Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Perinatal Mental Health Specialist Midwife

The closing date is 03 July 2025

Job summary

The post holder will provide a key role in developing and maintaining high standards of care for women and birthing people with mental health disorders or complex needs in pregnancy and the postnatal period.

They will work closely with the RBFT mental health team and other in house specialities to ensure women and birthing people have the optimal care for their condition, pregnancy.

They will be the named midwife for a cohort of women and birthing people, providing expert midwifery support working alongside other experts in the Joint Mental Health Clinic.

Main duties of the job

Be the contact for women and birthing people experiencing mental health difficulties and who do not have a mental health provider.

Assist with birth planning or women with complex mental health needs and supporting staff caring for them.

Liaise with various teams, including safeguarding, social care with complex discharge planning.

Liaise with in house mental health team and psychiatrists and out of area mental health providers locally where women and birthing people are admitted to.

Be the co-named midwifery contact for women with perinatal mental health conditions and oversee the care and support planning for women with mild to moderate mental health disorders in collaboration with community midwives, GP and Health Visitors.

In partnership with the Obstetric Consultants, Consultant Midwives and external Mental Health Specialist providers, undertake the continuous improvement of services for women and birthing people with complex perinatal mental health needs. Manage and lead the process of change to reflect innovation, compassion and dedication to safe care at RBFT. This includes reviewing opportunity for additional sites for perinatal mental health joint care provision such as West Berkshire and Wokingham.

Develop and support a team of perinatal mental health champions across maternity

About us

We are looking forward to receiving applications from a motivated midwife who has had experience in providing perinatal mental health provision for pregnant women. The applicant should have evidence of working with multiagency teams and managing a caseload of women with complex economic, social, medical and psychological needs.

The RBFT maternity unit was rated good in 2024 CQC assessment. We are committed to the development of all team members with strong links to Reading University. We are dedicated to working together with women, birthing people and families to provide compassionate, supportive and informed choice.

Details

Date posted

19 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

193-7252960UCGB7-PMHSM

Job locations

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Reading

RG1 5AN


Job description

Job responsibilities

Main responsibilities are covered in the attached job description and specification.

Clinical

Place the patients experience at the core of service delivery.

Maintain a professional attitude at all times in line with Royal Berkshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust CARE values and in accordance with The Code for Nurses and Midwives (NMC).

Be the contact for women experiencing mental health difficulties and who are without a mental health provider or whose mental health provision needs supplementation require specific midwifery context.

Liaise with and provide support to the Maternity Safeguarding Team where care is co-shared or during periods of absence or high acuity demands.

Assist with birth planning for women with complex mental health needs supporting staff during admissions to services.

Where relevant in complex care planning, attend pre-birth and discharge planning meetings with Safeguarding Teams and Social Care, in order to support colleagues in providing reports, and to help formulate a birth plan and a family support/child protection plan.

Be the co-named midwifery contact for women with perinatal mental health conditions and oversee the care and support planning for women with mild to moderate mental health disorders in collaboration with community midwives, GP and Health Visitors.

Liaise with in-house psychiatric medicine teams and out of area specialist mental health providers where local pregnant women are admitted and cared for in alternative service facilities.

Support collaborative working and triage referrals to the Joint Mental Health Clinic and ensure birth planning, care management medication review are shared with multi-disciplinary teams for women with moderate to severe mental health conditions.

Participate and contribute to monthly Joint Vulnerable Womens meetings and Berkshire Healthcare Perinatal Steering Group meeting enhancing collaborative working between service providers.

Organise bimonthly MDT meetings with the Maternity Safeguarding Team/ Poppy Team to support women whose mental health may impact on their ability to parent and develop support plans for this cohort of service users. This include development of mental health pathways for women who have lost custody over their baby.

Partake in the Senior Midwives Manager on Call rota

Leadership

In a specialist midwifery role, deliver feedback that is supportive and constructive and foster an ethos that errors or mistakes are opportunities to learn and develop from.

Act as a role model demonstrating visibility in leadership and promote high standards of care.

Demonstrate excellent communication skills enabling maintenance of high-quality service within a complex and challenging environment with often conflicting priorities.

Commit to a culture of specialist learning and maintain professional scope of practice, service specific capabilities and competencies as expected of senior midwifery staff.

Demonstrate that women are involved in both decisions affecting their care and well-being and in service development. Work in partnership with Maternity and Neonatal Voice Partnerships to evaluate maternal experience within local maternity care.

