Job summary
As the Named Midwife for Safeguarding, you will play a key role in supporting the Head of Safeguarding to ensure that effective, compassionate, and legally sound safeguarding practices are in place across Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Your work will focus on protecting vulnerable children and families, while guiding and supporting staff in meeting their statutory responsibilities under the Care Act, Children's Act, and Mental Capacity Act.
This role offers the chance to take on meaningful leadership, support positive change, and help ensure the safety and dignity of those most at risk.
Main duties of the job
Hold the Named Midwife for Safeguarding role for the Trust and will work closely with the Named Doctors for Safeguarding Children and Young People (as required) in supporting all activities necessary to ensure that the Trust meets its statutory responsibilities in safeguarding children as defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 and the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004.
The Named Midwife will participate in partnership working including the Local Safeguarding Children's Boards sub-groups as appropriate.
Together with the other Named Safeguarding Professionals for Adults and Children, advise police, social care, and other agencies on health matters regarding safeguarding children in the hospital and hospital outreach services.
To ensure safe and robust safeguarding systems and processes are in place across the Trust in relation to safeguarding children and young people.
To provide expert advice to the Trust Board in matters relating to Child Protection and Safeguarding Children.
Support the safeguarding team in delivering quality services.
Provide expert advice, information and support to professionals and carers about Safeguarding Vulnerable patients as stipulated in local and national strategies. Ensuring and supporting new and current policies and procedures are implemented within the Trust.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities
Clinical, Patient and Family Care
- Support patients and families as required during the safeguarding process.
- Analyse information and provide recommendations for incorporation into clinical practice.
- Actively work with clinical teams, using specialist knowledge and experience.
- Make decisions in conjunction with colleagues which directly influence patient care. Assist others in decision making.
- Gain consent for the safeguarding process, assess mental capacity and risk assess as appropriate and also when agreed as part of partnership working with the Safeguarding Referral teams (Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton).
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job, please review for the full details and responsibilities
Clinical, Patient and Family Care
- Support patients and families as required during the safeguarding process.
- Analyse information and provide recommendations for incorporation into clinical practice.
- Actively work with clinical teams, using specialist knowledge and experience.
- Make decisions in conjunction with colleagues which directly influence patient care. Assist others in decision making.
- Gain consent for the safeguarding process, assess mental capacity and risk assess as appropriate and also when agreed as part of partnership working with the Safeguarding Referral teams (Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton).
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Possession of a relevant degree or demonstrate equivalent in experience and knowledge.
- Registered Midwife
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
- Teaching / Supervision qualification
- Experience of delivering training
Desirable
- To have/ working towards a degree/ masters
- Up to date with Level 4 Multiagency Safeguarding Children's Training (as per roles and competencies for Health Care Staff Intercollegiate document 2018)
Knowledge
Essential
- Confident & influential in driving changes/improving standards and working with various internal and external groups and agencies.
- Understanding of local/ national Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Multi-agency worker and ability to work co-operatively and manage conflict within the multi-agency systems
- Demonstrates an awareness of the complex issues when working across organisations and disciplines and understands key elements of change management
- Knowledge of national policy/research and legislation relating to the safeguarding agenda
Desirable
- Experience in holding a named professional role in Safeguarding/ detailed experience/ involvement in safegaurding
Experience
Essential
- Currently practicing in a safeguarding role or previous experience in safeguarding
- Knowledge of local and national guidance and research in relation to Safeguarding Children and Young People.
- Knowledge of legal framework and of political and policy changes affecting Safeguarding Children and Young People.
- Experience of close liaison with multi - disciplinary team and multiagency staff.
- Experience of working with safeguarding policies and procedures.
Desirable
- Experience of delivering and receiving safeguarding supervision.
Personal skills
Essential
- Excellent oral and written communication skills including presentations and publications
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team, as well as across departmental, organisational professional boundaries
- Computer Literacy
- Patient centred approach
- Ability to analyse and interpret data
Other
Essential
- Self-motivated and an enthusiastic individual
- Able to work autonomously as well as within a team
- Able to maintain high standards of confidentiality
- Confident and assertive
- Able to communicate with people from a wide range of professional and academic backgrounds
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Possession of a relevant degree or demonstrate equivalent in experience and knowledge.
- Registered Midwife
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
- Teaching / Supervision qualification
- Experience of delivering training
Desirable
- To have/ working towards a degree/ masters
- Up to date with Level 4 Multiagency Safeguarding Children's Training (as per roles and competencies for Health Care Staff Intercollegiate document 2018)
Knowledge
Essential
- Confident & influential in driving changes/improving standards and working with various internal and external groups and agencies.
- Understanding of local/ national Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Multi-agency worker and ability to work co-operatively and manage conflict within the multi-agency systems
- Demonstrates an awareness of the complex issues when working across organisations and disciplines and understands key elements of change management
- Knowledge of national policy/research and legislation relating to the safeguarding agenda
Desirable
- Experience in holding a named professional role in Safeguarding/ detailed experience/ involvement in safegaurding
Experience
Essential
- Currently practicing in a safeguarding role or previous experience in safeguarding
- Knowledge of local and national guidance and research in relation to Safeguarding Children and Young People.
- Knowledge of legal framework and of political and policy changes affecting Safeguarding Children and Young People.
- Experience of close liaison with multi - disciplinary team and multiagency staff.
- Experience of working with safeguarding policies and procedures.
Desirable
- Experience of delivering and receiving safeguarding supervision.
Personal skills
Essential
- Excellent oral and written communication skills including presentations and publications
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team, as well as across departmental, organisational professional boundaries
- Computer Literacy
- Patient centred approach
- Ability to analyse and interpret data
Other
Essential
- Self-motivated and an enthusiastic individual
- Able to work autonomously as well as within a team
- Able to maintain high standards of confidentiality
- Confident and assertive
- Able to communicate with people from a wide range of professional and academic backgrounds
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).
