Job summary
Maternity Support Worker
Department: Maternity
Band 3 pro rata if part-time
Hours: 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
Are you interested in working in a dynamic and friendly maternity service? We are seeking caring, enthusiastic and highly motivated maternity support workers to join us. We are proud to offer the opportunity to work in a progressive environment where we are committed to an ambitious transformation of our maternity services and delivering national objectives, including those set out in Better Births. We offer a robust induction programme and provide professional development opportunities for all staff.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential, and you must be dedicated to provide a high standard of care. You will have a flexible attitude to work and be able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
Successful applicants will receive a comprehensive induction programme and are assured they will receive appropriate support. We are strongly invested in all our employees and offer a wide range of development and educational initiatives.
We are supportive of Flexible Working and appreciate the importance of ensuring that your successful career is complimented by a work/home life balance.
Interview date: TBC
Main duties of the job
Level 3 Maternity Support Workers (MSW's) will work alongside the midwives and other teams in both hospital and community setting.
The post holder will use additional skills within focused aspects of service delivery to enhance the care offered to women/birthing persons and their families throughout pregnancy, birth and postnatal periods. Level 3 MSWs work alongside and under the guidance of practitioners at all levels from across the multidisciplinary team, including but not limited to obstetricians, midwives, ultrasonographers, physiotherapist and advanced nurse practitioners.
Level 3 MSWs provide direct delivery of clinical care to women/birthing persons and babies accessing maternity services. They may serve as a point of contact/support for women/birthing persons and their families and provide clinical, physical, psychological, and emotional care and support. They provide appropriate information and, where necessary, signpost to wider support organisations.
Level 3 MSWs report to registered practitioners where planned delegated care has been provided.
About us
You can expect a warm welcome at Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At MKUH we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
- Free on-site parking
- Free tea and coffee
- Great flexible workingopportunities
- Discounted gym membership
- Lease car scheme
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- On site nursery (chargeable)
- Extensive staff health and well-being programme
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Supporting maternity services includes all that the Band 2 Maternity Care Assistant undertakes and additionally
Care of service users
- Undertake routine observations and actively participate in the recognition and prevention of illness and respond effectively in an emergency situation.
- Assist service users with postnatal exercises
- Arrange and process microbiological specimens
- Obtain capillary blood sample for glucose analysis, in line with Trust policy and guidelines.
Care of baby
- Weighing the baby
- Complete identification and security of the baby, in collaboration with the midwife.
- Discuss with the service user normal appearance and range of changing stool and micturition in the health term new born.
- Recognise and report to midwife potential signs of neonatal jaundice.
Infant feeding
To support Breast feeding in line with Baby Friendly principles and local policy and guidelines, including:
- Assisting service user with undertake bonding activities,
- Assisting service user to undertake skin to skin,
- Assisting service user with expressing breast milk.
Managerial/Leadership
- To develop own practice and offer suggestions for improving services
- To ensure the effective and efficient use of resources
- To maintain health and safety and security, and report any concern
- To report incidents, and near misses, as set out in local and Trust guidance, via the incident reporting system.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Supporting maternity services includes all that the Band 2 Maternity Care Assistant undertakes and additionally
Care of service users
- Undertake routine observations and actively participate in the recognition and prevention of illness and respond effectively in an emergency situation.
- Assist service users with postnatal exercises
- Arrange and process microbiological specimens
- Obtain capillary blood sample for glucose analysis, in line with Trust policy and guidelines.
Care of baby
- Weighing the baby
- Complete identification and security of the baby, in collaboration with the midwife.
- Discuss with the service user normal appearance and range of changing stool and micturition in the health term new born.
- Recognise and report to midwife potential signs of neonatal jaundice.
Infant feeding
To support Breast feeding in line with Baby Friendly principles and local policy and guidelines, including:
- Assisting service user with undertake bonding activities,
- Assisting service user to undertake skin to skin,
- Assisting service user with expressing breast milk.
Managerial/Leadership
- To develop own practice and offer suggestions for improving services
- To ensure the effective and efficient use of resources
- To maintain health and safety and security, and report any concern
- To report incidents, and near misses, as set out in local and Trust guidance, via the incident reporting system.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- 5 GCSE's or equivalent
- 3 A-levels or equivalent
- Care Certificate or commitment to complete
- Level 3 Apprenticeship in Healthcare or equivalent
- Computer skills
- Basic understanding of the Data Protection Act
- Understanding of the need for confidentiality
- oUnderstanding of the need for patient focused care
- Understanding of the need for safeguarding adults and children
- Understanding of the job role within maternity services
Experience
Essential
- Evidences values associated with NHS constitution and commitment to Level 3 role development
- Experience working with the public and customer care skills
Desirable
- Previous clinical experience within health and social care setting relevant to role
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
Skills
Essential
- Able to work independently and as part of a team
- Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty
- Computer skills including Excel and Microsoft
- Able to organise own workload
- Able to use initiative
- Able to work in a calm manner in a pressured environment
- Able to work within a diverse team
- Able to work under supervision
- Able to recognise when to escalate to a senior member of staff
Personal and people development
Essential
- Evidence of continuous Professional Development
- Willingness to learn
- Recognises own limitations
- Commitment to undertake any necessary training
Communication
Essential
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both verbal and written
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Able to participate in internal rotation to meet service needs and shift patterns
- Prepared to adhere to trust uniform policy
- Enthusiastic
- Self- aware
- Team focused
- Motivated
- Reliable, adaptable and dependable
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- 5 GCSE's or equivalent
- 3 A-levels or equivalent
- Care Certificate or commitment to complete
- Level 3 Apprenticeship in Healthcare or equivalent
- Computer skills
- Basic understanding of the Data Protection Act
- Understanding of the need for confidentiality
- oUnderstanding of the need for patient focused care
- Understanding of the need for safeguarding adults and children
- Understanding of the job role within maternity services
Experience
Essential
- Evidences values associated with NHS constitution and commitment to Level 3 role development
- Experience working with the public and customer care skills
Desirable
- Previous clinical experience within health and social care setting relevant to role
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
Skills
Essential
- Able to work independently and as part of a team
- Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty
- Computer skills including Excel and Microsoft
- Able to organise own workload
- Able to use initiative
- Able to work in a calm manner in a pressured environment
- Able to work within a diverse team
- Able to work under supervision
- Able to recognise when to escalate to a senior member of staff
Personal and people development
Essential
- Evidence of continuous Professional Development
- Willingness to learn
- Recognises own limitations
- Commitment to undertake any necessary training
Communication
Essential
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both verbal and written
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Able to participate in internal rotation to meet service needs and shift patterns
- Prepared to adhere to trust uniform policy
- Enthusiastic
- Self- aware
- Team focused
- Motivated
- Reliable, adaptable and dependable
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.
