Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Autonomous carer for women, their partners and families within normal midwifery, and takes the lead in providing expert knowledge and opinions within this sphere acting as a clinical role model.
  • Responsible for providing continuity of carer to a delegated clinical caseload throughout the antenatal and postnatal period which may include women, specifically those women with, or at risk of a mental illness liaising as necessary with the multidisciplinary team.
  • Specialises in the care of women with, or at risk of a mental illness. Plans, implements and evaluates care.
  • Acknowledges the changing context of care and has the authority to recommend pathways of care to pregnant women.
  • Liaises with senior medical staff when complications arise in pregnancy and labour, transferring care to obstetric (team based care) as appropriate. Continues to support women after referral, going on to liaise with senior midwifery and medical staff in relation to complicated obstetric cases.
  • Plans and delivers ongoing parent education taking into account culture and ethnicity.
  • Specialises in the management of the puerperium for all women.
  • Assess the suitability for and manages home birth.
  • Manages unplanned home births
  • Manages the intrapartum care of women wherever they choose to birth their baby on an on call and rota basis.
  • Supports women undergoing high risk labour.
  • Takes blood samples, inserts intravenous cannula and administers intravenous drugs.
  • Evaluates for and performs episiotomy when necessary, sutures episiotomies and tears.
  • Assists Anaesthetist when siting epidurals and cares for women who have an epidural.
  • Undertakes operating duties as appropriate.
  • Provides care and support to women and their families in cases of miscarriage, termination of pregnancy, intrauterine death and stillbirth.
  • Recognise and takes the lead in managing emergency situations where evidence based knowledge and skills are required to deal with critical events i.e. antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum emergencies requiring immediate life support.
  • Provides immediate care of the newborn including emergency resuscitation when required. Cares for the high-risk neonate in community, liaising with other professionals as required.
  • Provide evidence based advice and support to all women in their chosen method of infant feeding.
  • To ensure that high standards of midwifery care are given and maintained and act when standards are not being maintained.
  • Works within the Nursing and Midwifery code of professional practice.
  • Promotes womens equality taking into account diversity and rights. Assist in identifying ways of working that will help vulnerable families including those who are subject to domestic abuse, are homeless or have language barriers.
  • Uses an informed choice approach to enable women and their families to make appropriate decisions, whatever their abilities and circumstances.
  • Act as an innovative and enthusiastic role model, promoting an open, honest and transparent culture. Demonstrates good leadership skills.
  • Establish and maintain effective communication within multi-disciplinary / multiagency team, including contributing to effective communication concerning the specialism.
  • Liaises with other agencies in cases of safeguarding children, domestic abuse and drug abuse.
  • Instigates and undertakes early intervention referrals to provide multi-agency support for women, baby and family.
  • Participate in the supervision and teaching of pre / post registration students and midwifery assistants.
  • Supervises and supports junior staff caring for women and families during pregnancy, labour and in the early days of being a parent.
  • Participate and support staff development, e.g. Mentorship, preceptorship, essential training, PDR.
  • Maintains and promotes an environment conducive to learning. Create and maintain networks beyond the clinical area, sharing good practice and information.
  • Participate in Patient and Public Involvement strategies in the clinical area.
  • Participate in the development of patient information leaflets related to specialty.
  • Participates in the development of clinical guidelines and pathways of care. Monitors and ensures standards of care are being maintained and policies/ procedures and guidelines are adhered to.
  • Ensure clinical practice is evidenced based and act when standards are not being met.
  • Undertakes continuous audit of midwifery practice taking benchmarking into account and participates in local, regional and national audits / research projects.
  • Recognise, prevent and diffuse potential areas of conflict and take a key role in the management of the outcomes.
  • Responsible for maintenance of stocks and equipment.
  • Responsible for the use, storage and maintenance of medical devices.
  • Undertakes Personal Development Reviews of junior team members.
  • Participates in the recruitment and selection of staff in line with Trust Policy, within own area.
  • Attend and participate in meetings as required including providing feedback and disseminating information as appropriate.
  • To assist in the utilisation of information systems to plan and forecast future needs.
  • Uses computer to input information regarding pregnancy and delivery including antenatal details and results of investigations. Notifies births. Inputs data via the Internet to issue new-born babies with NHS numbers.
  • Proactive in the development of practice/ services in the clinical area, through collection of statistical information / business planning process / service development, in conjunction with General Manager, Matrons, Deputy DoM and DoM.
  • Assists in ensuring systems are in place for risk assessment and minimization, including promoting a no blame culture in order that incidents and near misses are reported.
  • To participate in the investigation of incidents / complaints as required. Report to Clinical Manager/Matron/Clinical Midwifery Manager if unable to resolve.
  • Assists in updating and evaluation of the risk register, taking action as required in conjunction with the Matron.
  • Establishes and maintains effective communication, including excellent customer service, both verbal and written, with patients and with the multi-disciplinary team.
  • Acts as an innovative and enthusiastic role model, providing leadership, guidance and advice to staff on operational & professional issues

