Job overview

As an inspirational leader for maternity services the Consultant Midwife will use midwifery expertise to promote excellence in maternity care leading midwifery practice within all areas of maternity services.

Act as professional/clinical lead for birth and all practices which involve women’s health.

Work closely with the Director & Head of Midwifery for Women’s services, Obstetric Consultants and Lead Midwives to develop a Maternity service that is responsive to the needs of women & people who birth and staff.

Be part of a team of consultant practitioners who will develop professional practice within the Trust by working collaboratively with the Head of Midwifery.

Foster a climate for research, innovation and clinical excellence through clinical practice and working with the multidisciplinary team.

Actively participate in advancing midwifery practice at a strategic level

The post will be characterised by the four principle role functions as described in the Department of Health (DH) guidelines (DH1999/2000):

Expert Midwifery practice and Service Development

Professional Leadership

Education and Training function

Research, audit and evaluation function

Main duties of the job

• Function as an expert practitioner leading midwife care and working in collaboration with the appropriate multi-disciplinary groups to meet the specific needs of pregnant women, particularly related to the Better Birth (2016) agenda.
• Be a visible, expert role model for professional leadership and consultancy to all clinical staff in maternity services and wider health economy.
• Working with different staff groups dependent on work priorities.
• Demonstrate advance clinical skills and knowledge that informs practice decisions.
• Support staff in developing their competence to enable them to keep the birth process as normal as possible, whilst practicing safely and effectively.
• Focusing on transparency, accessibility, approachability shared vision and contributing to promoting a developmental culture.
• Lead and develop staff to become confident in decision making through empowerment support and evidence-based knowledge.
• Provide inspirational leadership which encourages midwives to challenge traditional models of care and to facilitate changes of practice.
• Lead, along with other consultant colleagues, in the implementation of strategies to enhance clinical decision making and engaging choice and personalisation of persons who birth.
• Take the lead on identifying care pathways, including perinatal mental health and women with complex needs.
• Manage resources within established parameters, being aware of resource implications specific to the area of practice involved.

Working for our organisation

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) cares for the people of Brent, Ealing, Harrow and beyond.

Our team of more than 8,200 clinical and support staff serve a diverse population of almost one million people.

We run major acute services at:

• Northwick Park Hospital: home to one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country. The hospital provides a full range of services including the country’s top-rated hyper-acute stroke unit and one of only three hyper-acute rehabilitation units in the UK
• St Mark’s Hospital: an internationally renowned specialist centre for bowel disease
• Ealing Hospital: a busy district general hospital providing a range of clinical services, as well as 24/7 emergency department and urgent care centre, and specialist care at Meadow House Hospice
• Central Middlesex Hospital: our planned care site, hosting a range of surgical and outpatient services and collocated with an urgent care centre.  

We are a university teaching NHS trust, in recognition of the important role we play in training clinicians of the future and bringing the benefits of research to the public.