.
To take the lead in ensuring compliance to Trust policies and procedures amongst the multi-disciplinary team.
Plan and lead projects relating to local policy and service development.
To be aware of service delivery plans, participating in planning for future activity and identifying outcome measures of care.
To develop and contribute to projects relating to local / Network or National care policy, and service development to embed evidence based practice and ensure best patient care.
To Lead/attend Family Support meetings as representative of the neonatal unit in the role as neonatal community nurse to aid discharge.
To work as part of a team to advise senior staff on service and staff development needs in specialist area.
Has knowledge of and adheres to the Trust Policy of Child Protection.
Participate in evaluation of the service by collecting and preparing statistics and information as required.
Ensure that nursing practices comply with Trust policies and procedures.

Other Duties
Manage performance and sickness of team members in line with Trust policies.
Ensure that patient satisfaction surveys are carried out regularly and areas of concern addressed.
Participate in the management of the budget and contribute to annual cost saving exercises.
Contribute towards ensuring that the budget is managed efficiently and effectively.
Provide cover for colleagues as appropriate.
Assist in producing ad hoc reports and in project work.
Undertake any other duties requested as appropriate to the banding.

Communication
Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive and inclusive manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward.
Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to the different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions.
This job description may be subject to change according to the varying needs of the service. Such changes will be made after discussion between the post holder and his/her manager.
All duties must be carried out under supervision or within Trust policy and procedure. You must never undertake any duties that are outside your area of skill or knowledge level. If you are unsure you must seek clarification from a more senior member of staff.


This advert closes on Wednesday 4 Feb 2026