Summary of the post

Provide specialist expertise to clients in the antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal period, delivering high quality, evidence based care to women and acting as advocate for women and protector of the child within the hospital / community setting. Responsible and accountable for the development of the maternity service to ensure high standards of clinical care are maintained. Maintain professional development, liaise with other professionals in the multidisciplinary team, and support the other midwives in developing the maternity services. 

Key responsibilities

·         Develop programmes of care for women throughout pregnancy, labour and postnatal period. Work autonomously, without referral to medical staff, to support and promote normality, detect abnormality and act accordingly, supporting women's choice.

·         Provide high dependency care when required.

·         Provide a flexible community based maternity service that identifies areas of special needs, social deprivation, drug and alcohol dependency, domestic violence within the public sector, including contraceptive advice and support following termination of pregnancies, miscarriages, intra-uterine deaths and stillbirths.

·         Administer medication on initiative in line with midwives rules and standards (NMC 2004). Prepare pharmaceutical solutions for intravenous infusion.

·         Assist medical staff with procedures as necessary to meet the needs of women.

·         Arrange antenatal screening in line with NICE guidelines, e.g. ultrasound scans, MSSTs, and amniocentesis.

·         Arrange for appropriate investigations to be undertaken, interpret results and act on these accordingly.

·         Give specialist advice relating to pregnancy, labour and early postnatal period. 

·         Act in accordance with the NMC code of professional conduct and midwives rules and standards.

·         Identify and deal with child protection issues as they arise.

·         Provide a homebirth service, with necessary risk assessments, with indirect support from midwifery managers and supervisors of midwives (LSA).

·         Contribute to community on-call rota depending on service needs, homebirths.

·         Offer and undertake appropriate counselling as a result of screening activities when foetal abnormalities are identified.

·         Deal with clinical / obstetric emergencies, taking appropriate action.

·         Demonstrate practice based on current advances in midwifery practice and research.

·         Responsible for safe use and maintenance of equipment.

·         Carry maternity equipment, BP machine, sonicaid, equipment for homebirths.

·         Comply with infection prevention and control procedures at all times.

·         Comply with responsibility to safeguard children and vulnerable adults, ensuring attendance at appropriate training.

·      Take personal responsibility for putting the person receiving care first, and to challenge poor          care/practise, doing so as soon as any shortcomings are seen. 

Person specification

·         Registered midwife.

·          Further relevant development to postgraduate certificate or equivalent

·         Clinical practice in all aspects of midwifery care.

 ·         Continuing professional development with portfolio.

·         NMC rules and code of practice.

·         Current local and national developments in maternity care. 

For more information please review the full job description in the Additional Information section