Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Midwife Mental Health

The closing date is 17 July 2025

Job summary

This is a key role to work within the Mental Health, Drug & Alcohol Misuse Team - maintaining and overseeing high standards of care for women with mental health problems and those who misuse substances through pregnancy and into the postnatal period. You will have relevant knowledge and skills, which you will use to assist in the care of this vulnerable group of clients.

You will be part of the team providing a link between the maternity service and multi-agency services and professions involved in mental health and drug misuse. This will include a range of health education, support and special care advice relating to these specific issues. You will work in partnership with the named Community Midwife, the lead Specialist Midwife for Perinatal Mental Health, Drug & Alcohol Misuse and the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team.

You will work closely with women and their families to plan and co-ordinate their care based on their individual needs. Along with the Lead Specialist Midwife you will support your colleagues through training and guidance to enable them to provide holistic care that optimises emotional wellbeing as well as physical health

Main duties of the job

Sign-post women to appropriate local services to address their mental health needs.
Be a point of contact to provide additional midwifery support to women with mental illness and those misusing drugs / alcohol.
Participate in multidisciplinary birth planning meetings for women with severe mental illness.
Contribute to the safeguarding of families who are a risk of harm due to maternal mental illness.
Provide advice and support to colleagues caring for women with mental illness during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum.
Sign-post women to appropriate local services who disclose drug use or alcohol dependency.
Participate in multidisciplinary birth planning meetings for women who are misusing drugs and / or alcohol.
Work with colleagues to ensure there is routine screening and early identification of women with or at risk of perinatal illness, and those who are misusing drugs / alcohol. Ensure that women and families are given information in a sensitive way.
Act as an advocate for women to ensure they get the specialist mental health care they need.
Able to input information and effectively use the maternity clinical systems and adhere to Trust information governance policies and keep contemporaneous records within the team systems.
Demonstrate a working knowledge of safeguarding issues and promote effective use of the Trust Safeguarding policy.

About us

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust.

Date posted

30 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 a year Per Annum (Pro Rata for Part Time)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

390-WAC-BA-7295

Job locations

Basildon

Nethermayne

Basildon

SS16 5NL

Job description

Job responsibilities

If you are interested in learning more please refer to the job description.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Job description

Job responsibilities

If you are interested in learning more please refer to the job description.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

Knowledge of key guidelines relating to perinatal mental health
Experience of Safeguarding cases / dealing with Social Care / Meetings / Conferences / referrals & Reports
NMC Pin

Desirable

Basic knowledge and understanding of mental health medications, the ability to discuss compliance in relation to pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Worked within community setting and familiar with managing a caseload
Basic knowledge and understanding of mental health medications, the ability to discuss compliance in relation to pregnancy and breastfeeding

Digital skills/communication

Essential

High standard of written communication skills
Good knowledge of Excel / digital platforms and able to use this confidently
Ability to work as a lone worker/ travel between community clinics

Desirable

Good organisational skills

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

Knowledge of key guidelines relating to perinatal mental health
Experience of Safeguarding cases / dealing with Social Care / Meetings / Conferences / referrals & Reports
NMC Pin

Desirable

Basic knowledge and understanding of mental health medications, the ability to discuss compliance in relation to pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Worked within community setting and familiar with managing a caseload
Basic knowledge and understanding of mental health medications, the ability to discuss compliance in relation to pregnancy and breastfeeding

Digital skills/communication

Essential

High standard of written communication skills
Good knowledge of Excel / digital platforms and able to use this confidently
Ability to work as a lone worker/ travel between community clinics

Desirable

Good organisational skills

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

Certificate of Sponsorship

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

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Basildon

Nethermayne

Basildon

SS16 5NL

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Basildon

Nethermayne

Basildon

SS16 5NL

Employer's website

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