Job summary
This exciting job opportunity is a collaborative role between the Queen Mary Maternity department at West Middlesex hospital and the Public Health Team at Hounslow Borough Council.
This is a role which will provide a seamless service promoting antenatal preparation in relation to feeding, understanding and caring for a baby in the postnatal period.
The post holder will work in the Infant Feeding Team in West Middlesex Maternity Service and the local community services, to promote close mother baby relationships for the families and support infant feeding /breastfeeding. This post will encourage families to access services close to home that will support the feeding and parenting journey. It offers the opportunity for the post holder to have continuity from antenatal engagement through the feeding journey, building supportive networks within the population.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work in the Infant Feeding Team in maternity and community within the Hounslow borough. By promoting, supporting and protecting breastfeeding and close mother baby relationships for the families having their babies at West Middlesex Hospital and those who are postnatal in the Hounslow borough. This post will encourage families to access services close to home that will support the feeding and parenting journey. It offers the opportunity for the post holder to have continuity from antenatal engagement through the feeding journey, building supportive networks within the population.
About us
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites--Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital--along with award-winning clinics across North West London.
Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children's services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.
We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.
We are committed to equal opportunities and believe that diversity drives innovation and excellence. As part of our dedication to equity, we actively welcome applications from individuals from the global majority, veterans and underrepresented communities. We value the unique perspectives and experiences that diverse teams bring and are committed to creating an environment where all voices are heard, respected, and empowered to succeed."
If you haven't heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.
Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities
- Ensure teaching and parent information resources are stocked up, available and accessible for staff to use, in all clinical areas of maternity.
- Organise, promote and deliver 2 hour group antenatal workshops on breastfeeding and relationship building to pregnant women and their family/partners (group size up to 30 people) within the hospital and Childrens centres.
- Organise, promote and deliver 2 hour group antenatal workshops on Early days with your baby to pregnant women and their family/partners (group size up to 30 people) within the hospital and Childrens centres.
- Facilitate teaching Antenatal colostrum collection, particularly to families with known risk factors for Hypoglycaemia- clinic and ward setting.
- Support parents who mix or formula feed with the information they need to feed their babies safely and responsively.
- Promoting the feeding service, identifying opportunities, and proactively suggesting ways to connect and engage with the local community Help prepare for, as well as participate and support with local and national promotional events (as appropriate) e.g Celebratory breastfeeding weeks.
- Encourage parents to engage with local health promotion activities, signposting parents to the most up to date information about local activities with their communities.
- Organise and deliver 30 min group postnatal workshops on breastfeeding and relationship building on the ward.
- Promote and facilitate postnatal feeding support groups, within the community and hospital setting Have the skills to assess for a tongue tie if felt it may be impeding feeding and refer to the appropriate service if required.
- Infant feeding support on postnatal ward whilst working alongside new staff members to support the implementation and embedding of best practice, ensure relevant documentation is completed.
- Provide infant feeding support to families of newborn babies on paediatric wards or other wards in the hospital and ensure relevant documentation is completed.
- Provide telephone advice on infant feeding and document as required.
- Refer to Infant Feeding Clinical Advisor or Infant Feeding Co-ordinator as appropriate for complex infant feeding issues beyond own knowledge or experience.
- Supporting the learning and development of Students and Infant Feeding Volunteers.
- Be aware of sources of infant feeding support external to the Trust (e.g National Breastfeeding Helpline, First Steps Nutrition Trust).
- Communicate with /refer to community midwives, health visitors and Infant Feeding leads from other trusts to ensure families receive the support they need based on their geographical location.
- Assist with Baby Friendly audits, including face to face, by telephone and documentation audits, after appropriate training.
- Facilitate service user feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of the service on a regular basis.
- Assess feeding and identify any problems, develop an appropriate plan of care with mother and document and communicate with the multidisciplinary team.
- Work collaboratively within the Infant Feeding Team to support the development of resource and service development.
Please see attached job description and person specification to this advert for further details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities
- Ensure teaching and parent information resources are stocked up, available and accessible for staff to use, in all clinical areas of maternity.
- Organise, promote and deliver 2 hour group antenatal workshops on breastfeeding and relationship building to pregnant women and their family/partners (group size up to 30 people) within the hospital and Childrens centres.
- Organise, promote and deliver 2 hour group antenatal workshops on Early days with your baby to pregnant women and their family/partners (group size up to 30 people) within the hospital and Childrens centres.
- Facilitate teaching Antenatal colostrum collection, particularly to families with known risk factors for Hypoglycaemia- clinic and ward setting.
- Support parents who mix or formula feed with the information they need to feed their babies safely and responsively.
- Promoting the feeding service, identifying opportunities, and proactively suggesting ways to connect and engage with the local community Help prepare for, as well as participate and support with local and national promotional events (as appropriate) e.g Celebratory breastfeeding weeks.
