haytham ali

I work with a team of Neonatal consultants supervising the care of premature and sick infants admitted to the Leeds general infirmary (LGI) and St James's university hospital in the city of Leeds.

Leeds area has a population of around 3 million with more than 10, 000 births a year. Equipped with a total of 15 ICU, 15 HDU, and 10 surgical and 37 SCBU and transitional care cots; the unit is one of the largest and busiest in the UK with over 1800 admissions per year. The unit interfaces with the regional : fetal medicine unit, neonatal and infants transport services, pediatric surgical and neurosurgical units, pediatric cardiac unit and the national children liver unit. As part of the Yorkshire and Humber neonatal netwrok, Leeds units cater for over 40, 000 birth per year

Here is a summary of my roles and responsibilities:

(1) Clinical role: Supervising the care of sick babies including newborns with surgical problems. Provide support and counseling with the regional fetal medicine team. Coordinate the discharge planning and support to the neonatal outreach nursing team including the home oxygen/NG tube care. Run a multi disciplinary neonatal feeding clinic
(2) Management role: Develop and run neonatal follow-up/neurodevelopment program. Coordinate middle grade doctors rota. Contribute to infection prevention, risk management, audit and operational activities
(3) teaching and training:
Honorary senior lectureship role with the university of Leeds and contribute to undergraduate teaching as well as the postgraduate masters in Child Health (MMedSci).
Educational supervision of neonatal trainees including appraisal and assessment activities
Instructor in newborn life support (NLS) and member of the neonatal simulation group
(4) Research, Audit and guidelines: Member of the neonatal research interest group (RIG) and actively contribute to planning and steering of local and collaborative research. Produce and update clinical guidelines. regularly supervise audit programs
(5) Special interest: I have special interest in infant feeding and nutrition. I am leading a (clinical process improvement ) program with education, guideline production and audit of nutritional practice working with dietitians, speech and language therapists and specialist nurses

Based at James Cook University Hospital (JCUH), Middlesbrough, UK. Supervisors; Prof Sunil Sinha, Dr Win Tin, Dr Jonathan Wyllie

Located in one of Europe most modern hospitals and care for a district population of 300, 000 with 5, 000 births per year. The second largest neonatal unit with 8 intensive care cots, 12 high dependency and special care cots. The unit uses inhaled nitric oxide and high frequency ventilation and had built expertise in non-invasive ventilation through research in extubation, CPAP and SiPAP use. 5 consultants with international reputation, research and publications in areas of respiratory care, haemodynamic monitoring and neurodevelopment staff the neonatal unit. This unit is an international leading research centre for volume ventilation led by Professor Sinha. The department is also staffed by advanced neonatal nurse practitioners (ANNPs).

1.1 This was my last year at higher specialist trainee level with focus on developing consultant skills. During this period I strengthened my clinical skills in mechanical ventilation and use of pulmonary graphics. In addition I focused on extending my skills in echocardiography (working with Dr Wyllie) particularly the area of haemodynamic assessment e.g in pulmonary hypertension. I also continued the follow-up of infants in the EpiCure study as well as regular neonatal follow up and to the paediatric cardiac clinics.

1.2 Working with a team of consultants with extensive research experience, I further developed my skills in research and literature appraisal. I took active part in the department’s research projects and ongoing national/international clinical trials (BOOST II-UK, I2S2 and CoSi trials). I continued recruiting for my research project (Bio-impedance in premature infants) after obtaining ethical approval for James Cook university hospital as a second NHS site for my research.

September 2008-September 2009
Based at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Supervised by Dr David Milligan, Dr Martin ward-Platt and Dr Nicholas Embleton

One of the largest Neonatal intensive care units in the country, with more than 6, 000 deliveries a year. Equipped with 12 intensive care and 24 special care cots, the unit is attached to the regional foetal medicine, neonatal surgical and cardiac intensive care units. The unit cares for regional surgical newborns including diaphragmatic hernias and use inhaled nitric oxide and high frequency ventilation. In addition it also provides regional and supra-regional neonatal and infant transport. 5 consultants staff the unit with expertise and research interest in infant nutrition and neurodevelopment.

2.1 Consultant clinical role; I had the opportunity to take the consultant role and lead ward rounds under supervision on daily basis. I experienced decision making in difficult situation including withdrawal of intensive care and requesting autopsy examination.

2.2 Foetal Medicine module; I regularly attended counselling sessions led by foetal medicine specialists. In addition to diagnostic and counselling sessions in combined foetal medicine and; genetics, cardiac, surgical and nephrology clinics.

2.3 Neurodevelopment; I joined the neonatal neurodevelopment team at the RVI led by Dr David Milligan and the neonatal physiotherapists. Follow up of all extremely premature babies at 4, 9 and 24 months include formal neurodevelopment assessment using the Bayley scale of infants and toddlers development III. I also took a role in the follow-up of extremely premature babies in the EpiCure study. I received formal training in using the Bayley scale as well as been quality assured by the EpiCure team.

2.4 Research experience; during my training at the RVI I successfully prepared a protocol and gained ethical approval for the study of Bio-Impedance in premature infants. This is an observational study aimed at developing this technique for use in premature infants to study body composition during intensive care. Doing this project I received training in research methodology and good clinical practice (GCP) through the UKCRN. I appeared before ethics committees and gained experience in ethics application and research governance.

2.5 Leadership and Management; I organised middle grade on-call rota for 12 months period. I also organised the department teaching program and delegated sessions to junior and senior colleagues. I liaised with other professions including foetal medicine, radiology and pathology to make those sessions relevant to doctors of all grades and to nurses as well. I received formal training by doing the leadership and management course and also attending the faculty induction program.

September 2007 -September 2008. Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

I took this additional module during my training with one year out of program experience. I gained skills core to intensive care in general and particularly the management of very sick infant and their families. Cardiac intensive care and ECMO are advanced support options for very sick infants. As a Neonatologist I gained skills and knowledge in advanced haemodynamic assessment and support, cardio-pulmonary interaction and an overview of congenital heart disease. Of particular interest to me was the management of infants with pulmonary hypertension.

Specialist Registrar in Neurology and Neurodevelopment: March -September 2007. Newcastle General & RVI Hospitals

Specialist Registrar Neonatal Medicine: September 2006-March 2007.
James Cook university Hospital, Middlesbrough, UK.

Specialist Registrar PICU & paediatric Surgical ICU: March-September 2006. Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Specialist Registrar General Paediatrics: September 2005-March 2006.
Sunderland Royal Hospital, Sunderland, UK.

Specialist Registrar Community Paediatrics: March -September 2005.

Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

SHO, Neonatal Medicine: August 2003-February 2004

Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

SHO, General Paediatrics: February -August 2003

General Practitioner: January 2001-October 2002
Afif General Hospital, Saudi Arabia

2 periods as follows;

SHO, Paediatrics: April 1996- December 2000
Internship; Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obs and Gyne rotation
April 1995-April 1996

24 Months of this period is approved by the royal college of pediatrics RCPCH UK towards general professional training (GPT)