Job overview

The post holder will provide clinical leadership, facilitate professional development, and carry continuing overall responsibility for the management and co-ordination of the Gainsborough community midwifery team, based in Sudbury, and the wider West Suffolk community midwifery geographic area. The post holder will ensure a high standard of woman-centred care is delivered effectively and efficiently within available resources in the community setting. 

The post holder will be allocated clinical and managerial time within the rota to support the needs of the service.  The role will include supporting midwives and women throughout the antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal period in the community setting, with guidance from Trust policies and guidelines.

Management responsibilities will include line management of midwives and support staff and participation in the community midwifery on call rota, supporting homebirths.  The post holder will be able to demonstrate a high level of communication and organisational skills and will be a key stakeholder for the development and management of individuals within the community midwifery team team. They may be required to deputise for the Maternity Outpatient Matron in her absence and, as required in order to maintain the midwifery service, or cover for other community team leads.

Main duties of the job

·         Work within the statutory framework governing midwifery practice.

·         Act as a role model by providing strong leadership and maintaining a high standard of professional expertise and conduct.  

·         Liaise with multi-disciplinary team ensuring collaborative care.

·         To participate with formal investigation of complaints and incidents with the support of line manager

·         Be responsible for appraisals of an allocated number of midwives and support staff through the personal review process, monitoring and developing performance.

·         Regularly monitor the sickness and absence of staff and provide informal and formal counselling as per trust policy.

·         Ensure timely completion of duty rotas which ensure appropriate 24-hour cover of establishment, including on calls.

·         Be responsible for selection and induction of new staff within the clinical areas.

·         Provide ongoing effective leadership support advice.

·         Participate in the teaching and dissemination of professional and clinical knowledge to all members of staff.

·         To be fully informed of the risk management strategy, be responsible for reporting incidents, risk assessment and development of action plans to reduce risk and complaints.

Working for our organisation

#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community

We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.

The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.

Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.

We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.

With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.

We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.

Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?