Divisional Deputy Director of Midwifery

at  Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Please note- it is the applicants responsibility to seek authorisation from their current manager to be released for the secondment before a formal application is made.
An exciting 6-month secondment/ fixed term opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, experienced, motivated and inspirational midwifery leader to join our team of supportive and dedicated midwifery and medical staff as we strive to further enhance the outstanding 5-star patient care provided by all.
We are looking for a dynamic, compassionate, forward-thinking midwife with a broad range of experience to become a Divisional Deputy Director of Midwifery at Mersey and west Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Trust.
The post holder will play a key role in supporting our Director of Midwifery in ensuring an effective, and safe midwifery service with a commitment to achieving excellence in maternity care. They will provide professional leadership and management responsibility for maternity staff and will contribute to the development of the Maternity and Neonatal Improvement Plan (MNIP) and play an active role within the Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS).
The Postholder will be an exceptional leader with in-depth knowledge of governance and assurance mechanisms, operational management experience of maternity services both in the community and the hospital and who will inspire confidence and innovation amongst our incredible workforce who together, ensure the women/birthing people and staff are safe, cared for and listened too.
You will be able to demonstrate a recent track record of achievement in leading and developing innovative midwifery practice and improving quality.
The Deputy Director of Midwifery will be a key member of the senior leadership team and will work closely with all members of the clinical team, women and their families and key stakeholders. They will support service modernisation; workforce planning and play a vital role in the response and delivery of key maternity drivers and national recommendations.
The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.
From 1 st July we have come together as a single organisation under the name Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.
The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.

KEY DUTIES

Lead the development of midwifery practice and services by providing expert strategic and clinical leadership.
Support the Director of Midwifery with the strategy for midwifery services, setting standards and guidelines for midwifery practice in keeping with NMC, national policy documents and guidance and leading the continuing research and clinical development agenda for maternity services.
Represent midwifery at a local and regional and level, and a play a key role in the integration of maternity service provision across Trust led services. This will ensure that the best possible woman & family experience is delivered through high quality, person centred clinical practice and service delivery, interfacing with other staff to implement change and to support the full integration of midwifery within multi-disciplinary and multi-agency teams.
Deputise for the Director of Midwifery
Provide visible and up to date professional leadership to midwives.
Ensure robust systems of clinical and professional governance, practice and professional development are in place and develop accountability and assurance frameworks to secure high quality and sustainable services to patients.
Develop new and innovative models of midwifery practice in consultation with the Director of Midwifery, aligned to evidence-based practice, modernising midwifery and changes to maternity services.
Lead and manage efficient, professional and comprehensive complaints and legal responses, working with teams to set the standards and drive improvements across the Trust.
Inform the Division and Trust Board on the political issues within maternity care and the impact on this on service delivery workforce requirements and workforce development.
Lead the planning and development of midwifery services to ensure that they are best provided to meet the developing needs of the service and the population.
Significantly contribute to the divisions clinical governance agenda ensuring concerns are raised via appropriate escalation processes.
Ensure the highest standards of performance are established and that key performance indicators are achieved.
Work with the heads of quality to ensure trust-wide learning from claims and complaints and themes from incidents to ensure a comprehensive approach to lessons learnt.
Benchmark against local, national and international best practice to develop and deliver evidenced base practice for women and families.

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Maintain Professional Registration and practice through CPD.
Adhere to NMC Code: professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates.
Maintain personal standards of conduct and behaviour consistent with Trust and NMC guidance.
Provide expert advice on evidence-based practice in midwifery.
Influence maternity care to be the highest standard whilst exercising professional and personal autonomy.
Ensure learning from risk management and clinical governance, serious incidents, patient complaints, or clinical risks are reflected in changes to clinical practice.
Facilitate planning and development of midwifery services to ensure that they are best provided to meet the developing needs of the service and the population.
Champion user involvement in shaping the maternity service through active membership of the Maternity, Neonatal Voice Partnership.
Participation in the facilitation of local resolution meetings, supporting staff through the process.
Ensure that there is a robust workforce plan for the maternity service which include plans for proactive recruitment, retention of staff and succession planning.
Ensure all staff meet and maintain their mandatory and professional training requirements.
Act as an exemplary professional role model.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

Maintain effective systems to ensure accurate records of all incidents claims and complaints and ensure that information is triangulated to ensure lessons are learnt and cascaded.
Ensure there are systems and processes in place for responding to national Guidance and recommendations from maternity service reviews.
Ensure the policies are reviewed regularly and are up to date, reflecting best practice and national regulations.
Provide internal and external reports and returns, including the annual report, relevant information and reports for Governance meetings, Patient Experience Council, Risk Management Council, Workforce Council, Quality Committee, Trust Board.
Ensure standards of record keeping and documentation are monitored and systems for
storage of notes are in place in accordance with Caldicott Guardian and Trust policy.