Job summary
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust are seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated PMA Lead Midwife to continue to embed the A-EQUIP (Advocating for Education and Quality Improvement) approach to support all midwives to improve system performance and the experiences of midwives and pregnant people.
The PMA Lead Midwife will use the model to support a continuous improvement process that aims to build personal and professional resilience, enhance quality of care, and improve outcomes, whilst developing leadership capability. It also aims to ensure that through staff development, action to improve quality of care becomes an intrinsic part of everyone's job, every day, in all parts of the system
The A-EQUIP model is also designed to support pregnant people through advocating for their needs, providing direct support for them within a restorative approach and undertaking quality improvement in collaboration with pregnant people.
The post holder will lead the Trust in the implementation of the elements of the A-EQUIP model utilising the guidance issued by NHS England in April 2017.
Main duties of the job
Main Duties & Responsibilities
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL MIDWIFERY ADVOCATE
ROLE
The post holder must be available to deploy the A-EQUIP model as required by the Trust. The post holder will ensure that midwives meet with the PMA a minimum of once per year.
(Based on the "Proposed competency framework for the A-Equip Model and the Professional Midwifery Advocate" NHS England Taskforce: Education work stream, September 2016)
The post holder will also be required to work an 80/20 split between the PMA role and clinical duties, working 1 day a week within a clinical area of the post holders choosing.
About us
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust is one of the largest NHS trusts in the West Midlands providing primary, acute and community services and we are incredibly proud of the diversity of both our staff and the communities we serve. We are building a workforce that can help us to fulfil our values, improve quality of care for patients, and solve the health care problems of tomorrow. We're passionate about the value that diversity of thinking and lived experience brings in enabling us to become a learning organisation and leader in delivering compassionate care for our patients. We're delighted to be rated "Good" by CQC. We have achieved numerous awards; The Nursing Times Best Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Best UK Employer of the Year for Nursing Staff in 2020.The Trust is a supportive working environment committed to creating flexible working arrangements that suit your needs and as such will consider all requests from applicants who wish to work flexibly. Our aim is to achieve a more equitable diverse, and inclusive workforce by ensuring EDI is reflected in our values and embedded in our practices and individual behaviour.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Involvement in safety and quality improvement
The post holder will:
- Support midwives to identify their own personal action for quality improvement.
- The post holder will use their understanding of personal and professional resilience and support others to develop this attribute.
- Ensure that there is a strong interface between the PMA and clinical governance at the Trust.
- Use their expert knowledge in midwifery practice to support Heads of Midwifery and Consultant Midwives in implementing and monitoring midwifery practice ensuring that there are robust clinical governance assurance systems in place relating to midwifery practice.
- Provide support to midwives in sharing of good practice learnt through the maternity services internal risk management processes with the aim of reducing the incidence of harm and obstetric litigation cases.
- Be involved in continuous monitoring and maintaining quality standards of clinical practice through a variety of ways for example audit, working clinically with midwives for those who require additional support and development.
- Act as a role model at all times and promote a high standard of safe and effective care which is based upon best evidence.
Be effective.
The postholder will
- Meet with midwives in their designated area and / or caseload on either an appointment or ad hoc basis.
- Use effective communication strategies and influencing skills to achieve desired outcomes and make appropriate referrals for advocacy, mediation or arbitration.
- Support midwives to work in partnership with pregnant people to develop plans of care which meet their individual needs, to listen to them and to advocate for them as required.
- To assist in implementing the Trusts Better Birth and Five Years Forward strategy
- Promote pregnant people centred care and autonomous midwifery practice in all clinical areas.
- Support midwives through Restorative Clinical Supervision (RCS) to examine their role in the maternity department.
- Assist midwives to develop their professional and career development choices.
- Maintain a database of all midwives revalidation dates for the Trust and ensure that they are prepared to revalidate effectively as per NMC guidance.
- Ensure that they maintain their own knowledge and clinical skills by all appropriate means.
