Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Acute Maternity Matron

The closing date is 04 November 2025

Job summary

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Clinical Midwifery Matronto join our senior maternity leadership team. This pivotal Band 8a role offers an exciting opportunity to lead and shape high-quality, evidence-based care across ourinpatient maternity services.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Provide visible, compassionate leadership to midwifery and obstetric teams within the maternity and neonatal services.

  • Drive continuous quality improvement and ensure services meet national standards and local performance metrics.

  • Collaborate with across multidisciplinary teams to coordinate seamless care.

  • Foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive working culture that promotes staff wellbeing and development.

What We're Looking For:
  • NMC registered Midwife with significant post-registration clinical experience in midwifery care.

  • Demonstrable leadership experience in a senior midwifery or managerial role.

  • Sound knowledge of national drivers impacting maternity and neonatal services

  • Proven ability to lead and inspire teams, influence change, and deliver high standards of care.

  • Excellent interpersonal, communication, and strategic thinking skills.

Main duties of the job

We are extremely proud of our Maternity service at Gateshead Health but we recognise the ongoing challenges to further develop and maintain our excellent patient feedback and quality and safety metrics. We are seeking a compassionate, dedicated and visible leader to continue our implementation of the national three year delivery plan, retain and improve our "Good" CQC ratings, continued compliance with the Maternity Incentive Scheme and implement our new Gateshead Health Strategic priorities.

The Maternity service is part of the Division of Surgery, Women's Health and Children, within the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The Matron will work closely with the Community Matron, Associate Director of Midwifery/SCBU, Service Line Manager, Lead midwife for Quality Risk and Safety, and Matron Colleagues within the wider Trust. The successful applicant will implement the maternity agenda at an operational level, ensuring that the team and our women and their families are engaged, listened to and supported at every step.

The post holder will be supported by the senior maternity and wider matron teams in their own personal development into the matron role. This is an operational leadership role which includes the day to day oversight of the acute maternity service including ensuring safe staffing, line management of the ward managers, report writing, matron walkabouts, attendance at Trust and regional meetings and deputising for the Associate Director of Midwifery/SCBU.

About us

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the 'golden thread' which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronymICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women's Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our 'Balance' programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.

Details

Date posted

21 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-7538061

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Sheriff Hill,

Gateshead

NE9 6SX


Job description

Job responsibilities

Minimum requirements:

  • Registered Midwife 1st level and current NMC Registration
  • Evidence of Post Graduate study and continued professional development
  • Demonstrate a high level of interpersonal and communication skills
  • Significant senior midwifery experience
  • Previous operational management experience
  • Ability to cope with and diffuse difficult and stressful situations
  • Excellent organisational skills
  • Risk management knowledge
  • IT skills
  • Flexible approach to work
  • Budget management skills
  • Conflict management skills
  • Clinical Governance knowledge

Desirable:

  • Policy writing skills
  • Leadership qualification
  • Project/Service development experience

Job description

Job responsibilities

Minimum requirements:

  • Registered Midwife 1st level and current NMC Registration
  • Evidence of Post Graduate study and continued professional development
  • Demonstrate a high level of interpersonal and communication skills
  • Significant senior midwifery experience
  • Previous operational management experience
  • Ability to cope with and diffuse difficult and stressful situations
  • Excellent organisational skills
  • Risk management knowledge
  • IT skills
  • Flexible approach to work
  • Budget management skills
  • Conflict management skills
  • Clinical Governance knowledge

Desirable:

  • Policy writing skills
  • Leadership qualification
  • Project/Service development experience

Person Specification

Academic

Essential

  • Registered midwife
  • Senior midwife experience

Desirable

  • Leadership experience
  • MSc qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Leadership role

Desirable

  • Management experience
Person Specification

Academic

Essential

  • Registered midwife
  • Senior midwife experience

Desirable

  • Leadership experience
  • MSc qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Leadership role

Desirable

  • Management experience

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

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Sheriff Hill,

Gateshead

NE9 6SX


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Sheriff Hill,

Gateshead

NE9 6SX


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Associate Director of of Midwifery/SCBU

Karen Parker

karen.parker52@nhs.net

01914456449

Details

Date posted

21 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-7538061

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Sheriff Hill,

Gateshead

NE9 6SX


Supporting documents

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