Job summary
We are seeking to appoint a substantive Head of Midwifery, Work collaboratively with the Chief Nurse to provide strategic and expert professional midwifery leadership. The successful candidate will Lead improvements in the quality and safety of maternity care by representing the Trust at the Maternity Safety and Learning Network (MSLN) forums and overseeing the implementation actions from the Maternity and Neonatal Collaborative work streams.
Please note: there will be a Partners' Panel that all shortlisted candidates need to attend on 1st December 2023. Final interviews will be held on 6th December 2023.
Main duties of the job
The main purpose of the job is to lead and be accountable for providing, strong, professional midwifery leadership to help influence and improve service delivery both from the acute hospital and community. The post holder will have the authority and accountability for workforce development with responsibility for ensuring statutory safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented within Maternity Services.
The post holder will work with the relevant Executive Director and their deputies, to shape the nursing and midwifery strategy and ensure the midwifery voice is strongly represented throughout the organisation.
On behalf of the Chief Nurse and Professional Lead for Midwifery and AHPs the Head of Midwifery (HOM) will provide a strategic and expert lead for maternity care within GHFT to ensure high quality and safe maternity services whilst seeking continuous improvement in patient care. The HOM is the professional lead for midwives within the Trust.
The HOM will have delegated professional responsibility for the neonatal nurse team and the development and integration of the SCBU with the maternity unit ensuring that staff are competent to provide high quality, women centred care adhering to and advocating for the Trust vison and values.
About us
Here at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, we provide a range of acute, community and older peoples mental health services to our local community and beyond. We also provide specialist services to a wider population. We employ around 4,800 staff and provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region. Our annual turnover is over £350 million, and we are proud to be rated as good with outstanding care by the Care Quality Commission. Our wholly owned subsidiary, QE Facilities, provides a range of high-quality non-clinical services to the Trust and other NHS bodies. We are a high performing, diverse organisation with a new Chief Executive, Trudie Davies, and a relatively new Board of Directors, and we are an organisation that makes a substantial impact through our influence across the region.
With core ambitions to become an Outstanding hospital, a centre for diagnostics, and a centre for Womens Health in the North-East, we are proud to deliver outstanding and compassionate care to our patients and communities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Work collaboratively with the Chief Nurse to provide strategic and expert professional midwifery leadership
- Lead improvements in the quality and safety of maternity care by representing the Trust at the Maternity Safety and Learning Network (MSLN) forums and overseeing the implementation actions from the Maternity and Neonatal Collaborative work streams.
- Use professional judgement gained from extensive experience and professional clinical and managerial knowledge to interpret and address a range of complex operational and strategic issues, making decisions and giving advice in relation to Maternity services.
- Take a lead role, supported by the Chief Nurse in developing and improving midwifery practice and education throughout the Trust, in order to ensure high quality, safe and effective health care services for patients.
- To work collaboratively with the Chief Nurse and Professional Lead for Midwifery and AHPs, safeguarding leads and other lead professionals in developing child protection strategies and policies for the Trust. Ensuring safeguarding adults guidance and polices reflect the needs of vulnerable/at risk pregnant women.
- To ensure Midwifery practice in safeguarding children and the unborn is informed by best practice, research and learning from local and national reviews.
- Support the Operational Director in delivering high quality effective services within budget, identifying opportunities for cost improvement where possible.
- To contribute to the annual business plan for Maternity services.
- Lead and support the antenatal and new-born screening co-ordinator to implement antenatal and new-born screening programmes in line with the UK NSC recommendations.
- Lead and support the provision of high quality, safe and effective patient care and services and continuous improvement of the patient experience by providing effective, professional midwifery leadership to the business unit.
- Support the Operational Director and Service Line Manager by leading the strategic development of the maternity services and SCBU.
- Represent the Trust in relation to midwifery and maternity matters at external forums including the Northern Regional Maternity Network, Regional Clinical Advisory Group, North of England Maternity Transformation board/Local Maternity system board member/Regional heads of midwifery group and Clinical Commissioning Forums.