Practice in line with organisational CARE values prioritising Data Protection and Caldecott principles upholding patients dignity and human rights at all times. Promote a culture of taking actions where violations of rights, discrimination or oppression is observed.

In partnership with the Obstetric Consultants, Consultant Midwives and external Mental Health Specialist providers, undertake the continuous improvement of services for women and birthing people with complex perinatal mental health needs. Manage and lead the process of change to reflect innovation, compassion and dedication to safe care at RBFT. This includes reviewing opportunity for additional sites for perinatal mental health joint care provision such as West Berkshire and Wokingham.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main responsibilities are covered in the attached job description and specification.

Clinical

Place the patients experience at the core of service delivery.

Maintain a professional attitude at all times in line with Royal Berkshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust CARE values and in accordance with The Code for Nurses and Midwives (NMC).

Be the contact for women experiencing mental health difficulties and who are without a mental health provider or whose mental health provision needs supplementation require specific midwifery context.

Liaise with and provide support to the Maternity Safeguarding Team where care is co-shared or during periods of absence or high acuity demands.

Assist with birth planning for women with complex mental health needs supporting staff during admissions to services.

Where relevant in complex care planning, attend pre-birth and discharge planning meetings with Safeguarding Teams and Social Care, in order to support colleagues in providing reports, and to help formulate a birth plan and a family support/child protection plan.

Be the co-named midwifery contact for women with perinatal mental health conditions and oversee the care and support planning for women with mild to moderate mental health disorders in collaboration with community midwives, GP and Health Visitors.

Liaise with in-house psychiatric medicine teams and out of area specialist mental health providers where local pregnant women are admitted and cared for in alternative service facilities.

Support collaborative working and triage referrals to the Joint Mental Health Clinic and ensure birth planning, care management medication review are shared with multi-disciplinary teams for women with moderate to severe mental health conditions.

Participate and contribute to monthly Joint Vulnerable Womens meetings and Berkshire Healthcare Perinatal Steering Group meeting enhancing collaborative working between service providers.

Organise bimonthly MDT meetings with the Maternity Safeguarding Team/ Poppy Team to support women whose mental health may impact on their ability to parent and develop support plans for this cohort of service users. This include development of mental health pathways for women who have lost custody over their baby.

Partake in the Senior Midwives Manager on Call rota

Leadership

In a specialist midwifery role, deliver feedback that is supportive and constructive and foster an ethos that errors or mistakes are opportunities to learn and develop from.

Act as a role model demonstrating visibility in leadership and promote high standards of care.

Demonstrate excellent communication skills enabling maintenance of high-quality service within a complex and challenging environment with often conflicting priorities.

Commit to a culture of specialist learning and maintain professional scope of practice, service specific capabilities and competencies as expected of senior midwifery staff.

Demonstrate that women are involved in both decisions affecting their care and well-being and in service development. Work in partnership with Maternity and Neonatal Voice Partnerships to evaluate maternal experience within local maternity care.

Practice in line with organisational CARE values prioritising Data Protection and Caldecott principles upholding patients dignity and human rights at all times. Promote a culture of taking actions where violations of rights, discrimination or oppression is observed.

In partnership with the Obstetric Consultants, Consultant Midwives and external Mental Health Specialist providers, undertake the continuous improvement of services for women and birthing people with complex perinatal mental health needs. Manage and lead the process of change to reflect innovation, compassion and dedication to safe care at RBFT. This includes reviewing opportunity for additional sites for perinatal mental health joint care provision such as West Berkshire and Wokingham.

Person Specification

qualification

Essential

  • Registered midwife with pin and experience working in UK
  • Educated to degree level
  • significant midwifery experience
  • oExperience of working with perinatal mental health services for pregnant women

Desirable

  • oRecognised teaching qualification

Experience

Essential

  • oExperience of managing a defined caseload of women

Desirable

  • Experience of audits
Person Specification

qualification

Essential

  • Registered midwife with pin and experience working in UK
  • Educated to degree level
  • significant midwifery experience
  • oExperience of working with perinatal mental health services for pregnant women

Desirable

  • oRecognised teaching qualification

Experience

Essential

  • oExperience of managing a defined caseload of women

Desirable

  • Experience of audits

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).

Additional information

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

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Reading

RG1 5AN


Employer's website

https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Reading

RG1 5AN


Employer's website

https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Midwife

Heidi ottosen

Heidi.Ottosen@royalberkshire.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

19 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

193-7252960UCGB7-PMHSM

Job locations

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Reading

RG1 5AN


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)