Overview
The primary role of the Transitional Care Support Worker (TCSW) is to assist, support and work in collaboration with the midwife and the wider multidisciplinary team in order to provide a safe and holistic, women‑centred approach to care.
The midwife is ultimately responsible for the care of the mother and her new‑born(s), and the TCSW works under direct or indirect supervision of the midwife to deliver clinical care as per relevant training. The post is rotational and the employee will receive appropriate training for the clinical setting in which they are working.
The post holder will demonstrate their ability to deliver clinical care under the supervision of a registered staff member and will promote a friendly, supportive and safe atmosphere for parents and families, enabling them to learn to care for their babies.
About the Trust
With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city, playing a leading role in research, education and innovation. We believe in diversity, welcome new ideas and provide endless personal development opportunities to help build world‑class healthcare.
Key Responsibilities
* Undertake planned delegated care as part of the midwifery team, delivering high standards of clinical, physical, psychological and social aspects of care under the supervision of a registered practitioner.
* Work in partnership with women and their families, developing and maintaining positive relationships, supporting informed decision making and respecting the woman, birthing person and their family’s wishes.
* Work within limits of own competence and authority in line with the TCSW's scope of practice in the national framework to inform care planning in line with national and local guidance, escalating to the multi‑disciplinary team to avoid harm as required.
* Work collaboratively as part of a team.
* Promote a professional, welcoming and caring environment.
* Have a positive attitude and consistently demonstrate the Trust’s values and behaviours.
Care of the Newborn
* Undertake neonatal observations under direct and indirect supervision and appropriately and timely escalated any deviations from the normal range following completion of competency training.
* Observe the overall wellbeing of the newborn and promptly raise any concerns to the named midwife or multi‑professional team.
* Provide practical support and support transition to parenthood for new parents when caring for their newborn, promoting safety, bonding and teaching parenting skills in both hospital and home settings.
* Assist or perform neonatal blood sampling, including newborn blood spot and serum bilirubin ratio (SBR) tests, as directed by the midwife following successful completion of appropriate competency training.
Infant Feeding
* Have the knowledge and skills to support initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding.
* Understand the importance of skin‑to‑skin contact to support infant feeding and how to facilitate responsive feeding cues.
* Understand principles and mechanisms of attachment and positioning for effective feeding in line with BFI standards.
* Be aware of circumstances that can affect lactation and breastfeeding and be able to support mothers to overcome challenges, making appropriate referrals (e.g. midwife, health visitor, infant feeding lead).
* Help women continue breastfeeding should supplementation be required.
* Support with expressing and storage of breastmilk, including hand and pump expression techniques and cup feeding.
* Be aware of the main constituents of human milk and their function, including colostrum and mature breastmilk.
* Appreciate the importance and role of human milk and breastfeeding to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for infants, their mothers and the wider family, and in promoting public health.
* Understand the functional anatomy and physiology of lactation and hormonal influences on milk production, including the effect of the feedback inhibitor of lactation (FIL).
* Support parents who formula feed, ensuring safe, responsive practices, minimizing risks, and providing guidance on feed preparation, sterilisation, handling, and pacing.
* Develop an understanding of the importance of secure mother‑infant attachment and its impact on health and emotional wellbeing, irrespective of feeding method.
* Understand the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent WHA Resolutions and how they impact practice.
Obstetric and Neonatal Emergencies
* Recognise and act upon any abnormal events or emergencies within own parameters of competence, escalating to the multi‑disciplinary team promptly.
* Assist the midwife with neonatal resuscitation where required, including collecting and/or passing equipment.
Health Promotion and Screening
* Maintain an up‑to‑date knowledge base about local and national antenatal and newborn screening services, signposting women, birthing people and families to appropriately qualified practitioners when needed.
* Advise families about newborn blood spot screening, immunisations, and produce GROW charts following completion of relevant competency training.
* Promote principles of behaviour change in health promotion activities including diet, food hygiene, exercise, personal hygiene, and smoking cessation (e.g. assess CO levels and signpost to local services as per policy guidance).
* Complete documentation for screening tests performed in maternity records.
* Recognise deterioration in mental and emotional wellbeing, respond appropriately, and escalates to a midwife for appropriate care pathways.
* Be aware of current policy and service frameworks for mental health (e.g. Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, Mental Health Act) and their impact on the role.
* Know perinatal mental health issues and appropriate referral pathways, including escalation to the multi‑disciplinary team within home or hospital settings.
Safe Environment
* Understand and abide by local infection control policy and procedure.
* Act responsibly in respect of colleagues’ health, safety and welfare, complying with lone working, local health and safety policy and guidance.
* Ensure cleanliness of equipment in all clinical and non‑clinical areas and assist the midwife in preparing the environment appropriately.
* Maintain adequate stock levels in all clinical settings, escalating any depletion of stock or resources promptly.
* Assist in stocking and cleaning all home birth team equipment if required.
* Ensure equipment is in working order, reporting concerns, faults or break in a timely manner.
* Report incidents or concerns using Datix, escalating appropriately and promptly.
* Participate in audits of standards within the unit as required.
Administrative Duties
* Ensure all clinical documentation, written or electronic, is accurately and confidentially collected, updated, stored and filed in accordance with local information governance and record‑keeping policy and guidance.
* Provide administrative support to the midwifery team as required.
* Maintain confidentiality and data protection in line with local information governance and legal requirements for tracking, obtaining, and filing clinical records.
Professional Attitudes and Responsibilities
* Convey an approachable and professional manner to all mothers, birthing people and families.
* Demonstrate awareness of discriminatory attitudes and challenge this behaviour to promote equality, recognising how to support people from protected characteristics groups including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation (Equality Act 2010).
* Maintain knowledge of local safeguarding policy and procedure, using it appropriately and referring issues of concern in a timely manner.
* Be vigilant of child protection issues and refer concerns promptly to registered midwife in compliance with legal requirements.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or disabled, as we are striving to be better represented atH.
This advert closes on Sunday 23 Nov 2025.
#J-18808-Ljbffr