Job overview
The role of the Maternity Support Worker is to work in partnership with the midwife providing practical, social and emotional support to mothers and their families. The post holder will be required to undertake baseline observations, phlebotomy, and breastfeeding support as well as providing both clinical and clerical support within the department.
They will also provide health advice and information to mothers to support care of the mother and the newborn baby. There is a requirement within the department to be deployed to other clinical areas due to the needs of the service in support of smooth patient’s flow within the maternity unit.
This is a 9 month secondment/fixed term role within NAC and community settings
Closing date: 22/02/2026
Interview date: 03/03/2026
Main duties of the job
Candidates will need to have experience as a support worker within a hospital setting or have worked as an MSW in a UK based maternity unit/hospital. Completion of a care certificate should be presented prior to interview.
You must be proficient in phlebotomy, undertaking observations such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature.
If you are an MSW you will need to demonstrate you have been trained to provide breastfeeding advice in line with the Baby Friendly Initiative. Training will be given to Nursing Assistants who meet all other criteria.
In-house mandatory updates is provided on an annual basis to help develop skills in looking after maternity patients with particular attention to their specific needs in pregnancy, labour and immediately after the baby is born. This includes supporting women to achieve successful breastfeeding and gain confidence in early parenting skills.
Your application must demonstrate reason for your application, your experience and why you have the necessary skills to be considered for the role.
Working for our organisation
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.
We are among the UK’s busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark.
We have a long tradition of clinical and scientific achievement and – as part of King’s Health Partners – we are one of England’s eight academic health sciences centres, bringing together world-class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the National Institute for Health Research’s biomedical research centres, established with King’s College London in 2007, as well as dedicated clinical research facilities
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To preserve the woman’s privacy and confidentiality at all times, with sensitivity to culture and ethnicity.
To promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security of self, women, their families and colleagues in the work place.
To undertake training and develop skills in care and support of women and their babies, providing support to women in public health issues smoking cessation, nutrition, exercise in pregnancy, infant feeding and helping women subject to domestic violence.
To attend mandatory training days to comply with the current Health and Safety, Infection Control, Moving and Handling, infant feeding and Child Protection Trust policies.
To attend training and develop skills relevant to the post of maternity support worker.
To have an understanding of multi professional roles in relation to maternity care within the maternity unit
Please see attached job description for full details.
Person specification
Skills, Knowledge and Abilities
Essential criteria
1. Able to write concisely and legibly in English.
2. Reference to importance of effective communication with women, relatives and staff at all levels
3. Ability to undertake clinical observations and record patient information
Experience
Essential criteria
4. Experience of working in maternity services as a Maternity Support Worker with women and their families
Desirable criteria
5. Experience of working in maternity
Qualifications and Education
Essential criteria
6. NVQ 3 Health and Maternity Care or equivalent
Desirable criteria
7. Care certificate (Theory and Practice) You will not be shortlisted for this role without a care certificate or NVQ 3
Value and Behaviours
Essential criteria
8. Values and Behaviour
Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.