University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Job Title: PICU Locum Consultant
Start Date: 2nd September 2026
Contract Type: Fixed term
Duration: 11 months
Purpose for Fixed Term: Covering Maternity Leave
Please see below for detailed job description of the role.
Applications are invited for a Locum Consultant post in Paediatric Intensive Care at Southampton General Hospital commencing September 2026 for 11 months to cover maternity leave.
It is essential for the post-holder to have significant experience in paediatric cardiac surgery, renal replacement therapies and techniques of advanced ventilatory support, including the use of inhaled nitric oxide, and extracorporeal life support. It is also necessary for the post holder to have experience in management of severe traumatic head injuries and management of complex patients with multiple organ failure and critical care transport medicine.
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 20% lower than London and 14 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.
Southampton PICU is a 16 bedded intensive care unit delivering a comprehensive service for all sub-specialties for the Wessex Region. The regional PIC retrieval service is delivered from UHS in collaboration with Oxford University Hospital. In 2025/26 there were 800 admissions to UHS with 350 level 3 retrievals and another 250 transport episodes.
All types of cardiac interventional procedures are carried out, with approximately 300 cardiac operations performed each year. UHS PICU has consistently one of the lowest SMRs and highest throughputs per bed of any PICU in the UK.
We are a regional ECMO centre and we offer VV and VA ECMO for respiratory and cardiac support. We are the Wessex paediatric major trauma centre, with a dedicated paediatric emergency department on site.
The successful applicant will form part of the Consultant Team for PICU.
Clinical Duties
All clinical sessions will be in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and covering the Southampton Oxford Retrieval Team, both based at Southampton Children’s Hospital.
The case mix of admissions reflects a mixed general PICU. Support is provided for all the paediatric subspecialty services including paediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery, paediatric neurology and neurosurgery, paediatric nephrology, haematology/oncology, respiratory, gastroenterology, infectious diseases/immunology, endocrinology, paediatric surgery, general paediatrics and trauma. The Intensive Care consultants manage patients in collaboration with the various multi-disciplinary teams involved with the patients. Sessions will also be spent covering the regional retrieval service- the Southampton Oxford Retrieval Team (SORT) as second on call consultant.
It is essential for the post holder to have significant experience in paediatric cardiac intensive care, renal replacement therapies and techniques of advanced ventilatory support including the use of inhaled nitric oxide and extracorporeal life support. Ideally the post holder will have spent time in a commissioned ECMO unit. It is also necessary for the post holder to have significant experience in management of severe traumatic head injuries and management of complex patients with multiple organ failure and transport medicine.
The post-holder will be required to participate in medical governance, undergraduate and post graduate teaching, research and continuing medical education to ensure their personal professional development.
Training and Research Duties
Undergraduate medical students from Southampton University Medical School are taught throughout the Trust and the post holder is required to participate in undergraduate clinical teaching. This includes paediatric tutorials, personal academic tutor roles and supervising medical student study projects.
The Post holder is also required to participate in the teaching of postgraduate medical staff, advanced care practitioners, nurses and other disciplines as appropriate.
The post holder will also be expected to be an educational and clinical supervisor for some resident doctors, with training available.
Administrative Duties
The post-holder will be required to undertake the administrative duties associated with the care of patients and the running of clinical departments.
Shared secretarial support and office space are provided.
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate their competence to communicate in spoken and written English.
For an overview of the position, please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification document. This includes a detailed breakdown of the key responsibilities, role expectations, and the qualifications we are looking for. It outlines the essential criteria for the role and is designed to support you in preparing your application by helping you evaluate how your skills, experience, and professional background align with the requirements of the role.
The successful candidate will be employed under the terms and conditions of service for Consultants (England) 2003.
Proposed interview date: 17th July 2026
This vacancy closes on or before 2nd July 2026