Be caring and compassionate.
The post holder will:
- Attend the bespoke training programme for Professional Midwifery Advocates to undertake Restorative Clinical Supervision (RCS) in order to become competent and confidant in undertaking RCS sessions with midwives.
- Use appropriate strategies to support midwives to maximise their potential in practice, implementing the principles of RCS.
- Enable midwives to be responsible and accountable for their actions and behaviours by creating a safe space to think, feel, reflect utilising the principles of RCS.
- Utilise their skills, knowledge and experience of RCS to facilitate effective reflective discussions with midwives.
- Escalate responsibly and appropriately if a midwife makes disclosures regarding child protection and / or vulnerable adult legislation.
- Contribute to the education and development of student midwives to ensure that they understand the role of the Professional Midwifery Advocate and provide space for them to experience group reflection on midwifery practice.
- Support the team of sessional PMAs to provide sessions to each midwife to assist in personal reflection related to clinical practice which adhere to the principles of RCS.
- Appropriately communicate sensitive information to pregnant people, families and midwives
- Be able to deal with clients in emotionally difficult situations. Take appropriate action when confronted by aggressive clients / relatives.
- Demonstrate understanding on barriers to effective communication and modify behaviour in response.
- Manage complex situations sensitively and effectively where there may be conflicts and communicate effectively with the multi-professional team and the client and if there are any language barriers ensure that appropriate interpreting service has been engaged.
To act responsively.
The post holder will:
- Demonstrate understanding of the role of the Professional Midwifery Advocate within the context of national governance policies and procedures.
- Work with the maternity management team to assist in the implementation of any clinical guidelines or clinical practices as required to improve the quality and safety of the maternity services.
- Work alongside Clinical Governance to review midwifery practice and provide an expert opinion in the clinical care.
- Utilise agreed metrics to demonstrate ongoing added value of the role of Professional Midwifery Advocate and monitoring outcomes for staff and pregnant people e.g., whether there is a reduction in complaints by pregnant people, or improved satisfaction surveys or there is a reduction in sickness absence for midwives and improved retention of midwives.
- Identify, collate, analyse and interpret quantitative and qualitative data to inform the development of reports regarding the process, impact and outcome of the PMA role and the A-EQUIP model.
- Support midwives implementing improvement in practice and thus demonstrating both the post holders and midwifes responsiveness to the needs of the healthcare environment, thus contributing to quality improvement.
- The post holder will work closely with management, the practice development and education team to devise learning objectives for midwives in need of remediation to improve their midwifery skills and competencies.
- Be innovative and creative when determining strategies to improve quality of care and embed evidence-based practice.
- Be able to maintain moderate physical effort the duration of the period of duty to the clinical area.
- Ability to work under pressure and maintain good clinical judgement at all times.
- Demonstrate responsibility in ensuring that key recommendations from risk incidents are effectively implemented.
Demonstrate effective leadership.
The post holder will:
- Lead the team of PMAs who have been appointed on a sessional basis ensuring that they maintain a rota and develop a database to monitor all the activities that each of the PMAs undertake.
- Develop an effective communication strategy that ensures all PMAs are kept informed of current issues so that the A-EQUIP model is implemented.
- Inform the HOM if any of the team are experiencing challenges or concerns about carrying out the role of the PMA and decide on an appropriate plan of support to assist the PMA and monitor whether the plan has been effective.
- Act as a role model by applying best practice in motivating staff to drive improvements and provide visible leadership in the workplace.
- Act as a role model by applying continuous personal improvement by using positive learning approaches and encourage others to adopt this culture.
- Lead and participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of standards of care, including guideline development, audit and quality improvement initiatives.
- Contribute to service development using quality improvement methodology.
- Contribute to multi-professional meetings/team debriefs and advocate as required on behalf of midwives and pregnant people in order to ensure that high standards of clinical care are aspired to and thus maintained.
- Lead as required on any projects to improve the quality of care within the maternity service.
