Midwife, Band 6

at  Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

This is an exciting opportunity for experienced midwives to apply at Band 6. We also welcome applications from pre-registration midwives, who would be supported to complete our 12-month Preceptorship programme. This would start at Band 5, and would progress to Band 6 once the Preceptorship is completed.
A very exciting opportunity has arisen to work within the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where there are approximately 6000 births per year.
Our Women’s Centre accommodates a Delivery Suite, which undertakes approximately 4,000 births a year and provides a high level of maternity care for women, who require obstetric, neonatal or anaesthetic services.
We also have 3 fantastic Birthing Centres providing midwifery-led care for approximately 30% (2000) of women in Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud. Midwives working within our Trust have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings including the community, making full use of their skills to promote woman/person centred, holistic care. Our midwifery-led care model is already well developed, providing choice and personalised care to women and birthing people as well embedded principles. However, we have an ambition to take our services to the next level by further developing the midwives contribution to prevention and public health. This is a priority in order to improve health outcomes for women/birthing people in the County. We are of course working towards being able to provide continuity of carer to all.
You will be participating in an integrated midwifery model, with opportunities to work within community teams and all areas of the acute setting.
Your main priority will be to demonstrate and promote a holistic person and family centred style of clinical practice.
You will have opportunities to participate and engage in our evidence based Midwifery Continuity of Carer Teams within Gloucestershire
You will be responsible for delivering and maintaining a high standard of day to day, evidence-based practice for all women/birthing people in the designated clinical area/caseload. It is expected that you will provide the full range of midwifery support and care, which includes antenatal, one to one care in labour and postnatal care, whilst liaising with other members of the multi-disciplinary team. You will engage with women/birthing people and their families to encourage and promote person-centred care, enhancing their experience as much as possible. As a registered midwife you will be competent in the full range of midwifery skills including venepuncture, cannulation, perineal suturing, maternal and neonatal resuscitation. The midwife should also be able to diagnose and recognise specific problems and make decisions in the provision of care related to pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.
As our most valuable asset, we understand that happy, fulfilled staff will offer their best, and we aim to achieve this by providing a supportive team approach.
We have a large team comprising midwives, maternity care assistants, maternity support workers and obstetricians, we clearly link in with other members of the wider multidisciplinary team.
Newly qualified midwives are supported through a comprehensive, 12-month Preceptorship period which can lead to achievement of Academic Credits at MSc level. Support during this time is provided by one to two preceptors, the Practice Development team, PMA’s, practice facilitators and the wider multi-disciplinary team. We understand that the transition from student to newly qualified Midwife can be a challenging time, so are committed to providing a stable and comprehensive framework in order to facilitate the transition.
We have a comprehensive mandatory training programme including PROMPT as well as many opportunities for you to develop personally.
We have several shared decision making councils, giving all staff a voice within the department.

We recognise that some staff may experience difficult situations. To support them, we have, alongside our lead midwives and senior midwifery team, an excellent PMA team.

• To be competent in the full range of midwifery skills, including: venepuncture, cannulation, perineal suturing, intravenous drug administration, maternal and neonatal resuscitation, care of regional anaesthesia, infant feeding support.
• To assess the mother’s and baby’s condition and delivers appropriate care, within the multidisciplinary team.
• To carry out appropriate screening tests on women and babies, following appropriate discussion with the woman and informed consent.
• To deliver safe care within a challenging and changing clinical environment, using equipment and resources safely and as appropriate.
• To provide health education and support with parenting skills to individuals and/ or formal and informal groups.
• To communicate effectively, especially where mother’s ability to do so is compromised
• To receive information which may cause emotional distress to all parties and disseminates contentious, complex and sensitive information appropriately.
• To maintain accurate and contemporaneous records.
• To adhere to all Trust policies and procedures and Midwives Rules and Standards.
• Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality at all times
• Demonstrate and promote a woman and family centred style of clinical practice.
• To be responsible for the organisation of own caseload and appropriately delegate to support workers or other staff members in order to ensure effective time management. To assist the team in the day to day running of the clinical area.
• To communicate with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to aid effective woman-centred care, which will include taking an active role in team meetings, joint consultations and case conferences as required.
• Respond to emergency situations with composure, maintaining patient safety and seeking immediate support, supporting the patient, family and other staff as required.

Please refer the Job description for details