Overview
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Named Midwife for Safeguarding. The closing date is 03 November 2025.
As the Named Midwife for Safeguarding, you will support the Head of Safeguarding to ensure effective, compassionate, and legally sound safeguarding practices across the Trust. Your work will focus on protecting vulnerable children and families, while guiding and supporting staff in meeting statutory responsibilities under the Care Act, Children Act, and Mental Capacity Act. This role offers the chance to provide meaningful leadership, support positive change, and help ensure the safety and dignity of those most at risk.
Main duties of the job
* Hold the Named Midwife for Safeguarding role for the Trust and work closely with the Named Doctors for Safeguarding Children and Young People (as required) to ensure the Trust meets its statutory safeguarding responsibilities as defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 and the Children Act 1989 and 2004.
* Participate in partnership working including Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards sub-groups as appropriate.
* Advise police, social care, and other agencies on health matters regarding safeguarding children in the hospital and hospital outreach services, together with other Named Safeguarding Professionals for Adults and Children.
* Ensure safe and robust safeguarding systems and processes across the Trust in relation to safeguarding children and young people.
* Provide expert advice to the Trust Board in matters relating to Child Protection and Safeguarding Children.
* Support the safeguarding team in delivering quality services.
* Provide expert advice, information and support to professionals and carers about safeguarding vulnerable patients, ensuring and supporting new and current policies and procedures are implemented within the Trust.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people across Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, with two hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. The Trust is committed to high-quality training and development and delivering the best patient care using current clinical knowledge and technology.
Our values
We recruit based on qualifications and experience and also on behaviours that underpin our core values. We use values-based recruitment and are committed to equality, diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient applications have been received. All new staff are subject to a probationary period covering the first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you are familiar with all requirements of the job.
Job responsibilities
The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this job; please review for full details and responsibilities
Clinical, Patient and Family Care
* Support patients and families as required during the safeguarding process.
* Analyse information and provide recommendations for incorporation into clinical practice.
* Actively work with clinical teams, using specialist knowledge and experience.
* Make decisions in conjunction with colleagues which directly influence patient care; assist others in decision making.
* Gain consent for the safeguarding process, assess mental capacity and risk, and participate in partnership work with the Safeguarding Referral teams (Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton).
Person Specification
Education
* Possession of a relevant degree or demonstrated equivalent experience and knowledge.
* Registered Midwife
* Evidence of ongoing professional development
* Experience of delivering training
* Working towards a degree or Master’s
* Up to date with Level 4 Multiagency Safeguarding Children’s Training (as per Health Care Staff Intercollegiate document 2018)
Knowledge
* Confident and influential in driving changes and improving standards; able to work with internal and external groups and agencies.
* Understanding of local and national safeguarding policy and procedures
* Multi-agency worker capable of cooperative work and conflict management within multi-agency systems
* Awareness of complex issues when working across organisations and disciplines; understands change management
* Knowledge of national policy, research and legislation relating to safeguarding
* Experience in holding a named safeguarding role and involvement in safeguarding
Experience
* Currently practicing in a safeguarding role or have previous safeguarding experience
* Knowledge of local and national guidance and research related to Safeguarding Children and Young People
* Knowledge of legal framework and policy changes affecting Safeguarding Children and Young People
* Experience liaising with multidisciplinary and multi-agency staff
* Experience working with safeguarding policies and procedures
* Experience delivering and receiving safeguarding supervision
Personal skills
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills including presentations
* Ability to work independently and as part of a team; able to collaborate across departmental and organisational boundaries
* Computer literacy
* Patient-centred approach
* Ability to analyse and interpret data
Other
* Self-motivated and enthusiastic
* Able to work autonomously as well as within a team
* Able to maintain high standards of confidentiality
* Confident and assertive
* Able to communicate with people from diverse professional and academic backgrounds
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975; a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service is required to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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