- Ability to work under pressure and maintain good clinical judgement at all times.
- Appropriate use of resources to minimise risk from potentially harmful substances and to minimise risk of hospital acquired infection.
- Use of infection control measures when carrying out exposure prone procedures. Updating own vaccinations as necessary
- Inform the Head of Midwifery of any emerging safety issues becoming evident in the maternity service.
- Provide emergency cover and at short notice for unexpected absence / sickness across the maternity service.
- Exercise leadership within the maternity unit to manage provision of effective care to mothers and babies to safeguard their well-being and interests and take appropriate action when safety of care cannot be provided.
- Be aware of the Trusts vision statement and how this relates to the maternity services.
- Ensure that the Trusts behaviour standards are maintained.
These duties may be subject to regular review and change.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Involvement in safety and quality improvement
The post holder will:
- Support midwives to identify their own personal action for quality improvement.
- The post holder will use their understanding of personal and professional resilience and support others to develop this attribute.
- Ensure that there is a strong interface between the PMA and clinical governance at the Trust.
- Use their expert knowledge in midwifery practice to support Heads of Midwifery and Consultant Midwives in implementing and monitoring midwifery practice ensuring that there are robust clinical governance assurance systems in place relating to midwifery practice.
- Provide support to midwives in sharing of good practice learnt through the maternity services internal risk management processes with the aim of reducing the incidence of harm and obstetric litigation cases.
- Be involved in continuous monitoring and maintaining quality standards of clinical practice through a variety of ways for example audit, working clinically with midwives for those who require additional support and development.
- Act as a role model at all times and promote a high standard of safe and effective care which is based upon best evidence.
Be effective.
The postholder will
- Meet with midwives in their designated area and / or caseload on either an appointment or ad hoc basis.
- Use effective communication strategies and influencing skills to achieve desired outcomes and make appropriate referrals for advocacy, mediation or arbitration.
- Support midwives to work in partnership with pregnant people to develop plans of care which meet their individual needs, to listen to them and to advocate for them as required.
- To assist in implementing the Trusts Better Birth and Five Years Forward strategy
- Promote pregnant people centred care and autonomous midwifery practice in all clinical areas.
- Support midwives through Restorative Clinical Supervision (RCS) to examine their role in the maternity department.
- Assist midwives to develop their professional and career development choices.
- Maintain a database of all midwives revalidation dates for the Trust and ensure that they are prepared to revalidate effectively as per NMC guidance.
- Ensure that they maintain their own knowledge and clinical skills by all appropriate means.
Be caring and compassionate.
The post holder will:
- Attend the bespoke training programme for Professional Midwifery Advocates to undertake Restorative Clinical Supervision (RCS) in order to become competent and confidant in undertaking RCS sessions with midwives.
- Use appropriate strategies to support midwives to maximise their potential in practice, implementing the principles of RCS.
- Enable midwives to be responsible and accountable for their actions and behaviours by creating a safe space to think, feel, reflect utilising the principles of RCS.
- Utilise their skills, knowledge and experience of RCS to facilitate effective reflective discussions with midwives.
- Escalate responsibly and appropriately if a midwife makes disclosures regarding child protection and / or vulnerable adult legislation.
- Contribute to the education and development of student midwives to ensure that they understand the role of the Professional Midwifery Advocate and provide space for them to experience group reflection on midwifery practice.
- Support the team of sessional PMAs to provide sessions to each midwife to assist in personal reflection related to clinical practice which adhere to the principles of RCS.
- Appropriately communicate sensitive information to pregnant people, families and midwives
- Be able to deal with clients in emotionally difficult situations. Take appropriate action when confronted by aggressive clients / relatives.
- Demonstrate understanding on barriers to effective communication and modify behaviour in response.
- Manage complex situations sensitively and effectively where there may be conflicts and communicate effectively with the multi-professional team and the client and if there are any language barriers ensure that appropriate interpreting service has been engaged.
