Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Safety and Quality Midwife

The closing date is 27 January 2026

Job summary

To support and deputise for the Lead midwife for Quality, Risk and Safety and to co-ordinate, operationalise and advise on all aspects of maternity safety, quality, and governance within the maternity department.

An integral member of the maternity team, facilitating, developing, and coordinating governance and quality processes within the maternity service.

Lead and chair the weekly incident review meetings with the MDT.

Support and collaborate with the Lead Fetal Monitoring midwife and nominated obstetric lead to disseminate learning from incidents.

To report and provide constructive feedback to the Obstetric and Gynaecology Safecare/SBU monthly, identifying and disseminating learning from audits, outcomes, practice, and teaching sessions.

Fostering a culture of transparency and learning within and between departments.

Co-chair PMRT review meetings.

Complete PMRT tool

Act as the clinical link and professional resource for service users, their families, and the multi-professional team.

Develop, audit, and maintain relevant policies, procedures, and practices, and ensure all relevant assessments and standards are complied with.

Contribute to the achievement of national standards for maternity at the appropriate level ensuring any quality improvements or changes are implemented and monitored. Ensure increased understanding amongst team members of the concept of Maternity Incentive Scheme and CQC standards influence on practice.

Main duties of the job

In conjunction with the Practice Development Midwife, provide enhanced teaching and additional support to staff to achieve and demonstrate the expected levels of knowledge, or who are identified as requiring further support through the risk management process.

Contribute to reporting within timeframes to ensure compliance with key reports for external and internal stakeholders.

Demonstrate appropriate clinical practice and specialist advice in the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation maternity care.

This will necessitate high levels of autonomy and advocacy.

  • Be visible and provide proactive support on intrapartum areas, including community led care, triage and assessment, antenatal wards and/or lead discussion regarding dissemination of learning from incidents, audits, and new initiatives.
  • Assist in the investigation of trigger incidents and the implementation of any recommendations arising from these investigations.
  • Work in conjunction with other specialists and MDT to support the development and implementation of maternity quality and safety initiatives including.
  • National directives from NHSE
    • Implementation of the Saving Babies Lives Care bundle.
    • Maternity Safety Improvement Plan
    • Maternity Incentive Scheme Safety Standards

Maternity Skills and Drills

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

13 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

297-7654258

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Sheriff Hill

Gateshead

NE9 6SX


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To provide professional support and guidance, ensuring all staff both midwifery and medical are supported in their practise, including pre-registration and doctors in training.

  • Work closely with the Lead Consultant for risk management/Matrons and the Lead midwife for Quality, Risk and Safety

  • Take overall responsibility for ensuring effective communication between all service providers within the speciality.

  • Participate in ongoing quality improvement, working collaboratively with other leads to review and present audit findings and monitor action plans to completion.

  • Provide and establish good positive working relationships with the Head of Midwifery, Community Lead, Team Managers, Ward Managers and their teams, Specialist midwives, Practice Development Lead and Maternity voice partnership leads.

  • Works as an effective and responsible team member and enables others to do so. Will support and help junior staff to organise their work.

  • Contribute to the Maternity Service/Business unit and organisational strategies for raising the profile of patient and public involvement and embedding this within own sphere of practice. Actively encourage feedback from service users.

  • Actively participate in local, national, and international networking to maintain and develop expert level of knowledge in the speciality. Ensuring presence at the appropriate NENC LMNS meetings and engagement with quality improvement projects.

  • Ensure that the importance and implications of education, research, and ideas are raised in appropriate forums.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To provide professional support and guidance, ensuring all staff both midwifery and medical are supported in their practise, including pre-registration and doctors in training.

  • Work closely with the Lead Consultant for risk management/Matrons and the Lead midwife for Quality, Risk and Safety

  • Take overall responsibility for ensuring effective communication between all service providers within the speciality.

  • Participate in ongoing quality improvement, working collaboratively with other leads to review and present audit findings and monitor action plans to completion.

  • Provide and establish good positive working relationships with the Head of Midwifery, Community Lead, Team Managers, Ward Managers and their teams, Specialist midwives, Practice Development Lead and Maternity voice partnership leads.

  • Works as an effective and responsible team member and enables others to do so. Will support and help junior staff to organise their work.

  • Contribute to the Maternity Service/Business unit and organisational strategies for raising the profile of patient and public involvement and embedding this within own sphere of practice. Actively encourage feedback from service users.

  • Actively participate in local, national, and international networking to maintain and develop expert level of knowledge in the speciality. Ensuring presence at the appropriate NENC LMNS meetings and engagement with quality improvement projects.

  • Ensure that the importance and implications of education, research, and ideas are raised in appropriate forums.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Midwife
  • NMC Registration

Desirable

  • Patient safety qualification
  • Teaching/mentoring qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Patient safety experience

Desirable

  • Midwifery experience
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Midwife
  • NMC Registration

Desirable

  • Patient safety qualification
  • Teaching/mentoring qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Patient safety experience

Desirable

  • Midwifery 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:

Lead midwife for risk, safety & quality

Abbie McCready

abbie.mccready@nhs.net

01914453276

Details

Date posted

13 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

297-7654258

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Sheriff Hill

Gateshead

NE9 6SX


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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