Job Summary
The Lead Midwife for Preterm Birth is a senior clinical leadership role within the maternity service at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The post holder will lead and coordinate preterm birth prevention and optimisation work in line with national initiatives including Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle Version 3 (SBLCBv3), MatNeoSIP and NHS Resolution standards. The role involves overseeing the development, implementation and monitoring of evidence‑based pathways and clinical practices to improve outcomes for women and babies at risk of preterm birth. Working across multidisciplinary teams, the Lead Midwife will support service improvement, governance, audit, education and quality improvement initiatives. Responsibilities include supporting the preterm birth clinic, monitoring compliance with national standards, leading audits and reporting, delivering staff training, and contributing to research and policy development. The post holder will also work collaboratively with obstetric, neonatal, governance and regional maternity teams to ensure safe, equitable and seamless care across the maternity pathway. This role requires advanced midwifery knowledge, strong leadership and communication skills, and the ability to drive service development and improve patient outcomes within a complex clinical environment.
Responsibilities
* Support the preterm birth clinic.
* Monitor compliance with national standards.
* Lead audits and reporting.
* Deliver staff training.
* Contribute to research and policy development.
Essential Qualifications
* Flexible and adaptable.
* Enhanced CRB clearance.
* Good understanding of SBLCB and preterm birth prevention and management.
* Demonstrate insight in the use of data to influence patient care and services.
* Ability to respond to, prioritise and analyse complex problems/situations and ensure effective interventions are put in place.
* Ability to generate and present reports and documents.
* Deal effectively with clinical issues within defined procedures/guidelines.
* Use of appraisal, personal development review and training needs analysis.
Desirable Qualifications
* Knowledge of current issues related to NHS strategy and policy.
* Use of clinical benchmarking to influence patient care.
* Use of the knowledge and skills framework, Registered Midwife.
* Degree level study (or equivalent).
* Evidence of continuing professional development.
* Continuing professional development/ reflective profile.
* Teaching and assessing qualification.
* Completion of all local competency packages.
* Research training/experience ECDL.
* Masters level qualification.
* Attendance at conferences or study days.
Essential Experience
* Experience of caring for women at risk of or in preterm labour.
* Substantive managerial/leadership experience at band 6 in the NHS.
* Evidence of participating in organisational change that has led to changes in quality.
* Proven track record in leadership and management.
* Evidence of leading projects.
* Recruitment and selection of staff.
Desirable Experience
* Audit or research within the clinical area.
* Formal teaching of groups of staff.
* Budget management.
* Has undertaken packages relevant to role and specialty.
* Successful implementation and management of a change process.
* Evidence of formal teaching experience.
Contractual Requirements
* Flexible and adaptable.
* Enhanced CRB clearance.
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