To act responsively.
The post holder will:
- Demonstrate understanding of the role of the Professional Midwifery Advocate within the context of national governance policies and procedures.
- Work with the maternity management team to assist in the implementation of any clinical guidelines or clinical practices as required to improve the quality and safety of the maternity services.
- Work alongside Clinical Governance to review midwifery practice and provide an expert opinion in the clinical care.
- Utilise agreed metrics to demonstrate ongoing added value of the role of Professional Midwifery Advocate and monitoring outcomes for staff and pregnant people e.g., whether there is a reduction in complaints by pregnant people, or improved satisfaction surveys or there is a reduction in sickness absence for midwives and improved retention of midwives.
- Identify, collate, analyse and interpret quantitative and qualitative data to inform the development of reports regarding the process, impact and outcome of the PMA role and the A-EQUIP model.
- Support midwives implementing improvement in practice and thus demonstrating both the post holders and midwifes responsiveness to the needs of the healthcare environment, thus contributing to quality improvement.
- The post holder will work closely with management, the practice development and education team to devise learning objectives for midwives in need of remediation to improve their midwifery skills and competencies.
- Be innovative and creative when determining strategies to improve quality of care and embed evidence-based practice.
- Be able to maintain moderate physical effort the duration of the period of duty to the clinical area.
- Ability to work under pressure and maintain good clinical judgement at all times.
- Demonstrate responsibility in ensuring that key recommendations from risk incidents are effectively implemented.
Demonstrate effective leadership.
The post holder will:
- Lead the team of PMAs who have been appointed on a sessional basis ensuring that they maintain a rota and develop a database to monitor all the activities that each of the PMAs undertake.
- Develop an effective communication strategy that ensures all PMAs are kept informed of current issues so that the A-EQUIP model is implemented.
- Inform the HOM if any of the team are experiencing challenges or concerns about carrying out the role of the PMA and decide on an appropriate plan of support to assist the PMA and monitor whether the plan has been effective.
- Act as a role model by applying best practice in motivating staff to drive improvements and provide visible leadership in the workplace.
- Act as a role model by applying continuous personal improvement by using positive learning approaches and encourage others to adopt this culture.
- Lead and participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of standards of care, including guideline development, audit and quality improvement initiatives.
- Contribute to service development using quality improvement methodology.
- Contribute to multi-professional meetings/team debriefs and advocate as required on behalf of midwives and pregnant people in order to ensure that high standards of clinical care are aspired to and thus maintained.
- Lead as required on any projects to improve the quality of care within the maternity service.
- Ability to work under pressure and maintain good clinical judgement at all times.
- Appropriate use of resources to minimise risk from potentially harmful substances and to minimise risk of hospital acquired infection.
- Use of infection control measures when carrying out exposure prone procedures. Updating own vaccinations as necessary
- Inform the Head of Midwifery of any emerging safety issues becoming evident in the maternity service.
- Provide emergency cover and at short notice for unexpected absence / sickness across the maternity service.
- Exercise leadership within the maternity unit to manage provision of effective care to mothers and babies to safeguard their well-being and interests and take appropriate action when safety of care cannot be provided.
- Be aware of the Trusts vision statement and how this relates to the maternity services.
- Ensure that the Trusts behaviour standards are maintained.
These duties may be subject to regular review and change.
Person Specification
Essential
Essential
- NMC Registration - 1st level Midwife on relevant part of the register.
- Has undertaken or is willing to undertake the PMA Bridging programme.
- Demonstrable well-developed leadership skills
- Evidence of management skills including chairing meetings, presentations, report writing, managing change, performance management
Desirable
Person Specification
Essential
Essential
- NMC Registration - 1st level Midwife on relevant part of the register.
- Has undertaken or is willing to undertake the PMA Bridging programme.
- Demonstrable well-developed leadership skills
- Evidence of management skills including chairing meetings, presentations, report writing, managing change, performance management
Desirable
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
