Specialist Maternity Support Worker, Band 4

at  Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

This is a rare opportunity to work within a supportive and inclusive team as a Specialist Maternity Support Worker.
The post holder will work closely with the Community Midwifery Team and as part of a multi-disciplinary team, working within the competencies they have attained through formal and informal education and training. The aim of the team is to provide tobacco treatment advice and support to pregnant women, partners and household members who smoke, to support treating their tobacco dependence.
In Gloucestershire we have not seen a reduction in smoking at time of delivery (SATOD) rates in the last decade, so we are therefore stepping up our provision of Tobacco Dependency support and creating a multi- professional team that will provide personalised, targeted support in the communities who have the highest SATOD rates.
The post holder will contribute to the provision of a high quality, equitable maternity service by working flexibly and in innovative ways to target support and care to women and their families in the most deprived neighbourhoods, supporting the transition to parenthood and improving outcomes for families.
You will be supported to deliver tobacco harm reduction (smoking cessation) assessments, advice and support sessions, including administration of stop smoking medications, within recommended protocols and guidelines. This will involve face to face sessions in a variety of settings which will include the woman’s home and local venue’s such as Children’s Centres.
You will be expected to organise own caseload and work unsupervised in a busy team. You will maintain a high standard of work and prioritise your own workload according to the needs of the service, individual needs including equality, diversity, and social inclusion in all aspects of work.
The role will include providing information to pregnant women and their families about stopping smoking, minimising harm and health related issues to themselves and their baby from tobacco in line with the best and most up to date evidence and guidance
We provide maternity care to over 5,000 women across the county of Gloucestershire. Maternity Services are provided at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Cheltenham Birth Centre, and Stroud Maternity Hospital, as well as in our community areas cross-county.
At the very centre of our organisation is our dedicated nursing, midwifery and care staff, being part of the team here at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a huge privilege and if successful you will be joining over 2,000 nursing, midwifery and care colleagues each committed to delivering great experiences and outcomes for our patients.

Here at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, our patients are at the heart of everything we do, and pivotal to this are our nurses, midwives and care staff, whose dedication, expertise and kindness ensures that patients receive the very best care throughout their treatment. I wish you every success with your application to join this team.

• Deliver tobacco harm reduction (smoking cessation) assessments, advice and support sessions, including administration of stop smoking medications, within recommended protocols and guidelines. This will involve face to face sessions in a variety of settings which will include the woman’s home and local venue’s such as Children’s Centres.
• Organise own caseload and work unsupervised in a busy team. Maintain a high standard of work and prioritise own workload according to the needs of the service, individual needs including equality, diversity, and social inclusion in all aspects of work.
• Provide information to pregnant women and their families about stopping smoking, minimising harm and health related issues to themselves and their baby from tobacco in line with the best and most up to date evidence and guidance
• Develop and implement individually tailored treatment plans and provide behavioural support to pregnant women who engage with the Tobacco Treatment Service.
• Take and record carbon monoxide monitor readings following appropriate discussion with the client and informed consent.
• Advise pregnant women on the use of stop smoking pharmacotherapy, including NRT and e-cigarettes.
• Communicate smoking related issues in relation to an individual care package in a holistic way using interpretation services as required.
• To communicate this effectively both to the woman and professionals involved in her care liaising closely with her named community midwife or midwifery team throughout the woman’s programme.
• Help to facilitate smoke free environments ensuring families are aware of associated risks of increased SIDS for babies exposed to second hand smoke.
• Provide general health and lifestyle advice and support to women and families using the service e.g., Safe sleeping, ICON, stress management. This will include individual and group-based interventions, signposting and referring to other health, community and voluntary services.
• Knowledge and ability to support and facilitate women to make healthy lifestyle choices.
• Comply with Trust and Departmental policies and procedures e.g., Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), Manual Handling, clinical equipment competency, risk management, Data Protection Acts and patient confidentiality at all times. This will include demonstrating compliance with the terms of all safeguarding policies and processes relevant to the safeguarding of adults and children in the care of GHNHSFT and to undergo regular mandatory training concerned with safeguarding matters.
• Adhere to lone working guidance and policies using any technology such as lone working devices appropriately.
• To maintain accurate and contemporaneous records.
• Maintain women’s dignity and confidentiality at all times.

Please refer the Job description for details