Breastfeeding Support Service Assistant

NHS Scotland; Wishaw; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Leave 35 days

NHS pension

Incremental salary progression

Paid sick leave

NHS discounts

Job summary

NHS Lanarkshire is seeking an Infant Feeding Development Midwife to support breastfeeding initiation and continuation for pregnant and postnatal women. The role spans hospital, home, and community settings, mentoring volunteers and working with public health colleagues to improve infant health outcomes.

Applicants should hold SVQ III in Healthcare (or be studying) and have breastfeeding training. A driving licence is required for flexible, cross-site duties within Lanarkshire.

Qualifications

• SVQ III in Healthcare or working towards
• Breastfeeding training or willingness to undertake
• Experience of working with volunteers
• Experience of working with breastfeeding women
• A driving licence is required; full UK/EU/EEA licence, access to a car & ability to work flexible hours

Responsibilities

• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to support pregnant and breastfeeding women and families to promote initiation and continuation of breastfeeding
• Deliver high quality care in accordance with guidance and management direction
• Mentor volunteers ante and postnatally across hospital, community and home settings
• Work across hospital, home, community and clinic settings with other professionals and partner agencies

Skills

Experience with breastfeeding women

Experience with volunteers

Driving licence

Education

SVQ III in Healthcare or working towards

Breastfeeding training

Job description

About The Organisation

Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services.

We proudly serve a population of 655,000 across rural and urban communities in both North and South Lanarkshire. NHS Lanarkshire is comprised of Acute Services (which currently provide hospital based services over 3 main sites), Corporate & Property & Support Services, North and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships which provide integrated primary healthcare and social care services to local communities and surrounding areas.

The Role

• To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to support pregnant and breastfeeding women and their families throughout NHS Lanarkshire, to promote the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding, especially within the first six weeks following birth.
• The post holder will deliver high quality care in accordance with guidance given and work delegated by their management team.
• The post holder will mentor volunteers. This mentoring/support will take place ante and postnatally, in the hospital, community and at home, to empower women to breastfeed, therefore giving infants the best possible start in life.
• The post holder will work across several settings including the hospital, the family home, community and clinic settings, and work with other professionals and partner agencies e.g. public health nurses and health improvement staff.

The working pattern for this role is mainly days any 3 days out of 7, with occasional evening work

In this key role, you will:

• Assist in delivery of high quality care to meet women’s needs.
• Assist clinicians within a variety of clinical settings as required.
• Following appropriate training, the post holder will carry out tasks as delegated by a registered midwife.
• Support families by providing information and support with the initiation and sustainment of breastfeeding. This will include adherence to the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative best practice standards.

What You'll Bring:

• SVQ III in Healthcare or working towards or equivalent experience working in the role.
• Breastfeeding training or willingness to undertake
• Experience of working with volunteers or experience of volunteering.
• Experience of working with breastfeeding women
• A driving licence is required; this must be a full UK/EU/EEA licence, access to a car & ability to work flexible hours

What we Offer

As a valued employee of NHS Lanarkshire, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:

• Annual Leave - 35 days including public holidays
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Annual incremental salary progression
• Paid sick leave increasing with length of service
• NHS discounts and more.

NHS Lanarkshire is dedicated to building a diverse workforce where everyone can thrive, develop, and succeed based on their skills, knowledge, and talent - regardless of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or care experience* or any other dimension that can be used to differentiate people from one another.

*Care experienced applicants include those who have lived with foster parents, kinship carers, or in residential/secure children’s settings.

For informal discussion, please contact Anne Marie Bruce, Infant Feeding Development Midwife on [e-mail]

If you have any questions about the recruitment process or require support with your application, contact Jessica Murphy, Recruitment Administrator on [e-mail]