Maternity Flow and Safety & Labour Ward Co-ordinator - Band 7

NHS; Bristol; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job description

Maternity Flow and Safety & Labour Ward Co-ordinator - Band 7

Are you an experienced labour ward Midwife looking for a new opportunity? We are creating a new hybrid role in our Maternity services which is an exciting career opportunity for ambitious and dynamic Midwives.

In this role you will work closely with the Maternity Matron team and the Band 7 labour ward co-ordinators to ensure that the Maternity unit is operationally safe, effective and well led. The role will require you to manage a team of passionate midwives and appreciate the demands of the wider maternity service. You will demonstrate a high level of communication and organisational skills and be a key stakeholder for the development and management of the individuals within the team.

If you have a sound clinical knowledge base and a passion for high standards of care at all times and you enjoy working in maternity services which can be unpredictable and challenging, we want to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

You will provide leadership to midwifery and non-midwifery staff, ensuring effective management of the daily activity and throughput within the maternity unit.

Lead the on ensuring the flow across maternity is maintained in the hospitals by acting as a role model for staff providing clinical expertise and advice.

Oversee the daily service delivery, identifying constraints and redeploying resources to meet the service needs. Liaising with and updating the senior management team if additional resources e.g. agency staff are required or in the event of resources being unable to address current service needs.

Have an overview of all staff within the maternity services.

Escalate any concerns according to the Maternity escalation policy and the Regional Opel escalation procedure.

Your role will also include Coordination of the Intrapartum area, to help ensure the safe, efficient and effective day to day running of Labour Ward.

Duties include:

1. To manage the shift and have clinical responsibility for the area.
2. To provide clinical midwifery care to women within the Maternity Services.
3. To provide expert leadership advice to the maternity team.
4. To be proactive in the development of midwifery within the Maternity Unit.
5. To manage/lead a team of staff within maternity service.

About us

Our maternity department has 5200 births each year. Our involvement in world renowned research has led to the development of PROMPT. At our last CQC inspection, we were rated as 'good'. We have a consultant led Obstetric Unit with 2 HDU rooms, 9 birthing rooms and a pool room. We have an alongside birth centre and active home birth service. We host the Regional Maternal Medicine service, including a Fetal Medicine service.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and candidates from our local communities. We offer an induction programme and will support you with achieving your career goals. You will work a day/night shift pattern, to include being part of the on-call rota.

Midwives working here describe the kindness and care that is demonstrated to each other. Great importance is placed on civility and a team ethos of going the extra mile together. Your package with us includes a lot more than just your pay.

• Relocation allowance in line with the Trust policy.
• Free staff car parking.
• Physiotherapy Direct.
• Career development and training opportunities.
• Award winning and comprehensive wellbeing provisions.
• Maternity coffee shop and 'Garden room' wellbeing space.

Job responsibilities

To assess, implement and evaluate programmes of antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care for women in line with current evidence, Unit policies and guidelines and NMC Midwives Rules and Code of Practice.

To develop an environment which supports the value of midwifery care.

To liaise and communicate with other members of the midwifery and multi-disciplinary team in the planning and delivery of care.

To act as an advocate for the women receiving care.

To be involved in the development of evidence-based practice in the Maternity Service and to encourage reflective practice providing a supportive framework to ensure that this takes place.

Manage areas where required, ensuring effective use of resources and high standards of care which is responsive to individualised needs by appropriate delegation of workload.

Work in close co-operation with other Band 7 Midwives to ensure staff allocation is equitable and allows for continuity of care.

Identify staffing requirements and organise replacements as necessary. Escalate to Midwifery Matrons if issues remain unresolved.

Ensure effective communication at all levels, including co-ordinating Consultant requirements.

Develop and maintain an audit tool for collection of statistics required to inform on the performance of Maternity Services.

Manage delegated non-stock budget and ensure effective stock control, where required.

Ensure that user experience is pivotal to everyday activities.

Liaise with Senior Midwives and Managers across the Womens Directorate, as appropriate, to ensure delivery of a smooth and comprehensive service, allowing maximum participation and choice for women.

Ensure a safe environment is maintained for women, their babies, visitors and staff.

Be aware of and action the Maternity Escalation policy as necessary.

Manage beds on Labour Ward, improving flow, initiating use of the early transfer home policy to secure the most efficient use of capacity, whilst ensuring high quality, appropriate care is maintained.

Enable the smooth and efficient running of Labour Ward on a day-to-day basis by monitoring and reviewing the quality and effectiveness of other relevant parties key to the processes within Labour Ward.

Review the skill mix at regular intervals in order to identify any potential opportunities to maximise resource utilisation / allocation, ensuring job descriptions are kept up to date.

Liaise effectively with the Ward Manager or Maternity Matron, highlighting areas of concern in a timely fashion and taking action where appropriate to reduce concern.

Responsible for maintaining safe staffing levels, and escalating any staffing concerns/ absence to the Ward Manager/ Maternity Matron.

Maintain patient flow throughout the unit to ensure a seamless patient journey.

Person Specification

• Practicing Midwife with significant experience in a labour ward setting.
• Experience in working with women with enhanced care needs (HDU).
• Experience of leading, managing and supervising staff and able to delegate appropriately acting as a positive role model at all times.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills within difficult or challenging circumstances demonstrating assertiveness, tact, diplomacy as appropriate.
• Evidence of being in charge of a shift and ability to provide relevant advice to juniors on a variety of clinical and management issues.
• Evidence of post registered education in leadership.
• NLS trained or willing to undertake.
• Adaptable and responsive to changing needs.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.