Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Working life
Maternity support workers assist midwives in caring for women and their babies through the vital stages of pregnancy, childbirth and the first few days of birth. As an MSW you will work with minimal supervision within a team of registered midwives, providing care within women's homes and hospital services. This is a great opportunity to develop independence and increase your skills, whilst being able to spend quality time helping families transition into parenthood.

Main duties and responsibilities
• To work within the midwifery team to provide outstanding antenatal and postnatal care to women and families in the Wigan and Leigh areas
• Have a self-directed approach to workload; able to effectively prioritise in order to assist and ensure the smooth running of In and Out patient services
• To maintain up to date knowledge of and undertake appropriate training in the aspects of the role
• Able to educate and assist with infant feeding, and promote safe practice. Support mothers experiencing feeding difficulties
• Participate in parent education, and ability to run sessions in small groups or virtual sessions

Clinical skills and responsibilities
• Undertake routine observations (temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate etc.)
• Support families in their care for newborn infants; undertake weighing and measurements, feeding support and newborn blood spot (PKU)
• Maintain excellent communication and documentation. Listen and respond sensitively to concerns raised by families, and escalate concerns raised to the midwife
• Provide general clerical assistance as required e.g. preparation of clinics and notes and ordering stock, answering emails

Requirements
You must already have completed your NVQ 2 or equivalent or NVQ 3 or equivalent or be working toward this. As well as having a good standard of education in relation to English and Numeracy and have  previous experience in a Maternity healthcare assistant role.

You must be motivated and enthusiastic to extend the maternity care assistant role to enable you to support midwives with enhanced clinical competencies such as Venepucture, Cannulation, Neonatal examinations, infant feeding advice/support and health promotion, and antenatal classes.

You will be given the necessary training to perform these tasks and they must be completed and be competent in all areas within 6 months of commencement in the post.

If you are ready for a challenge and want to enhance your skills to enable you to work more independently as a valued member of the maternity services team, please apply.

PLEASE NOTE
• A valid driving licence and access to a car is essential if you wish to be considered for a Community post.  Should you not meet this requirement due to a disability, you are of course able to apply and a discussion regarding whether reasonable adjustments could be made to the role would take place before any offer is confirmed.

Must be flexible to the service needs as the service changes and develops; and you may in times of pressure be asked to move to other areas to support the clinical teams.