Job summary
Employer heading
Infant Feeding Co-ordinator
Band 7
Job overview
We are looking for an individual who is passionate and enthusiastic about Infant Feeding and possesses significant experience, skills and knowledge in this area.
As the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator, you will be responsible for embedding the UNICEF BFI care standards for maternity care, inspiring a positive organisational culture that supports women and birthing people in their choice of infant feeding. By using the BFI staged approach, you will lead the Trust through all stages of Baby Friendly accreditation and eventually to Gold standard.
You will promote best practice and deliver a multi-disciplinary education and training programme for staff. You will develop and provide antenatal education support with the wider Infant Feeding Team and Community Maternity Support Workers.
It will be an advantage to have completed the UNICEF Baby Friendly ‘Breastfeeding and Relationship Building’, ‘Train the Trainer’ courses. Alternatively the successful applicant must be willing to complete these with full support from the Trust.
The successful candidate will be booked on to a thorough induction package, with yearly maternity training weeks and support to access infant feeding training to keep your mandatory and role specific training up to date. You will also be supported to access on-going training in infant feeding and relationship-building and help to increase your expertise in Infant Feeding.
Main duties of the job
Work autonomously to ensure implementation of NICE best practice standards by achieving and maintaining full UNICEF Baby Friendly accreditation.
Be an expert resource to members of the multidisciplinary team to develop and drive forward the infant feeding agenda, to improve breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates.
Lead the maternity infant feeding team to work effectively to provide infant feeding advice and support to women and staff.
Develop and maintain and approve infant feeding policy, all associated guidelines and patient information on infant feeding.
Deliver a robust training package on BFI standards, supporting staff to make any changes needed to implement best practice for infant feeding.
Be responsible for regular audit related to infant feeding practice and to feedback and action any areas for development.
Represent the Trust at local and regional level infant feeding forums and strategy groups.
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.
We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.
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
EDUCATIONAL:
· Co-ordinate and deliver in-service foundation and refresher training sessions line with BFI care standards, assessing, evaluating and updating content as required
· Work with staff to help them to develop skills to support families with breastfeeding / bottle feeding problems / challenges
· Co-ordinate breastfeeding education programmes for families in the antenatal period
· Maintain own continuing educational needs and development, actively seeking programmes of learning to maintain / expand capability as a clinical expert
· Provide leadership, representation and visibility at local and national forums.
MANAGERIAL:
· Provide leadership for all members of the Midwifery and multidisciplinary team, acting as a role model in leading and promoting excellent infant feeding and midwifery care
· Maintain a presence in the clinical area by supporting staff who are delivering direct patient care
· Lead, support and guide staff in the evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of infant feeding practices. Implementing necessary change to ensure continuing high standards of evidence-based care in line with local and national policies, procedures and guidelines
· Maintain a robust audit programme using the Baby Friendly audit tool
· Identify and facilitate innovative practice that reflects national and local priorities for effective feeding care
· Take part in investigations into incidents and complaints in relation to infant feeding and ensure that appropriate action is taken
· Identify and develop clinical competencies in infant feeding for all staff involved in the care of pregnant women and new mothers and families
· Actively contribute to service developments, attending directorate and staff meetings, focus groups, regional and benchmarking groups
· Implement new projects and initiatives which improve infant feeding services
· Ensure effective communication on infant feeding and relationship building with staff at all levels
· Uphold the reputation of the midwifery profession at all times
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
· Have managerial responsibility for infant feeding team members to include appraisals, sickness management, capability and disciplinary procedures
· Participate in workforce development through recruitment and selection of staff within the maternity unit
· Participate in induction/orientation programmes and mandatory training programmes
PROMOTING EQUALITY AND REDUCING INEQUALITIES:
· To uphold organisational policies and principles on the promotion of equality
· To create an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued and everyone can contribute
LEADERSHIP:
· To act as a role model demonstrating clinical leadership and expertise in infant feeding
· To have a leadership role in supporting the development of a positive safety culture within the context of resource constraints and multiple conflicting priorities
· To support staff to develop reflective practice skills and to apply this to their practice
PATIENT EXPERIENCE AND INVOLVEMENT:
· To act as a champion for patients and their interests, considering patient feedback in development policy and encouraging involvement of the patients and/or public in decision making to improve the quality of the service
· To ensure patient experiences are monitored to facilitate shared learning from comments, concerns, compliments and complaints (4C’s), particularly where the experience is linked to Infant Feeding and supporting relationship building.
OTHER INFORMATION:
· The postholder will be required to participate in an escalation rota, including taking on the role of Operational Manager
· The postholder may be required to carry out other relevant duties as required within the maternity unit.
· The postholder will adhere to the duties specified under the Staff Responsibilities of the NHS Constitution in their day-to-day work and behaviours.
· The postholder will be expected to aspire to the Values of the Trust in their day-to-day work and behaviours to support the Trust in achieving its Vision.
· The postholder will adhere to, always, any Professional, NHS Code of Conducts and legislation relevant for their area of work.
· The postholder will make themselves familiar with the policies and procedures of the Trust, and their area of work, always adhering to them.
· The postholder will be expected to work to any Corporate / Division / Directorate / Department objectives and standards to provide an acceptable level of service.
· The postholder will be expected to undertake training, including mandatory and role-specific training, relevant to their role and ensure it is renewed as required.
Person specification
Educations, Training and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to Registered Midwife level
Desirable criteria
- Master’s degree or equivalent clinical experience
- Teaching and mentoring Course
- BFI 3 day Management course
- Lactation Consultant qualification
- BFI train the trainer course
- Professional Midwifery Advocate
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Working knowledge of BFI standards within a maternity setting
- High level of knowledge and skills in breast feeding practice
- Understanding of the national Breastfeeding agenda/Baby Friendly Initiative
- Midwifery experience within a variety of maternity clinical areas
- An understanding of integrating theory and practice
- Understanding current midwifery issues
- Awareness of safeguarding
Desirable criteria
- Experience of audit
- Experience of teaching in clinical areas
Skills
Essential criteria
- Effective verbal and written communication
- Ability to exercise initiative
- Basic IT skills
- Innovative and visionary
- Excellent time management and organisation
- Champion for breastfeeding
- Working conditions – able to work in other maternity areas as required
Desirable criteria
- Understanding of the change process and steps needed to implement it
Skills
Essential criteria
- Passionate and committed to bring Dedicated to Excellence values to life in line with the Trust values, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality, diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users
- Innovation
- Flexible
- Team work
- Leadership
- Motivation
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Laura Matthews
- Job title
- Community Matron
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07867787404
- Additional information
For more information and to arrange an informal visit please contact:
Laura Matthews Community Matron – [email protected] or 07867787404
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