- To represent the Trust at the Integrated Care Board and relevant Local Authorities when maternity representation is required
- Along with the Service Line Manager and Clinical lead be responsible for the implementation and evaluation of risk management processes within the maternity services
- Responsible for the maternity services compliance with the Ockenden Reports, MIS requirements and CQC assessments
- Accountable for the monitoring and maintenance of professional standards
- In collaboration with the Chief Nurse (and Deputy) and other Divisional Matrons, develop a Midwifery Strategy which delivers excellence in midwifery care.
- Work closely with the Head of Patient Safety and Risk and the Head of Patient Experience and Quality to ensure the delivery of robust patient safety, quality, clinical governance and clinical risk management strategies within Maternity.
Accountable for ensuring a safe, clean clinical environment, including leading on infection prevention and control with the matrons for Maternity services.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Work collaboratively with the Chief Nurse to provide strategic and expert professional midwifery leadership
- Lead improvements in the quality and safety of maternity care by representing the Trust at the Maternity Safety and Learning Network (MSLN) forums and overseeing the implementation actions from the Maternity and Neonatal Collaborative work streams.
- Use professional judgement gained from extensive experience and professional clinical and managerial knowledge to interpret and address a range of complex operational and strategic issues, making decisions and giving advice in relation to Maternity services.
- Take a lead role, supported by the Chief Nurse in developing and improving midwifery practice and education throughout the Trust, in order to ensure high quality, safe and effective health care services for patients.
- To work collaboratively with the Chief Nurse and Professional Lead for Midwifery and AHPs, safeguarding leads and other lead professionals in developing child protection strategies and policies for the Trust. Ensuring safeguarding adults guidance and polices reflect the needs of vulnerable/at risk pregnant women.
- To ensure Midwifery practice in safeguarding children and the unborn is informed by best practice, research and learning from local and national reviews.
- Support the Operational Director in delivering high quality effective services within budget, identifying opportunities for cost improvement where possible.
- To contribute to the annual business plan for Maternity services.
- Lead and support the antenatal and new-born screening co-ordinator to implement antenatal and new-born screening programmes in line with the UK NSC recommendations.
- Lead and support the provision of high quality, safe and effective patient care and services and continuous improvement of the patient experience by providing effective, professional midwifery leadership to the business unit.
- Support the Operational Director and Service Line Manager by leading the strategic development of the maternity services and SCBU.
- Represent the Trust in relation to midwifery and maternity matters at external forums including the Northern Regional Maternity Network, Regional Clinical Advisory Group, North of England Maternity Transformation board/Local Maternity system board member/Regional heads of midwifery group and Clinical Commissioning Forums.
- To represent the Trust at the Integrated Care Board and relevant Local Authorities when maternity representation is required
- Along with the Service Line Manager and Clinical lead be responsible for the implementation and evaluation of risk management processes within the maternity services
- Responsible for the maternity services compliance with the Ockenden Reports, MIS requirements and CQC assessments
- Accountable for the monitoring and maintenance of professional standards
- In collaboration with the Chief Nurse (and Deputy) and other Divisional Matrons, develop a Midwifery Strategy which delivers excellence in midwifery care.
- Work closely with the Head of Patient Safety and Risk and the Head of Patient Experience and Quality to ensure the delivery of robust patient safety, quality, clinical governance and clinical risk management strategies within Maternity.
Accountable for ensuring a safe, clean clinical environment, including leading on infection prevention and control with the matrons for Maternity services.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Extensive knowledge of safeguarding
- Recent midwifery experience and knowledge of current midwifery practice
- Able to develop and present board reports
- Extensive leadership skills
- Extensive communication skills
- Extensive understanding of current issues in midwifery
Desirable
- Experience of working at Board level
Qualifications
Essential
- current Midwifery NMC registration
- masters degree
Desirable
- professional midwifery advocate or supervisor of midwives
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience of managing people and resources
- significant experience of managing services at matron level or above
- experience of change management
- Experience of audit and research
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Extensive knowledge of safeguarding
- Recent midwifery experience and knowledge of current midwifery practice
- Able to develop and present board reports
- Extensive leadership skills
- Extensive communication skills
- Extensive understanding of current issues in midwifery
Desirable
- Experience of working at Board level
Qualifications
Essential
- current Midwifery NMC registration
- masters degree
Desirable
- professional midwifery advocate or supervisor of midwives
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience of managing people and resources
- significant experience of managing services at matron level or above
- experience of change management
- Experience of audit and research
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).
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.
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).
