Job summary
Are you an experienced midwife who is passionate about perinatal mental health? Are you looking for career progression or a move to a more specialist role?
The Ocean Birth Trauma and Loss Service provides mental health support for women/birthing people who require support when their mental health has been significantly affected by: miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, stillbirth or neonatal death, extreme fear of childbirth (Tokophobia), experiencing pregnancy and/or birth as traumatic or difficult neonatal admission or experience of separation from baby.
We are a friendly team where the specialist midwifery roles are invaluable and well established. The role will be supported by regular clinical supervision, access to reflective practice and ongoing CPD opportunities.
Hybrid working is part of the role and flexible working arrangements will be considered
Main duties of the job
Our specialist midwife will work in collaboration with both maternity and mental health services to provide high quality evidence-based support to women/ birthing people. The role has an emphasis on networking with other services, delivering training and consultation to our staff and other services, including being an integrated part of their MDT.
About us
Our STAR values are at the heart of everything we do. You can expect to see them in the way we act and the way we treat each other. Our values make us who we are. We will expect your values and behaviours to reflect the STAR Values of the organisation:
Service We will put our patients first
Teamwork We will work together
Ambition We will aspire to provide the best service
Respect We will act with integrity
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is a key, organisation-wide role in developing and maintaining high standards of care for women with specific mental health problems in pregnancy and the postnatal period, and their families.
The post holder will be required to have excellent communication skills in a sometimes-difficult environment, using tact and diplomacy. Communicates complex matters verbally and in writing.
The role will be part of a multidisciplinary team with a high level of relevant expert knowledge and skills, which will be used to manage, develop and care for pregnant and new mothers with complex mental health needs, in particular tokophobia, birth-related and complex trauma, perinatal loss and removals, working as part of the Ocean Birth Trauma and Loss Service team and other health professionals.
The Ocean Birth Trauma and Loss service specialist Midwife will provide a link between acute maternity services and other services involved in the care of this cohort of women/birthing people. Ensuring that relevant pathways, policies and processes for women and birthing people who are experiencing mental health difficulties as a result of their perinatal experience, are developed, implemented and audited. This will involve working with a range of relevant professionals, services and agencies.
This post will support multidisciplinary colleagues through coordinating and providing training and guidance in maternal mental health for key maternity staff, to enable them to provide holistic care that optimises mental as well as physical health. The service will be offer innovative practice and be an effective change agent, promoting evidence based practice.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. Registered Midwife
2. Educated to Masters level
3. Counselling qualification
4. Qualification in mental healthand/or bereavement
Desirable
5. MSc in Midwifery or related qualification
6. Further leadership / management related qualification or training
Experience
Essential
7. Evidence of working across a variety of midwifery settings including experience working with women with mental ill health
8. Able to demonstrate effective consolidation of midwifery knowledge and practice
Desirable
9. Evidence of involvement in service users' advocacy and complaints resolutions
10. Evidence of leading change
11. Evidence of working with a wide team of professionals
Knowledge
Essential
12. Thorough and up to date knowledge of national andlocal drivers for change ? Demonstrates compassionand caring approach to women and relatives and ability to motivate staff to demonstrate this also. ? Able to work under own initiative within boundaries ofrole. ? Strong organisational skills -Able to organise own workload and take responsibility for own clinicalactions and systems / standards across area of responsibility. ? Highly effective communication skills
Desirable
13. Ability to act as effective facilitator, coach and clinical supervisor ? Experience of managing a team