Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust

Bereavement Support Midwife

This job is now closed

Job summary

We are seeking a registered midwife who will assist the Bereavement Specialist Midwife to provide support to women and their families who have experienced fetal loss or the death of a baby within the maternity setting

The Maternity Bereavement service at Darent Valley Hospital is led by the Specialist Bereavement Midwife with support from the wider MDT. The post holder will work closely with the midwifery and obstetric teams, the Trust bereavement services , mortuary and chaplaincy staff.

Main duties of the job

The bereavement midwife will provide presence in supporting the delivery of a supportive and empathetic service to women and their families experiencing pregnancy loss within the care of the maternity service. The postholder will support the bereavement lead in acting as a resource for women, families and maternity staff on the physical, psychological and administrative aspects of bereavement care. They will be expected to work clinically over a 7 day service provision providing care to women and their families, where appropriate, from diagnosis through the intrapartum and post natal pathway.

The post holder will have excellent communication skills, the ability to work under their own initiative and to organise, prioritise and coordinate their own work. They will be confident and competent in providing ante, intra and post natal midwifery care with a specialist knowledge of the pathways which support women and their families through fetal or neonatal loss.

About us

We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer. We strive to employ people who reflect the communities we serve, and aim to create an inclusive culture where everyone can reach their full potential. Whatever your race, ethnicity, belief, generation, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, disability or experience, you'll appreciate the opportunities we give you to work in an inclusive atmosphere. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to build on the progress we've achieved to make our Trust diverse and the best place to work. We celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that help us overcome challenges and embrace new possibilities. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge and have a commitment to the Armed Forces Community.

If you are considering applying for a role, please be aware that as an NHS Employee you may have contact with vulnerable service users. We strongly encourage that all our staff are vaccinated against COVID-19 and are vaccinated annually against Flu, in order to protect the health and safety of our staff and patients. Your commitment will help us to put the safety and care of our patients first, as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues.

Date posted

05 July 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,162 to £44,629 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

252-5453665

Job locations

Darent Valley Hospital

Darenth Wood Raod

Dartford

DA2 8DA

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities:

Assist the Bereavement Specialist Midwife to coordinate the bereavement service offered to families with all members of the team to ensure that an efficient and high quality service is provided.

Deliver a confidential support service to women and their families following pregnancy loss within the Maternity Services.

Hold and monitor the bereavement contact line telephone within working hours in the absence of the Bereavement Specialist Midwife.

Deliver direct clinical care, when required, to women during the antenatal, intrapartum or postnatal period

Act as an advocate for women receiving bereavement care.

Maintain accurate records.

Ensure that all women and families receive the opportunity to attend a follow-up (kid glove) appointment with their named Consultant and to attend any meetings within working time, when required.

Undertake when required debriefing sessions with women and families, in the most appropriate setting; this may include in the Community.

Appropriately advise and sign post women and their families for bereavement counselling or grief recovery when requested.

Act as liaison between the midwifery services and the Trust bereavement team, mortuary and chaplaincy to ensure that funerals are organised in accordance with families wishes and Trust guidelines

Provide care within the care pathway (Blossom) for women undergoing subsequent pregnancies following foetal or neonatal loss.

Act as liaison, when required, between the midwifery services, the women and families and the associated Trust services such as Early Pregnancy Unit, Antenatal Screening team and Ultrasound department.

Maintain, within Trust guidelines, effective relationships with charitable organisations supporting bereavement care.

Ensure that resources for women and families are available and up to date. These include memory making boxes supplied by SANDS.

Escalate to the relevant consultant/midwifery manager, PMA and the when you are concerned about the care plans or professional practice relating to women being cared for; ensuring safe services are maintained.

Report any incidents / accidents to the clinical governance lead / Midwifery Manager / labour ward co-ordinator for the day as appropriate and complete Datix forms.

Uphold evidence based practice within the maternity service.

Professional Responsibilities:

Be knowledgeable in providing bereavement midwifery care.

Have a proactive approach to self- development.

Participate in effective quality assurance measures, in conjunction with the Bereavement Specialist Midwife, such as clinical audit programmes and research.

Participate in the implementation and updating of midwifery and maternity guidelines and protocols in accordance with Trust policies, NMC standards and national guidelines and frameworks in relation to the main areas of responsibility.

Take responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of professional knowledge and skills according to NMC PREP standards; providing kind and considerate midwifery care to women in labour in accordance with NICE guidelines for intrapartum care, NICE guidelines for patient experience, and trust policies.

Education and Development Responsibilities:

Be involved in delivering bereavement care training for the multi-disciplinary team in line with Trust and national guidelines.

Act as a resource and support for midwives and students working closely with education providers and teams.

Ensure attendance at department training sessions as required for professional / personal / service development

All budget holders will undertake on the job training in all matters financial and will be responsible for ensuring they are setup in the finance/procurement/HR systems with the appropriate authorisation levels.