*Job Overview*
JOB SUMMARY
Maternity Support Workers assist with caring for women, babies and their families throughout their
maternity journey, working under supervision and within agreed guidelines and protocols when
providing care to women and their families (definition of a Maternity Support Worker – HEE, Maternity
Support Worker Competency, Education and Career Development Framework).
Maternity Support Worker is expected to hold a Care Certificate and be able to demonstrate full
compliance of the competencies of Band 2 MSW. Maternity Support Workers use additional skills within
focused aspects of service delivery to enhance the service offered to women and their families; working
alongside, but under the guidance of practitioners at all levels from across the multidisciplinary team
including, but not limited to obstetricians, midwives' ultra-sonographers, physiotherapists and advanced
nurse practitioners.
You require knowledge of facts, principles, processes and general concepts in a field of work. Carry out
a wider range of duties and will have more responsibility, with guidance and supervision available when
Main duties of the job
MAIN DUTIES
* Create effective and supportive relationships with women and their families to enhance the
Provision Of Personalised And Safe Woman-centred Care:
* Proactively engages with patients and others in order to build and maintain positive
relationships. Ensures all women and babies requirements are met with respect, privacy,
dignity, sensitivity, empathy and recognising diversity at all times.
* Provide good quality personalised care in accordance with agreed local and national standards.
* Support the adaptation to parenthood.
* Understands and gains valid consent prior to action or providing care. Has the knowledge to
document this promptly and clearly.
Understands the MSW's scope of practice and works within limits of own competence and
Authority:
* Recognises changes in either mother or baby's condition and understands to report any
concerns including those expressed by the women (or their families) to the midwife.
* Ensures own clinical practice is always safe and appropriate.
* Assists in the implementation of direct clinical care performing a range of relevant clinical skills.
* Act within the limits of your competence and authority and adhere to local protocols and
procedures.
* Develop your own knowledge and practice, which includes reflecting on your practice, and
taking opportunities to improve your practice and apply learning in the workplace.
* Make use of supervision. Participate in regular supervision in line with local guidelines
Working for our organisation
We operate from three main hospitals-Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), and Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal, as well as a number of community healthcare premises including Millom Hospital and GP Practice, Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe, and Ulverston Community Health Centre.
FGH and the RLI have a range of General Hospital services, with full Emergency Departments, Critical/Coronary Care units and various Consultant-led services.
WGH provides a range of General Hospital services, together with an Urgent Treatment Centre, that can help with a range of non-life threatening conditions such as broken bones and minor illnesses.
All three main hospitals provide a range of planned care including outpatients, diagnostics, therapies, day case and inpatient surgery. In addition, a range of local outreach services and diagnostics are provided from community facilities across Morecambe Bay.
*Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities*
MAIN DUTIES
* Create effective and supportive relationships with women and their families to enhance the
Authority:
* Recognises changes in either mother or baby's condition and understands to report any
concerns including those expressed by the women (or their families) to the midwife.
* Ensures own clinical practice is always safe and appropriate.
* Assists in the implementation of direct clinical care performing a range of relevant clinical skills.
* Act within the limits of your competence and authority and adhere to local protocols and
procedures.
* Develop your own knowledge and practice, which includes reflecting on your practice, and
taking opportunities to improve your practice and apply learning in the workplace.
* Make use of supervision. Participate in regular supervision in line with local guidelines in order
to continually improve your performance and gain support.
Contribute positively to a culture of team working, maintaining effective working relationships
To Maximise Quality Of Care:
* Demonstrates an understanding of and uses care plans during shift identifying and reporting
women's needs not included in the individualised care plan to the midwife in charge.
* Communicate and work as an effective team member of the clinical team in order to achieve
desired outcomes that promote the well-being of mothers and babies.
Notice and respond appropriately to the changing needs of the woman and her family:
* Have awareness of safeguarding issues and report any concerns to the midwife in charge
immediately.
* Provide women and their families with relevant information to support their individual needs.
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* Demonstrates compassion by recognising the responding to individual needs in a warm,
thoughtful, sensitive and helpful way.
* Is able to maintain professionalism when dealing with patients or relatives.
Promote a culture of health and well-being through providing information, advice and support
to enable healthy lifestyle choices for all, whilst understanding the causes of ill-health related
To Women Of Childbearing Age And Their Families:
* Understands the importance of providing smoking cessation intervention training and
signposting patients appropriately.
* Understands the importance of both the physical and mental well-being of the woman and her
family. Knows how to refer woman to appropriate interventions.
* Competent in advising women and their families about Safe Sleeping.
* Ensure personal fitness for work presenting a positive image of self and the organisation.
Maintain professional conduct including appearance.
Actively Engage With Public Health Initiatives:
* Competent in carbon monoxide testing and urinalysis
* Competent to support women in their chosen method of feeding giving clear and consistent
information on infant feeding to parents to be.