    • Person Specification

    Qualification and Training

    Essential

  • Registered Midwife
  • BSC in Midwifery
  • Mentorship / Precetorship training
  • Baby friendly infant feeding training of equivalent
  • Evidence of domestic abuse awareness and safeguarding children training
  • Knowledge of clinical governance
  • Knowledge and understanding of professional midwifery advocate

    • Desirable

  • NALS training
  • Leading an Empowerment Organisation training
  • ALSO training

    • KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

    Essential

  • Demonstrable and recent relevant experience of working in hospital, birth centre or community setting
  • Working knowledge / experience of multi- disciplinary agency working
  • Knowledge of the Antenatal & Newborn screening programmes
  • Knowledge of public health midwifery issues
  • Evidence that shows commitment to normal midwifery
  • Evidence that shows commitment to promotion of breastfeeding and support of breastfeeding mothers
  • Proficient in neonatal resuscitation
  • Working knowledge and experience of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
  • Knowledge of public health/ midwifery issues

    • Desirable

  • Experience with women with, or at risk of, perinatal mental illness and their families
  • Knowledge of reports local, regional and national that Impact on maternity services
  • Experience of recruitment and selection
  • Knowledge of audit and research
  • Awareness of government documents/ reports/ frameworks that impact on provision of maternity services
  • Participation in service development projects
  • Counselling and bereavement skills
  • Knowledge of the CAF process
  • Personal development review training and experience

    • Person Specification

    Qualification and Training

    Essential

  • Registered Midwife
  • BSC in Midwifery
  • Mentorship / Precetorship training
  • Baby friendly infant feeding training of equivalent
  • Evidence of domestic abuse awareness and safeguarding children training
  • Knowledge of clinical governance
  • Knowledge and understanding of professional midwifery advocate

    • Desirable

  • NALS training
  • Leading an Empowerment Organisation training
  • ALSO training

    • KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

    Essential

  • Demonstrable and recent relevant experience of working in hospital, birth centre or community setting
  • Working knowledge / experience of multi- disciplinary agency working
  • Knowledge of the Antenatal & Newborn screening programmes
  • Knowledge of public health midwifery issues
  • Evidence that shows commitment to normal midwifery
  • Evidence that shows commitment to promotion of breastfeeding and support of breastfeeding mothers
  • Proficient in neonatal resuscitation
  • Working knowledge and experience of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
  • Knowledge of public health/ midwifery issues

    • Desirable

  • Experience with women with, or at risk of, perinatal mental illness and their families
  • Knowledge of reports local, regional and national that Impact on maternity services
  • Experience of recruitment and selection
  • Knowledge of audit and research
  • Awareness of government documents/ reports/ frameworks that impact on provision of maternity services
  • Participation in service development projects
  • Counselling and bereavement skills
  • Knowledge of the CAF process
  • Personal development review training and experience