Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Patient Care

To provide support to the existing midwifery service and additional support to women and families during their maternity care

To provide care that ensures the dignity, and the comfort of families is respected

Participate in health promotion activities within own sphere/limitations of practice, including infant feeding, responsive parenting skills, safe sleeping, smoking cessation, and diet.

Maintain clear, accurate, legible and timely documentation in handheld and digital records, observing and reporting any changes in the condition of a patient to a midwife or member of the wider MDT.

Be aware of and follow the Safeguarding guidelines.

Provide feeding support and make feeding plans with the Infant Feeding Team and other senior colleagues as appropriate. 

Make referrals to other agencies as appropriate following consultation with the designated midwife.

Support midwives in antenatal clinics carrying out observations; to include BP, pulse, sats, temperature and CO monitoring.  Obtaining specimens and ensuring accurate labelling in accordance with Trust policy

Running GTT clinics

Running postnatal clinics in the maternity hubs and hospital setting

Undertaking neonatal screening in patients’ homes and postnatal clinics

Provide wellbeing support for families receiving enhanced care or with babies on the neonatal unit.

Provide information and ensure understanding to facilitate informed choice, including use of interpreters.

Act as an advocate for families and provide reassurance.

Communicate effectively with the MDT, families and other agencies including the Health Visiting Service

Support the learning needs of students.

Be able to respond calmly in emergency situations assisting the midwife with obstetric and neonatal emergencies.  Understand the procedures and be able to summon clinical and ambulance support.

Preparation of clinical area and environment ensuring relevant equipment is available, is in date and in correct working order.

Manage and order stock.

Deliver Baby Basics baskets and equipment.

Report any defects in equipment or buildings to the midwife in charge.

Personal skills

Ability to:

·       Manage own workload

·       Understand when to seek additional help / advice from the midwife

·       Co-ordinate for the team and disseminate workload fairly on a rota basis

·       Ask for, listen to and value the views of the families within our care

·       Deal with frequent exposure to emotional/distressing events

Training/Professional Development and Research

Personal responsibility to identify and access mandatory training.

Through annual appraisal/team discussions, identify personal development training needs in relation to service requirements.

Attend and participate in team meetings.

Provide relevant written and verbal information as directed and participate in any research projects approved by the organisation.

Organisational

Always maintain safety and security throughout the department

To be aware of and adhere to policy statements on the provision of Health and Safety at Work

Strictly follow all local and Trust policies and guidelines to ensure patients safety and wellbeing is not compromised.

Working conditions

Frequent exposure to body fluids, handling and disposal of soiled and infected linen and safe disposal of sharps in line with Trust policies

This job entails driving and sitting/standing for long periods of time and carrying of equipment to visits.

Working within maternity settings/families' homes which may involve having to carry out duties in difficult positions e.g., kneeling etc.

Professional responsibilities

You are required to work with co-ordinators, managers and other employees to achieve a healthy and safe environment, to take responsibility of your own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by your actions, to carry out your responsibilities in ways that help to ensure a safe and healthy place of work.

In the course of your work, you are to bring to the attention of your supervisor or manager any situation which could be considered to represent a serious or immediate danger to the health and safety of any person.  Any matter which could be considered to represent a shortcoming of the Trust’s health and safety protection arrangements