Infant Feeding Specialist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Infant Feeding Leadership

Support the Infant Feeding Coordinator in the implementation of the infant feeding strategy for maintaining the Baby Friendly Initiative's full accreditation status

Be recognised as a specialist professional with an increased knowledge in infant feeding and act as a resource of information and support for colleagues

Act as an effective role model and demonstrate effective evidence-based care in relation to infant feeding and relationship building.

Promote, support, protect and normalise breastfeeding in line with the Trust Infant feeding procedure

Implement and embed new ideas, practices and approaches to care of mothers and babies, followed by evaluatio,n ensuring care is evidence-based and effective

Work with the infant feeding lead to support the development and integration of infant feeding allies within the Healthy Child Programme

Work with staff to encourage and support women to develop early relationships with their unborn baby

Ensure all families receive information to allow them to make informed choices about feeding and are fully supported in their chosen method of feeding

Be familiar with multi-disciplinary guidelines and policies relating to infant feeding and support staff awareness of and adherence to these guidelines

Undertake audit in order to evaluate and develop infant feeding practices. Actively contribute to the improvement of service and quality of care provision to meet the needs of the child, parents/carers and their families

As appropriate review cases relating to infant feeding, completing the Datix review and feeding back to staff with both positive and identified learning developments

Participate in locally agreed schemes or projects to support breastfeeding continuation, if/as specified by the Trust

Clinical

Maintain a visible presence in the HCP teams

Aim to guide and educate colleagues when working alongside them in the clinical areas, turning tasks into learning opportunities for others.

Support care planning for families where there are known or potential challenges to their feeding journey.

Be an autonomous practitioner providing clinical leadership and direct clinical care to families who have significant infant feeding challenges or requirements

Provide direct care to families who have significant infant feeding challenges or requirements, in the most appropriate environment, the family home or the childrens centre

Work with colleagues and support them to undertake assessment of mothers and babies' needs within the specialist area of infant feeding and plan, implement and evaluate clinical care as appropriate

Make assessments of the clinical well-being of babies and make effective care plans as part of the multidisciplinary team, making referrals as appropriate.

Work collaboratively with Maternity staff to support continuity of care of complex cases from the antenatal to the postnatal period

Ensure anxieties, problems, any changes in the mother or complaints from women are reported promptly to the Infant Feeding Lead and referrals made as appropriate.

Support the development of training resources to update the peer supporters, contribute to the selection, recruitment and retention of peer supporters. Take a lead role in providing child protection training to peer supporters.

Educational

Review outcomes for mothers and babies who have accessed the specialist service

Provide infant feeding training throughout the service for all staff (relevant to their role) who come into contact with new parents to empower meaningful conversations and care plans, under the guidance of the infant feeding team lead

Training could be as part of a formal face-to-face or virtual study session/day, but it maybe smaller group training sessions, one-to-one and ad hoc

Identify learning needs through verbal, written, audit or InPhase and utilise them to nurture staff development

Provide mentorship and guidance to students and newly qualified staff Support the infant feeding coordinator with raising staff BFI knowledge / providing training as required

Take responsibility for identifying own personal development needs and actively work towards professional development

Professional

Work as an assertive, organised, autonomous practitioner with effective time management

Promote harmonious relationships, liaising with colleagues and other professional groups and external agencies

Foster a culture of openness, kindness and approachability within their role

Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken responsively and inclusively, 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

Ensure the safety of the child and mother at all times and contribute to the areas clinical and non-clinical risk management through documenting untoward incidents

Person Specification

Qualification

Essential

• NMC registered SCPHN (HV)
• Registered Nurse/Midwife Qualification
• IBCLC Qualification
• Evidence of relevant graduate developments at Level 6

Desirable

• BFI qualification
• teaching qualification

Skills

Essential

• Good numeracy and literacy skills
• Ability to use IT as required
• Excellent written skills
• Ability to apply and promote the public health role of the HCP
• Ability to draw information from a range of sources in order to contribute to service development
• Demonstrates leadership in practice, including management of people, resources and caseload
• Able to work on own initiative, make decisions and prioritise
• Able to assess , develop, implement and develop programmes of care
• Active participant in the safeguarding of children

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working within a team environment
• Knowledge of clinical governance, clinical audit, clinical supervision and professional codes of conduct (NMC)

Desirable

• Management of team/staff members

Other Requirements

Essential

• Mobility to travel across sites
• Able to work flexibly across a specified Area Team/Locality
• A commitment to lifelong learning and development

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Within Brighton and Hove

Ivory Place

Brighton

BN2 9QE

Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)