- Encourage parents to engage with local health promotion activities, signposting parents to the most up to date information about local activities with their communities.
- Organise and deliver 30 min group postnatal workshops on breastfeeding and relationship building on the ward.
- Promote and facilitate postnatal feeding support groups, within the community and hospital setting Have the skills to assess for a tongue tie if felt it may be impeding feeding and refer to the appropriate service if required.
- Infant feeding support on postnatal ward whilst working alongside new staff members to support the implementation and embedding of best practice, ensure relevant documentation is completed.
- Provide infant feeding support to families of newborn babies on paediatric wards or other wards in the hospital and ensure relevant documentation is completed.
- Provide telephone advice on infant feeding and document as required.
- Refer to Infant Feeding Clinical Advisor or Infant Feeding Co-ordinator as appropriate for complex infant feeding issues beyond own knowledge or experience.
- Supporting the learning and development of Students and Infant Feeding Volunteers.
- Be aware of sources of infant feeding support external to the Trust (e.g National Breastfeeding Helpline, First Steps Nutrition Trust).
- Communicate with /refer to community midwives, health visitors and Infant Feeding leads from other trusts to ensure families receive the support they need based on their geographical location.
- Assist with Baby Friendly audits, including face to face, by telephone and documentation audits, after appropriate training.
- Facilitate service user feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of the service on a regular basis.
- Assess feeding and identify any problems, develop an appropriate plan of care with mother and document and communicate with the multidisciplinary team.
- Work collaboratively within the Infant Feeding Team to support the development of resource and service development.
Please see attached job description and person specification to this advert for further details.
Person Specification
Education and training
Essential
- A recognised training / qualification in breastfeeding support: BfN Registered Breastfeeding Helper / ABM Mother Supporter / NCT Level 4 Breastfeeding Counsellor course year 1
- Experience of 1:1 breastfeeding support face to face with mother of newborn
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent experience
Desirable
- BfN Registered Breastfeeding Supporter
Experience
Essential
- Experience of 1:1 breastfeeding support face to face with mother of newborn babies
- Able to demonstrate a good understanding of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative
- Experience of, or understanding of the principles of, teaching/leading groups (either antenatal or postnatal)
- Experience/understanding of community outreach /public health work
- Working with diverse ethnic and social community groups
- An understanding of the issues affecting young children and families in areas of disadvantage
Desirable
- Experience of discussing/ supporting parents with information about safe and timely introduction of solid foods
- Participation in audit or research and/or UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative audit process
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Excellent communication skills face to face, on telephone and in writing
- Excellent skills to support mothers to feed their baby safely and responsively (with breastmilk or formula
- Understanding of UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Maternity Standards
- Excellent interpersonal skills - including ability to mediate, build rapport and establish good one-to-one relationships
- Ability to prioritise work and work to deadlines
- Able to act appropriately on own initiative
- Able to travel across various locations to meet the needs of the service on a daily basis
- Able to design power point presentations
Desirable
- Able to use Excel spreadsheet to present simple audit data
- Car driver and have access to a car
- Able to use Excel spreadsheet to present simple audit data
- Awareness of current issues relating to infant feeding in UK
Person Specification
Education and training
Essential
- A recognised training / qualification in breastfeeding support: BfN Registered Breastfeeding Helper / ABM Mother Supporter / NCT Level 4 Breastfeeding Counsellor course year 1
- Experience of 1:1 breastfeeding support face to face with mother of newborn
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent experience
Desirable
- BfN Registered Breastfeeding Supporter
Experience
Essential
- Experience of 1:1 breastfeeding support face to face with mother of newborn babies
- Able to demonstrate a good understanding of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative
- Experience of, or understanding of the principles of, teaching/leading groups (either antenatal or postnatal)
- Experience/understanding of community outreach /public health work
- Working with diverse ethnic and social community groups
- An understanding of the issues affecting young children and families in areas of disadvantage
Desirable
- Experience of discussing/ supporting parents with information about safe and timely introduction of solid foods
- Participation in audit or research and/or UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative audit process
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Excellent communication skills face to face, on telephone and in writing
- Excellent skills to support mothers to feed their baby safely and responsively (with breastmilk or formula
- Understanding of UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Maternity Standards
- Excellent interpersonal skills - including ability to mediate, build rapport and establish good one-to-one relationships
- Ability to prioritise work and work to deadlines
- Able to act appropriately on own initiative
- Able to travel across various locations to meet the needs of the service on a daily basis
- Able to design power point presentations
Desirable
- Able to use Excel spreadsheet to present simple audit data
- Car driver and have access to a car
- Able to use Excel spreadsheet to present simple audit data
- Awareness of current issues relating to infant feeding in UK
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Queen Mary Maternity Unit, West Middlesex University Hospital
Twickenham Road
Isleworth
TW76AF
Employer's website
https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)