* Provide and monitor care safely and effectively:
* Take responsibility for the self-development of skills and competencies through participation
in training and development activities maintaining up-to-date technical and professional
knowledge relevant to the post. Can manage and prioritise own workload as appropriate.
* Is competent to perform maternal observations and other aspects of clinical care
* Recognise and respond appropriately to urgent and emergency situations ensuring the patient
receives appropriate care and notifying the midwife in charge as soon as possible.
Communication
* Communicate clearly and accurately using a range of written, verbal and non-verbal methods,
maintaining confidentiality and upholding the principles of data protection at all times:
* Recognises the importance of documenting all care appropriately and contemporaneously.
* Is able to communicate effectively with staff, colleagues, patients and their families with sympathy
and sensitivity where appropriate.
Training & Development
* Participate in the teaching, training and mentoring of staff within the scope of the MSW role and
Responsibilities And In Collaboration With The Multi-disciplinary Team:
* Act as an effective role model for new members of staff and provide support to the training of
new members of staff.
* Undertake coaching or mentoring with new staff to support them. Work within organisational
policies and procedures to ensure maintenance of safe working practices for women, their
families and colleagues.
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* Support Trust values by ensuring that effective channels are used to canvas the views and
concerns of all patients and their families.
Rofessional Responsibilities
* Act within the limits of your competence and authority and adhere to local protocols and
procedures
* Ensure personal fitness for work presenting a positive image of self and the organisation.
Maintain professional conduct including appearance at all times.
General Requirements
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* Quality – All colleagues are required to ensure that:
* the patient and customer are always put first.
* in all issues, the patient/customer requirements are met, and all staff contribute fully to
achieving the Trust's corporate goals and objectives.
* all staff hold themselves personally responsible for the quality of their work and
therefore seek to attain the highest standards achievable within their knowledge, skills
and resources available to them in furtherance of the Trust's Vision and in embedding
the organisation's Values.
* Confidentiality All colleagues are responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of any
information relating to patients and for complying with all the requirements of the Data
Protection Act whilst carrying out the duties of the post. Any breaches in confidentiality will be
dealt with by the Trust's Disciplinary Procedure and may result in dismissal.
* Data Protection / Freedom of Information Acts – All colleagues are expected to carry out
any requirements within the duties applicable to the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom
of Information Act 2000.
* Health and Safety - All colleagues are responsible for ensuring that they carry out the duties
of their post in accordance with all appropriate Health and Safety legislation (Health & Safety
At Work Act 1974), guidance and procedures and they do not, by any act or omission on their
part, create a threat to the Health and Safety of any other person.
* Equality & Diversity – All colleagues are to support the Trust's vision of promoting a positive
approach to diversity and equality of opportunity, to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage
in service delivery and employment, and to manage, support or comply through the
implementation of the Trust's Equality and Diversity Strategies and Policies.
* Sexual Safety at Work - The Trust has signed the NHS Sexual Safety Charter aimed to ensure
a systematic, zero-tolerance approach to sexual misconduct and violence in the NHS. By
signing this charter, the Trust commits to taking and enforcing a zero-tolerance approach to
any unwanted, inappropriate and/or harmful sexual behaviours within the workplace. All
colleagues must understand their own responsibilities in relation to standards of behaviour.
* Working Time Directive - All colleagues are required to comply with the regulations governing
working time and to any locally agreed associated arrangements.
* Harassment & Bullying - The Trust condemns all forms of harassment and bullying and is
actively seeking to promote a workplace where employees are treated with dignity, respect and
without bias.
* External Interests - All colleagues are responsible for ensuring that any external interest they
have does not conflict with the duties of their posts and they must disclose the external interest
if this is likely to occur, or if they are in any doubt about a possible conflict of interest.
* Mandatory Training – All colleagues have a statutory obligation to attend mandatory training.
It is the responsibility of each member of staff to ensure that they comply with this legal
requirement.
* Flexibility - This job description is intended to act as a flexible guide to the duties of the post
and therefore will require revision in consultation with the post holder to reflect the changing
requirements of the post, to enable the Trust to achieve its corporate goals and objectives.
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* Smoke-free Policy - In line with the Department of Health guidelines, the Trust operates a
strict smoke-free policy.
* Safeguarding - The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children,
young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share its commitment.
* Infection Control - The Trust is committed to protecting the health of all staff, patients and
visitors. As such all staff are personally responsible for compliance with all relevant infection
prevention and control policies. Failure to comply with such policies and associated procedures
is likely to lead to disciplinary action and may result in dismissal.
Person specification
*Essential Criteria
previous support work experience*
* previous support work experience
* previous experience working with families
Desirable criteria
* previous experience working in the NHS