Job summary
This is a fantastic opportunity to take a pivotal leadership role within Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, helping to shape and evolve our community midwifery services for the future. You will lead one of our community midwifery teams--one of which is dedicated to supporting women and birthing people who benefit from additional nurturing and care.
As a Community Lead Midwife, you will champion personalised, compassionate, and inclusive care, using your advanced clinical knowledge and leadership skills to ensure services are safe, responsive, and aligned with national standards. You will work collaboratively with midwifery matrons, fellow Band 7 midwives, and multi-disciplinary teams to develop and sustain high-quality community maternity services.
Apply now to lead change, inspire teams, and make a real difference in the lives of women and families across Somerset.
Please note having a valid driving license and access to a vehicle, is essential for this role.
Main duties of the job
In this role, you will lead on:
Delivering and promoting personalised and compassionate care, ensuring that each woman and birthing person feels heard, respected and supported.
Using national guidance and policy drivers to shape and enhance the quality of community midwifery services across Somerset.
Championing equity and inclusion, ensuring everyone has access to safe, high-quality maternity care, regardless of background or circumstance.
Leading the coordination and enhancement of intrapartum care within community settings, including home birth and standalone units.
Supporting the delivery of exceptional community midwifery standards with a strong focus on safety, effectiveness, continuity of care, and family satisfaction.
Acting as a key advocate for patient safety, learning from incidents, and embedding improvements in practice across the service.
Working alongside stakeholders in primary care, public health, safeguarding, and voluntary sectors to support seamless, multidisciplinary care.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
- Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
- NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
- Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
- A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Community Lead Midwife, your role encompasses clinical excellence, operational leadership, staff development, and strategic input:
Leadership & Service Management
Provide day-to-day management of community midwifery services, including staff rostering, performance oversight, and resource allocation.
Lead on policy development, audit, and quality assurance to ensure compliance with national standards, PSIRF (Patient Safety Incident Response Framework), and Trust priorities.
Coordinate and chair team meetings, ensuring all staff are informed, supported, and involved in service development.
Represent community midwifery at directorate and Trust-level meetings and contribute to strategic planning.
Clinical Practice
Work clinically as part of the team, providing visible, expert leadership in a range of community settings.
Support staff in the delivery of evidence-based, person-centred care--including complex care planning and emergency support.
Promote normal birth and continuity of carer across all aspects of the maternity pathway.
Staff Support & Development
Provide regular clinical supervision, mentorship, and reflective practice opportunities.
Support student and preceptorship midwives throughout their community placements.
Lead appraisals and contribute to staff education and revalidation.
Quality, Safety & Improvement
Monitor key metrics such as patient experience, smoking cessation, breastfeeding initiation, and safeguarding.
Promote a learning culture by leading on incident investigations, reviewing national alerts, and facilitating team learning and change.
Work with data and patient feedback to drive continual improvement in outcomes and service delivery.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Community Lead Midwife, your role encompasses clinical excellence, operational leadership, staff development, and strategic input:
Leadership & Service Management
Provide day-to-day management of community midwifery services, including staff rostering, performance oversight, and resource allocation.
Lead on policy development, audit, and quality assurance to ensure compliance with national standards, PSIRF (Patient Safety Incident Response Framework), and Trust priorities.
Coordinate and chair team meetings, ensuring all staff are informed, supported, and involved in service development.
Represent community midwifery at directorate and Trust-level meetings and contribute to strategic planning.
Clinical Practice
Work clinically as part of the team, providing visible, expert leadership in a range of community settings.
Support staff in the delivery of evidence-based, person-centred care--including complex care planning and emergency support.
Promote normal birth and continuity of carer across all aspects of the maternity pathway.
Staff Support & Development
Provide regular clinical supervision, mentorship, and reflective practice opportunities.
Support student and preceptorship midwives throughout their community placements.
Lead appraisals and contribute to staff education and revalidation.
Quality, Safety & Improvement
Monitor key metrics such as patient experience, smoking cessation, breastfeeding initiation, and safeguarding.
Promote a learning culture by leading on incident investigations, reviewing national alerts, and facilitating team learning and change.
Work with data and patient feedback to drive continual improvement in outcomes and service delivery.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Midwifery NMC registrationEvidence of ongoing continued professional developmentEvidence of leadership and management coursesTraining in PSIRF and human factorsNeonatal and Infant Physical Examination qualification (NIPE) or working towardsNeonatal life Support (NLS)
Experience
Essential
- Experienced clinical midwifeExperience of formal and multi-disciplinary meetingsExperience of working in partnership with healthcare organisations
Desirable
- Management of a midwifery community teamExperience of working in the community
Additional Criteria
Essential
- A valid driving license and access to a vehicle.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Midwifery NMC registrationEvidence of ongoing continued professional developmentEvidence of leadership and management coursesTraining in PSIRF and human factorsNeonatal and Infant Physical Examination qualification (NIPE) or working towardsNeonatal life Support (NLS)
Experience
Essential
- Experienced clinical midwifeExperience of formal and multi-disciplinary meetingsExperience of working in partnership with healthcare organisations
Desirable
- Management of a midwifery community teamExperience of working in the community
Additional Criteria
Essential
- A valid driving license and access to a vehicle.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
