Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust; Taunton; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

NHS pension

Generous annual leave

Career development

Blue Light Card

NHS perks

Job summary

The Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife provides clinical, professional and operational leadership to deliver safe, high‑quality, personalised maternity care within the Bracken Birth Centre. You will manage day‑to‑day operations, workforce planning and resource allocation in collaboration with senior colleagues to ensure a well‑led service.

You will champion physiological birth, evidence‑based practice and continuous improvement while supporting staff development and a positive, inclusive culture

Qualifications

• Midwifery registration with NMC.
• Evidence of ongoing CPD and leadership/management training.
• Training in PSIRF and human factors.
• NIPE qualification or working towards.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical, professional and operational leadership for safe, high-quality maternity care within Bracken Birth Centre.
• Lead workforce planning, rostering and resource deployment to ensure service continuity.
• Promote evidence-based practice, patient safety, governance and quality improvement initiatives.
• Develop and supervise midwives, support workers and student midwives, fostering learning and wellbeing.
• Oversee clinical governance, audits, incident learning and service reviews to improve outcomes.

Skills

Leadership & management

Staff development

Patient safety

Education

Midwifery (NMC registered)

CPD & leadership training

PSIRF & human factors training

NIPE qualification or working towards

Job description

The Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife is responsible for providing strong clinical, professional and operational leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, personalised and high-quality maternity care within the Bracken Birth Centre. Working closely with Midwifery Matrons, senior midwives, obstetric and neonatal colleagues, the post holder will maintain a well-led service that places women, babies and families at the centre of all decision-making.

The role involves the day-to-day management of the birth centre, including workforce planning, staff leadership, resource management, service delivery, governance and quality improvement. The post holder will be responsible for monitoring and maintaining standards of care, promoting evidence-based practice, managing risk, supporting patient safety initiatives and ensuring compliance with Trust policies and national standards.

As a clinical leader and role model, the post holder will support and develop midwifery staff, foster a positive and inclusive team culture, and contribute to service development across maternity services. They will champion the philosophy of physiological birth, informed choice and personalised care, ensuring women receive compassionate, respectful and responsive care throughout their maternity journey while promoting continuous improvement in clinical outcomes and patient experience.

Main duties of the job

The Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife will provide clinical, professional and operational leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, high-quality and personalised maternity care within the birth centre. The post holder will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the service, including workforce planning, staff management, resource allocation, rostering and service coordination, ensuring that care is delivered in accordance with Trust policies, national standards and best practice.

Working closely with Midwifery Matrons, obstetric and neonatal colleagues, the post holder will act as a clinical role model, promoting evidence-based practice, maintaining high standards of care and supporting continuous quality improvement. They will lead on patient safety initiatives, risk management, clinical governance, audit and the implementation of learning from incidents, complaints and service reviews to improve outcomes and patient experience.

The post holder will support, supervise and develop midwives, maternity support workers and student midwives, fostering a positive team culture that promotes learning, wellbeing and professional development. They will champion the philosophy of physiological birth, informed choice and personalised maternity care, ensuring women, babies and families remain at the centre of all decision-making whilst contributing to the strategic development of maternity services across Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Job responsibilities

The Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife is responsible for providing strong clinical, professional and operational leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, compassionate and personalised maternity care within Bracken Birth Centre. The post holder will work collaboratively with Midwifery Matrons, senior midwives, obstetricians, neonatologists, maternity support workers and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure services are responsive, well coordinated and aligned with local and national maternity priorities.

The post holder will have overall responsibility for the day-to-day management and operational delivery of the birth centre, ensuring appropriate staffing levels, effective deployment of resources and the maintenance of a safe clinical environment. They will lead workforce planning, rostering, annual leave management and sickness absence management to ensure the service remains operationally effective and provides high-quality care at all times.

As an experienced clinical leader, the post holder will maintain credible clinical practice within the maternity service, acting as a role model and expert resource for staff. They will provide professional leadership and support to midwives, maternity support workers and student midwives, promoting excellence in clinical practice, accountability and continuous professional development. The post holder will oversee appraisals, supervision, training and competency development, fostering a positive and inclusive culture that supports staff wellbeing, learning and retention.

The Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife will be responsible for monitoring and maintaining standards of care through clinical governance processes, audit, quality improvement initiatives and compliance with Trust policies and national maternity standards. They will lead investigations, support the management of incidents and complaints, implement learning from reviews and audits, and ensure actions are embedded within practice to continuously improve patient safety and experience.

The post holder will champion the philosophy of physiological birth, informed choice and personalised maternity care, ensuring women and families are empowered to make informed decisions regarding their care. They will promote evidence-based practice and support the delivery of safe, respectful and compassionate care that places women, babies and families at the centre of all decision-making.

Working proactively with internal and external stakeholders, the post holder will contribute to service development, policy implementation and strategic maternity objectives. They will support the delivery of national maternity transformation programmes, promote innovation and identify opportunities to improve outcomes and experiences for women, families and staff.

The post holder will be responsible for the effective management of budgets, equipment and supplies within the birth centre, ensuring resources are used efficiently and in accordance with Trust financial procedures. They will also participate in the maternity on-call rota and deputise for the Midwifery Matron when required, providing senior leadership and decision-making support across the maternity service.

Through visible leadership, expert clinical knowledge and a commitment to continuous improvement, the Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife will ensure the birth centre remains a safe, welcoming and high-performing environment that delivers outstanding care for women, babies and their families.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Midwifery NMC registration
• Evidence of ongoing continued professional development
• Evidence of leadership and management courses
• Training in PSIRF and human factors
• Neonatal and Infant Physical Examination qualification (NIPE) or working towards

Experience

• Understanding of patient safety
• Experience of formal and multi-disciplinary meetings
• Experience of working in partnership with healthcare organisations
• Evidence of ability to promote normality in childbirth for women within a variety of clinical environments
• Evidence of continuing educational/enhanced learning within a specialism.
• Confident in undertaking the midwifery care of women across the perinatal pathway.
• Able to demonstrate awareness of research related to midwifery practice
• Management of a midwifery team
• Experience of working in Bracken Birth Centre and the Community

Additional Criteria

• Ability to actively listen to service users and their families and accurately share their views

  Disclosure and Barring Service Check

  This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.