Job Description
Role Overview
Children’s Acute Transport Service (CATS), based at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, is offering an exciting Trust Fellow opportunity for doctors interested in paediatric critical care and transport medicine.
CATS is responsible for stabilising and transferring critically ill children from hospitals across the North Thames region to specialist intensive care units. The service manages complex cases including neonatal surgical patients, paediatric cardiac cases and children requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support.
This fellowship is ideal for doctors with experience in:
- Paediatric intensive care
- Anaesthesia
- Emergency medicine
- Acute paediatrics
The role provides an excellent opportunity to gain specialist training in the safe transfer of critically ill children while working alongside a highly experienced multidisciplinary team.
About the Service
The CATS team receives approximately 2,000 referral calls each year, of which around 1,000 children require transfer to specialist intensive care units.
Transport missions are carried out using:
- Emergency ambulances
- Rapid response vehicles
- Fixed-wing aircraft
- Helicopters
Many of the patients transported require advanced interventions, including invasive ventilation and complex intensive care support.
Key Responsibilities
The Trust Fellow will play a central role in the safe transfer of critically ill children. Responsibilities include:
- Responding to referral calls from hospitals and advising clinicians on patient stabilisation.
- Coordinating transport logistics between referring hospitals and receiving intensive care units.
- Assessing and stabilising critically ill children prior to transfer.
- Providing ongoing intensive care management during transport.
- Ensuring safe clinical handover on arrival at the receiving hospital.
All transport missions are supervised by experienced consultants either on-site during transport or via direct specialist communication.
Training and Development
This post provides structured training in paediatric transport medicine, even for applicants with no prior experience in this field.
Opportunities include:
- Supervised clinical transport missions
- Participation in clinical audit and quality improvement projects
- Research and presentations related to paediatric intensive care
- Attendance at regional transport forums
- Professional mentoring and supervision
Each fellow maintains a transport logbook, which is regularly reviewed with their educational supervisor. A formal appraisal is provided at the end of the placement.
Working Environment
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust values diversity and inclusion in its workforce. The organisation encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including:
- Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities
- Individuals with disabilities or long-term health conditions
- Members of LGBTQ+ communities
Employee networks such as REACH, ENABLED, PRIDE, and Women’s Network provide opportunities for staff engagement and support.
Essential Qualifications
Applicants must have:
- A primary medical degree (MBBS or equivalent).
- Full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) by the start date.
- Postgraduate membership such as MRCP or MRCPCH (or equivalent).
Desirable Qualifications
Additional qualifications that may strengthen an application include:
- A postgraduate degree such as MSc or MPhil.
- Evidence of academic research or published work.
Required Experience
Applicants should demonstrate:
- At least two years of training equivalent to Specialty Registrar level, or
- A minimum of six months’ experience in a tertiary Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).
Additional experience that would be beneficial:
- Paediatric anaesthesia training
- Management of congenital heart disease
- Experience with paediatric transport services
- Research publications or academic involvement
Key Clinical Skills
Successful candidates should be confident in:
- Managing critically ill children and paediatric emergencies
- Working effectively within multidisciplinary teams
- Prioritising urgent clinical situations under pressure
Performing advanced clinical procedures, including:
- Central venous line insertion
- Arterial line placement
- Airway management and paediatric intubation
- Chest drain insertion
Strong communication and organisational skills are also essential for coordinating complex transport missions.
Visa Sponsorship
International applicants who require UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship are welcome to apply and will be considered alongside UK applicants.
For official guidance about working as a doctor in the UK, consult these government resources:
- Skilled Worker visa requirements
- Health and Care Worker visa information
- Registration with the General Medical Council
- Department of Health and Social Care – NHS workforce information
- Care Quality Commission – healthcare standards and regulation