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Job summary

Main area
Maternity
Grade
Band 3
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
265-6465494
Employer
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Northampton General Hospital
Town
Northampton
Salary
£22,816 - £24,336 Per annum / Pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
30/07/2024 23:59

Employer heading

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust logo

Community Maternity Support Worker

Band 3

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Maternity Support Worker to join the Community Midwifery Team. 

As a community Maternity Support Worker, you will be providing evidence-based care in the antenatal and postpartum period, supporting infant feeding, supporting, undertaking newborn screening, running GTT clinics, supporting midwives in antenatal clinics and providing wellbeing support.  You will work collaboratively with the wider multi-disciplinary team formulating and actioning plans of care.

 

The role requires good, clinical skills, communication and interpersonal skills.  You will be supporting students on their learning journey.  We offer career progression development opportunities to help you achieve your career aspirations.

Our community Midwifery services have been recognised for

·        Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Award Winners 2021 for Excellence in Care During a Global Pandemic

·        Race Matters winners RCM Award 2021

·        We are a Pathway to Excellence Hospital, and we have active shared decision-making councils within Maternity. 

·    Community care is provided in one of our four maternity Hubs across Northampton

·        Specialist community team for safeguarding

·        MCoC team delivering care in patient homes. 

 

Main duties of the job

The Maternity Support Worker (MSW) is a key member of the Community Midwifery team, supporting the midwives and the wider MDT to deliver evidence based, individualised care in the antenatal and postnatal period, in line with the Trust policies and guidelines.  The MSW’s work independently and under indirect supervision to provide clinical, physical, and emotional support to new mothers, babies, and their families.  MSW’s work within the community hubs, the hospital, and in families’ homes.

 

The post holder will be an experienced Maternity Support Worker and will be assessed as competent to complete the duties and responsibilities.  The post holder will have completed the Care Certificate or have equivocal relevant experience in the maternity care setting.

 

The role includes clinical, clerical, and housekeeping duties to contribute to the effective running of the community midwifery service.

 

Full orientation to the community setting through an induction package will be arranged, any role specific training with updates will be made available.

Working for our organisation

Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.

Our Excellence Values

Compassion

Accountability

Respect

Integrity

Courage

We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.

The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.

We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.

We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.

 

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Patient Care

To provide support to the existing midwifery service and additional support to women and families during their maternity care

To provide care that ensures the dignity, and the comfort of families is respected

Participate in health promotion activities within own sphere/limitations of practice, including infant feeding, responsive parenting skills, safe sleeping, smoking cessation, and diet.

Maintain clear, accurate, legible and timely documentation in handheld and digital records, observing and reporting any changes in the condition of a patient to a midwife or member of the wider MDT.

Be aware of and follow the Safeguarding guidelines.

Provide feeding support and make feeding plans with the Infant Feeding Team and other senior colleagues as appropriate. 

Make referrals to other agencies as appropriate following consultation with the designated midwife.

Support midwives in antenatal clinics carrying out observations; to include BP, pulse, sats, temperature and CO monitoring.  Obtaining specimens and ensuring accurate labelling in accordance with Trust policy

Running GTT clinics

Running postnatal clinics in the maternity hubs and hospital setting

Undertaking neonatal screening in patients’ homes and postnatal clinics

Provide wellbeing support for families receiving enhanced care or with babies on the neonatal unit.

Provide information and ensure understanding to facilitate informed choice, including use of interpreters.

Act as an advocate for families and provide reassurance.

Communicate effectively with the MDT, families and other agencies including the Health Visiting Service

Support the learning needs of students.

Be able to respond calmly in emergency situations assisting the midwife with obstetric and neonatal emergencies.  Understand the procedures and be able to summon clinical and ambulance support.

   Preparation of clinical area and environment ensuring relevant equipment is available, is in date and in correct working order.

 Manage and order stock.

Deliver Baby Basics baskets and equipment.

Report any defects in equipment or buildings to the midwife in charge.

 

 

Personal skills

  Ability to:

·       Manage own workload

·       Understand when to seek additional help / advice from the midwife

·       Co-ordinate for the team and disseminate workload fairly on a rota basis

·       Ask for, listen to and value the views of the families within our care

·       Deal with frequent exposure to emotional/distressing events

 

  Training/Professional Development and Research

   Personal responsibility to identify and access mandatory training.

   Through annual appraisal/team discussions, identify personal development training needs in relation to service requirements.

   Attend and participate in team meetings.

  Provide relevant written and verbal information as directed and participate in any research projects approved by the organisation.

 

Organisational

Always maintain safety and security throughout the department

To be aware of and adhere to policy statements on the provision of Health and Safety at Work

Strictly follow all local and Trust policies and guidelines to ensure patients safety and wellbeing is not compromised.

Working conditions

Frequent exposure to body fluids, handling and disposal of soiled and infected linen and safe disposal of sharps in line with Trust policies

This job entails driving and sitting/standing for long periods of time and carrying of equipment to visits.

Working within maternity settings/families' homes which may involve having to carry out duties in difficult positions e.g., kneeling etc.

Professional responsibilities

You are required to work with co-ordinators, managers and other employees to achieve a healthy and safe environment, to take responsibility of your own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by your actions, to carry out your responsibilities in ways that help to ensure a safe and healthy place of work.

In the course of your work, you are to bring to the attention of your supervisor or manager any situation which could be considered to represent a serious or immediate danger to the health and safety of any person.  Any matter which could be considered to represent a shortcoming of the Trust’s health and safety protection arrangements.

Person specification

Education, Qualifications and Training

Essential criteria
  • Evidence of formal education up to the age of 18.
  • Evidence of Maths and English level 2 or above qualification
  • Evidence of completing the Care Certificate
Desirable criteria
  • NVQ 2 or 3 qualification in Health Care or equivalent.

Experience & Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Experience of working as a Maternity Support Worker
  • Experience of working with families in the antenatal and postnatal period
  • Awareness of safeguarding
Desirable criteria
  • Venepuncture and neonatal screening
  • Experience of working in a community midwifery setting

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Effective verbal and written communication
  • Ability to exercise initiative
  • Basic IT skills
  • Ability to attend to clients at home with equipment
  • Physical effort (e.g. manual handling)
  • Emotional effort (e.g. distressing or traumatic circumstances)
  • Working conditions (e.g. VDU usage)
  • Current driving license and access to vehicle
Desirable criteria
  • Works well within a multi-disciplinary team

Personal Qualities & Attributes

Essential criteria
  • Compassion and empathy.
  • Motivated – eager to learn new skills.
  • Team Worker.
  • Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users.
  • Flexible.
  • Able to work alone.
  • Innovative
  • Good communication skills both written and verbal
  • Good record of fitness and attendance.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

We are a Living Wage EmployerApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerPositive about disabled peopleJob share policyDisability confident leaderPathway to excellenceDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - SilverMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.We offer Wagestream - A financial wellbeing benefit which lets you access your pay as you earn it.ENEI Gold '22NHS Rainbow badgeAccessAbleNHS 75th BirthdayHappy to Talk Flexible WorkingNHS Rainbow Badge - BronzeArmed Forces Covenant111 Help Us Help YouCycle to Work

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Laura Matthews
Job title
Community Midwifery Sister
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07867787404
Additional information

For more information please contact:

Laura Matthews - Community Matron

07867787404

[email protected]

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