Job summary
Are you ready to take the next step in your midwifery career and join our dynamic team in this newly created role within the Maternity Services at the Royal Victoria Infirmary? Do you have the motivation, vision and foresight to lead this new role and be part of a passionate team of midwives who care about strengthening the service for bereaved families? If so, an exciting opportunity awaits.
We are looking for an experienced, highly motivated, dynamic midwife who has the skills and knowledge with regard caring for bereaved women and their families. The person appointed to this role will lead on the development and maintenance of the high-quality standards of care designed to address the complex issues surrounding pregnancy loss, empower and support other professionals to meet the particular needs of those experiencing bereavement.
The post holder will be a visible champion for best practice demonstrating excellent leadership skills in the provision of expert clinical knowledge and practice. Recent clinical experience of caring for bereaved women and their families will help the post holder transition into this new role.
- Interview Date: 26th January 2023
- 37 hours 30 minutes/week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all the information before applying for the vacancy.
Main duties of the job
Working within the multi-professional team, the role will include coordination and oversight of the bereavement service with a strong focus on education and training, guideline development and implementation, data entry for national reporting platforms and implementation of any learning.
These are exciting times for maternity services across England and this is an opportunity for you to join standing organisation, working in a friendly team sharing your passion and expertise in helping to shape, form and lead the future of midwifery at Newcastle across the region to meet the needs of our families.
The role will incorporate working with the local and national bereavement networks to share learning and embed best practice, and to lead on the sustainability of the National Bereavement Care Pathway.
- A suitable post for an experienced Registered Midwife, wishing to lead the management and development of care for provision of bereaved women.
- The postholder will take responsibility for the delivery of high standards of care within a designated area for a designated period of time facilitating the development of other staff. The post holder will be expected to contribute at a Directorate level to the strategic development of Midwifery practice, and the service provision for bereaved women.
- The post will involve close liaison with other departments/health professionals e.g., Chaplaincy, Mortuary, Neonatal colleagues, Child Death Overview Panel, Hospital charities.
About us
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest, largest and most successful teaching NHS foundation trusts in the country, with over 18,000 staff and an annual income of £1 billion.
Rated 'Outstanding' by theCQC for the second consecutive time in 2019, we have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We're also proud to be the second largest provider of specialised services in the country. This means we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 1.84 million patients 'contacts' each year, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals encourages all staff and volunteers who are appointed to join the Trust to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Lead midwife providing specialist care and advice for bereaved women and their families in line with local requirements, national guidance and service user's feedback. Plan, assess and evaluate full programme of individualised care from pre-conception (if previous pregnancy loss) to post-natal period, taking cognisance of social, physical, psychological and cultural needs.
- The post holder will be responsible for the co-ordination of all aspects of care through liaising and communicating with appropriate professionals, departments, groups, agencies and individuals to provide a seamless service and advocacy for bereaved women and their families.
- Providing management/leadership and education to midwives, medical staff and support workers within the maternity unit who are caring for bereaved women and their families. This will include post-mortem consent for Obstetricians and Senior Midwives. Maintaining a database to ensure all appropriate members of the team are trained regularly.
- Liaise with the Risk and Governance Midwives to ensure all aspects of the bereavement pathway have been followed in order to meet National targets (MBRRACE/CNST).
- Ensure action plans from the Perinatal Mortality Review (PMRT) are monitored and changes implemented.
- Implementation and ongoing monitoring of the National Bereavement Care Bundle.
- Audit the bereavement service and write a comprehensive annual report for internal and external sharing.
- Works autonomously within NMC, Trust and Directorate Guidelines.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
The Maternity Unit here in Newcastle is one of the largest in the UK and rated as outstanding by the CQC. The maternity service includes a main Obstetric Unit, Alongside Midwifery Unit; Newcastle Birthing Centre, inpatient, outpatient and community midwifery services. The service has Level 3 UNICEF Baby Friendly status, aligns to the improvement work of the Maternity and Neonatal Safety Collaborative, and has an active Maternity Voices Partnership. The findings and recommendations of the Ockenden report are of key importance for the service in developing and improving services further and will be pivotal to this role.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Lead midwife providing specialist care and advice for bereaved women and their families in line with local requirements, national guidance and service user's feedback. Plan, assess and evaluate full programme of individualised care from pre-conception (if previous pregnancy loss) to post-natal period, taking cognisance of social, physical, psychological and cultural needs.
- The post holder will be responsible for the co-ordination of all aspects of care through liaising and communicating with appropriate professionals, departments, groups, agencies and individuals to provide a seamless service and advocacy for bereaved women and their families.
- Providing management/leadership and education to midwives, medical staff and support workers within the maternity unit who are caring for bereaved women and their families. This will include post-mortem consent for Obstetricians and Senior Midwives. Maintaining a database to ensure all appropriate members of the team are trained regularly.
- Liaise with the Risk and Governance Midwives to ensure all aspects of the bereavement pathway have been followed in order to meet National targets (MBRRACE/CNST).
- Ensure action plans from the Perinatal Mortality Review (PMRT) are monitored and changes implemented.
- Implementation and ongoing monitoring of the National Bereavement Care Bundle.
- Audit the bereavement service and write a comprehensive annual report for internal and external sharing.
- Works autonomously within NMC, Trust and Directorate Guidelines.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
The Maternity Unit here in Newcastle is one of the largest in the UK and rated as outstanding by the CQC. The maternity service includes a main Obstetric Unit, Alongside Midwifery Unit; Newcastle Birthing Centre, inpatient, outpatient and community midwifery services. The service has Level 3 UNICEF Baby Friendly status, aligns to the improvement work of the Maternity and Neonatal Safety Collaborative, and has an active Maternity Voices Partnership. The findings and recommendations of the Ockenden report are of key importance for the service in developing and improving services further and will be pivotal to this role.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential
- Registered Midwife.
- Degree level study in a health-related subject or relevant clinical experience.
- Meets NMC requirements for Practice Assessor.
- Recent clinical experience of caring for bereaved women and their families.
Desirable
- Able to meet the travel requirements for the role.
- Counselling qualification.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Recent knowledge and experience of caring for bereaved women and their families.
- Recognised teaching/assessing qualification.
- Evidence of continuous professional and personal development.
Desirable
- Experience of working with the wider bereavement team.
- Experience of counselling.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Leadership and interpersonal skills, and evidence of participation in change management and practice development.
- Disciplined in the management of own workload, having confidence and ability to change review and advise women/colleagues on the care of bereaved women and their families.
- IT skills to include Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Databases and Internet.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential
- Registered Midwife.
- Degree level study in a health-related subject or relevant clinical experience.
- Meets NMC requirements for Practice Assessor.
- Recent clinical experience of caring for bereaved women and their families.
Desirable
- Able to meet the travel requirements for the role.
- Counselling qualification.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Recent knowledge and experience of caring for bereaved women and their families.
- Recognised teaching/assessing qualification.
- Evidence of continuous professional and personal development.
Desirable
- Experience of working with the wider bereavement team.
- Experience of counselling.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Leadership and interpersonal skills, and evidence of participation in change management and practice development.
- Disciplined in the management of own workload, having confidence and ability to change review and advise women/colleagues on the care of bereaved women and their families.
- IT skills to include Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Databases and Internet.
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).
