Job overview
The Specialist Midwife for Trauma‑Informed Care provides expert leadership in embedding trauma‑informed principles across maternity services, ensuring that emotional safety, empowerment, trust and choice are central to all care. The role leads, coordinates and delivers a structured trauma‑informed debriefing service for women and birthing people following traumatic or distressing events, offering skilled psychological and emotional support within a safe and compassionate framework.
Working closely with the multidisciplinary team, the postholder brings specialist insight, drawing on complaints, incidents, feedback, outcomes and governance reviews to identify themes and drive improvement. T
A key part of the role is meaningful co‑production with women, birthing people, families, staff and partners such as the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP).
This role includes participation in the Manager on Call rota to meet service needs out of hours. This role also includes an expectation to support clinical workload as required and to maintain clinical credibility in practice.
Main duties of the job
1. Leads service developments aligned to trauma‑informed care, ensuring maternity pathways reflect best practice and contemporary evidence.
2. Triangulates learning from complaints, incidents, service‑user feedback, audits, education, governance reviews and clinical outcomes to identify themes, risks and opportunities for improvement.
3. Produces high‑quality thematic reports based on analysis, evaluation and research, ensuring findings clearly inform service development and quality improvement.
4. Analyses complex information, interpreting and comparing a range of options to support sound clinical and operational decision‑making, particularly in areas requiring specialist judgement around complex midwifery concerns.
5. Plans, organises and coordinates complex activities, multi‑disciplinary meetings and improvement projects that require adjustment and ongoing review.
6. Uses computer software to develop and generate statistical reports, data summaries, queries and visual outputs to support audit, evaluation and service assurance.
7. Monitors service progression, identifying emerging risks, evolving priorities and workforce or system pressures, escalating concerns appropriately.
8. Observes personal duty of care in relation to the safe and effective use of equipment and resources, ensuring compliance with required safety standards.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
Candidate Pack
This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route however sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds (£25000), and any role-specific criteria.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
9. Provides and receiveshighly complex, sensitive and sometimes contentious information requiring empathy, reassurance, negotiation and motivational skills.
10. Overcomes barriers to understanding and acceptance, especially during highly emotive or distressing circumstances.
11. Presents complex, sensitive or contentious information to large groups of MDT staff e.g. Safety & Quality and communicates complex midwifery issues to large groups e.g. Maternity Education Days.
12. Provides specialist advice to colleagues and external agencies.
13. Contributes to whole‑service learning by sharing emerging themes, risks and insights across teams.
Knowledge, Training & Experience:
14. Professional/clinical knowledge acquired through midwifery training to degree level or equivalent experience.
15. Preceptorship, plus further study or equivalent experience in Trauma informed Care (or equivalent) at a postgraduate diploma level. -I will look at other JDs to see what they ask for?
16. Specialist knowledge across a range of procedures underpinned by theory.
17. Applies trauma‑informed practice principles, psychological safety frameworks and national recommendations.
18. Maintains a contemporary knowledge base reflecting emerging themes, national reports, maternity transformation priorities, and safeguarding guidance.
19. Provides expert clinical advice and role‑models evidence‑based trauma‑informed care.
Person specification
Essential
Essential criteria
20. Registered Midwife. · Degree/ Diploma in Midwifery
21. CPD in Trauma informed practice or equivalent
22. Experience supporting women after traumatic events
23. Involvement with governance processes
Desirable criteria
24. Post graduate diploma in Trauma Informed Care/ Counselling or working towards.
25. Leadership Course experience
26. Teaching experience
27. Audit and Quality Improvement experience
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Essential criteria
28. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
29. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications