Job summary
We are looking for someone with drive and a passion for infant feeding to work within our small, friendly team. As the Infant Feeding Practitioner, you will promote BFI (Baby Friendly Initiative) care standards supporting and mentoring staff to give the best possible care to mothers and babies. You will support the work of the Team to ensure that BFI standards are implemented across the service, preparing for any future accreditation visits and for our ambitions of achieving Gold Accreditation.
Main duties of the job
We need someone who is motivated, flexible, positive about breastfeeding and who is keen to develop their knowledge and skills in the BFI process. You will already have a good level of infant feeding skills, but we will encourage you to undertake further study in lactation as required. The job will also include elements of office-based, clerical work relating to training, referrals and audit.
You will work as part of the Team using your clinical, interpersonal and organisational skills.
Work with new mothers and families to achieve their feeding goals.
Support new staff and students to develop their clinical skills in infant feeding using high level of skill and an evidence-based approach in line with BFI care standards.
Work with staff individually to develop care plans in line with guidelines and carry out practical skills reviews in infant feeding.
Participate in the provision of breastfeeding workshops for expectant parents and participate in audit to monitor compliance with BFI standards of care.
In return we will offer the successful candidate on-going training, support and mentoring to increase their confidence and skills. There will be opportunities for your development in infant feeding and encouragement will be given for you to undertake study provided / supported by outside organisations.
About us
Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values
Compassion
Accountability
Respect
Integrity
Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone's full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.
We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.
The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.
We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds.This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Patient / Client care
To work as part of the Infant Feeding Team to promote high quality infant feeding support for mothers in hospital and the community.
Agree feeding plans with maternity staff and in more complex cases, in collaboration with the infant feeding team / paediatric team as appropriate.
Work as a mentor to support staff to provide individualised care for mothers and babies regardless of chosen feeding method.
Be a link to the community service in relation to existing plans of care to improve communication and provide a seamless service to mothers and babies.
Identify MSW (maternity support worker) staff training needs in providing infant feeding support and mentor them to develop their skills and knowledge.
Act as a skilled resource for staff including MSWs midwives and paediatricians where there are more complex feeding problems.
Develop feeding care plans which conform to Trust policy and guidelines in relation to infant feeding especially in more complex cases.
Service development / improvement
One-to-one training and support for colleagues, especially new MSW's, to develop their skills and confidence to carry out feeding assessments and Going Home feeding talks.
Use parent and staff feedback to improve the service offered to new parents.
Engage with the BFI Champions in each area to promote local improvements.
Contribute towards full BFI GOLD accreditation.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Patient / Client care
To work as part of the Infant Feeding Team to promote high quality infant feeding support for mothers in hospital and the community.
Agree feeding plans with maternity staff and in more complex cases, in collaboration with the infant feeding team / paediatric team as appropriate.
Work as a mentor to support staff to provide individualised care for mothers and babies regardless of chosen feeding method.
Be a link to the community service in relation to existing plans of care to improve communication and provide a seamless service to mothers and babies.
Identify MSW (maternity support worker) staff training needs in providing infant feeding support and mentor them to develop their skills and knowledge.
Act as a skilled resource for staff including MSWs midwives and paediatricians where there are more complex feeding problems.
Develop feeding care plans which conform to Trust policy and guidelines in relation to infant feeding especially in more complex cases.
Service development / improvement
One-to-one training and support for colleagues, especially new MSW's, to develop their skills and confidence to carry out feeding assessments and Going Home feeding talks.
Use parent and staff feedback to improve the service offered to new parents.
Engage with the BFI Champions in each area to promote local improvements.
Contribute towards full BFI GOLD accreditation.
Person Specification
Key Competencies/Personal Qualities and Attributes
Essential
- Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users
- Caring and compassionate
- Excellent communicator
- Able to adapt care to suit a range of mothers and their families
- Willing to work flexibly according to service needs
- Team worker
- Act as a credible role model for colleagues
- Physical effort (e.g. assisting mothers to feed their babies)
- Working on a variety of tasks and in a variety of situations
- Mental effort (e.g. concentration levels)
- Emotional effort - supporting patients and staff in difficult circumstances
- Working conditions e.g. working on a busy ward, some VDU (visual display unit) usage
Skills
Essential
- Able to provide of care for in line with BFI standards
- Able to develop successful strategies to overcome simple breastfeeding problems
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Excellent verbal & written communication skills
- Planning & organisational skills (able to organise own time and prioritise)
- Sound Information Technology (I.T.) Skills including Microsoft Excel
- Numeracy (for audit purposes)
Desirable
- Able to develop successful strategies to overcome complex breastfeeding problems
- Able to support / mentor maternity support workers (MSW's)
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Have a sound working knowledge of the Baby Friendly Initiative standards of care for infant feeding and relationship building
- A range of experience supporting infant feeding in a maternity ward or community setting
- Supporting parents with feeding who are in an emotional or distressed state on a frequent basis
- Teaching / mentoring experience (any setting)
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
- An understanding of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding in maternity services
Desirable
- Delivering antenatal parent education sessions
- Facilitating teaching sessions
- Working with / for a breastfeeding peer support group
- Counselling experience
- Experience of supporting staff who are supporting mothers with infant feeding
Education, Training & Qualifications
Essential
- Have completed infant feeding training in line with Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) care standards
Desirable
- Foundation degree or equivalent
- Recognised breastfeeding qualification, e.g. Lactation Consultant or NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor
Person Specification
Key Competencies/Personal Qualities and Attributes
Essential
- Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users
- Caring and compassionate
- Excellent communicator
- Able to adapt care to suit a range of mothers and their families
- Willing to work flexibly according to service needs
- Team worker
- Act as a credible role model for colleagues
- Physical effort (e.g. assisting mothers to feed their babies)
- Working on a variety of tasks and in a variety of situations
- Mental effort (e.g. concentration levels)
- Emotional effort - supporting patients and staff in difficult circumstances
- Working conditions e.g. working on a busy ward, some VDU (visual display unit) usage
Skills
Essential
- Able to provide of care for in line with BFI standards
- Able to develop successful strategies to overcome simple breastfeeding problems
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Excellent verbal & written communication skills
- Planning & organisational skills (able to organise own time and prioritise)
- Sound Information Technology (I.T.) Skills including Microsoft Excel
- Numeracy (for audit purposes)
Desirable
- Able to develop successful strategies to overcome complex breastfeeding problems
- Able to support / mentor maternity support workers (MSW's)
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Have a sound working knowledge of the Baby Friendly Initiative standards of care for infant feeding and relationship building
- A range of experience supporting infant feeding in a maternity ward or community setting
- Supporting parents with feeding who are in an emotional or distressed state on a frequent basis
- Teaching / mentoring experience (any setting)
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
- An understanding of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding in maternity services
Desirable
- Delivering antenatal parent education sessions
- Facilitating teaching sessions
- Working with / for a breastfeeding peer support group
- Counselling experience
- Experience of supporting staff who are supporting mothers with infant feeding
Education, Training & Qualifications
Essential
- Have completed infant feeding training in line with Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) care standards
Desirable
- Foundation degree or equivalent
- Recognised breastfeeding qualification, e.g. Lactation Consultant or NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor
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.
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).
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.
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).
