Job summary
Permanent position, 30 hours a week
The bereavement midwife will provide support and specialist advice to women and their families who have experienced fetal loss or the death of a baby in all areas within the women and childrens' service.
The bereavement midwife will provide specialist guidance and support to midwifery and medical staff when caring for women experiencing loss in pregnancy, stillbirth or early neonatal death.
They will act as an educational resource for staff on physical, psychological and administrative aspects of bereavement care, assisting to provide training to staff and to support staff within their roles as they provide care to bereaved families.
The aim of this role is to ensure there is a coordinated approach to providing seamless care to women and families who require bereavement support. This aims to ensure consistency of care leading to a sensitive, high quality seamless service.
Main duties of the job
Provide guidance for all members of the maternity team, acting as a role model leading and promoting appropriate midwifery care.
Identify, facilitate and develop specific bereavement care programmes that reflect national and local priorities for effective patient care. Assist with implementation and embedding of National Bereavement Care Pathway.
To offer kind and compassionate care to all families.
Maintain accurate records for women receiving specialised bereavement support and guidance.
Actively contribute to service developments by attendance and participation in national workshops, management meetings, including staff meetings, focus groups and additional training appropriate to the role.
Provide information and support resources for staff, bereaved parents and their families.
Ensuring the relevant paperwork and equipment (such as cameras and equipment to take hand / footprints) are always available and ensuring staff are familiar with how to complete paperwork and use the equipment.
Liaising with other staff such as chaplains, neonatal staff, fetal medicine, funeral directors and mortuary staff.
Promoting good communication between all relevant hospital departments and primary care staff.
Build working relationships with external bodies such as the registrar of births and deaths, local GPs, and local support groups for example SANDS and 4Louis.
Ensure all support literature is up to date and appropriate and all bereaved parents receive such literature.
About us
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest employer in the county and with over 8,000 staff, we are one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK. We offer a generous annual leave allowance, excellent bank rates, access to the excellent NHS Pension Scheme, discounts for local shops, restaurants and services, access to our health and well-being hub, access to our two on-site nurseries, flexible working options, discounted public transport, reward and recognition schemes, exercise and activity classes and membership to our popular hospital choir.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital prides itself on providing outstanding, compassionate and gentle support to families following pregnancy/ baby loss. We are committed to ensuring that parents and families are offered holistic, individualized care at this difficult time.
The successful candidate will be expected to make home visits and offer telephone support to families, maintaining confidentiality at all times.
They will be aware of local and national support agencies and will refer appropriately.
Knowledge of the National Bereavement Care Pathway is required as we work to embed this initiative across the Maternity Services.
Liaising with other agencies including Funeral directors, Bereavement Office, Mortuary and HM Coroners office is an integral part of the role.
The Band 6 midwife will be encouraged to initiate change within the service for the benefit of bereaved families and staff. They will be expected to attend training opportunities outside of the Trust and share knowledge and practices accordingly.
They will be willing to share the responsibility with the Band 7 of offering a 7 day service and also partake in on call duties.
The Lead Bereavement Midwife will support and share the wealth of knowledge gained to ensure we continue to offer outstanding care.
The successful candidate can expect to be guided and supported in all areas of the job, thus ensuring a sound knowledge base and understanding of the complexities of the role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital prides itself on providing outstanding, compassionate and gentle support to families following pregnancy/ baby loss. We are committed to ensuring that parents and families are offered holistic, individualized care at this difficult time.
The successful candidate will be expected to make home visits and offer telephone support to families, maintaining confidentiality at all times.
They will be aware of local and national support agencies and will refer appropriately.
Knowledge of the National Bereavement Care Pathway is required as we work to embed this initiative across the Maternity Services.
Liaising with other agencies including Funeral directors, Bereavement Office, Mortuary and HM Coroners office is an integral part of the role.
The Band 6 midwife will be encouraged to initiate change within the service for the benefit of bereaved families and staff. They will be expected to attend training opportunities outside of the Trust and share knowledge and practices accordingly.
They will be willing to share the responsibility with the Band 7 of offering a 7 day service and also partake in on call duties.
The Lead Bereavement Midwife will support and share the wealth of knowledge gained to ensure we continue to offer outstanding care.
The successful candidate can expect to be guided and supported in all areas of the job, thus ensuring a sound knowledge base and understanding of the complexities of the role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- To hold an active registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council
- Midwifery training/ qualification to diploma level and preceptorship plus further study and specialist experience
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
Experience
Essential
- Due to midwifery practice constantly changing, demonstration of ability to deal with wide-ranging challenges in order to provide better and safer care.
- Experience of the delivery and organisation of training, learning and development.
- Experience of bereavement care
- Car driver essential
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- To hold an active registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council
- Midwifery training/ qualification to diploma level and preceptorship plus further study and specialist experience
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
Experience
Essential
- Due to midwifery practice constantly changing, demonstration of ability to deal with wide-ranging challenges in order to provide better and safer care.
- Experience of the delivery and organisation of training, learning and development.
- Experience of bereavement care
- Car driver essential
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
