Clinical Lead Health Visitor: Infant Feeding

Whittington Health NHS Trust; Edgware; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Whittington Health NHS Trust is seeking a Health Visiting professional to lead infant feeding initiatives and support development of Barnet's infant feeding services. You will work with Early Years and health visiting teams to embed best practice and ensure a safe, effective universal health provision.

You will plan and deliver training, support audits, and contribute to the Baby Friendly Accreditation process, while advancing the Healthy Child Programme across Barnet.

Qualifications

• Develop evidence-based knowledge and act as expert resource for infant feeding.
• Plan, coordinate and deliver training programmes and workshops for health visiting staff.
• Lead on infant feeding strategy delivery in Barnet and collaborate with Early Years partners.
• Participate in Baby Friendly audits and quality improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate best practice in infant feeding and child development across teams.
• Provide infant feeding expertise to staff and partners.
• Work with colleagues to implement integrated protocols supporting the Infant Feeding Strategy.
• Lead audits, research projects and innovations following policy.

Skills

Lead change management

Excellent communication

Clinical skills

Antenatal knowledge

Transition to Parenthood

Infant feeding knowledge

Breastfeeding audit

Education

Degree or equivalent

NMC registration

UNICEF breastfeeding training

Job description

This exciting new post involves taking the lead in supporting the wider Health Visiting teams to deliver on one of the key objectives identified and agreed for the health visiting service in Barnet. The time dedicated to this role will vary but will include certain number of day(s) per week.This role supports the Infant Feeding Coordinator in the delivery of infant feeding services in Barnet, working towards increasing rates of initiation and continuation of breast feeding. This includes supporting audit and training in relation to maintaining and developing Barnet's Baby Friendly certificate of commitment with the aim of progressing to Level 1. The post holder will support developing and providing clinical expertise to staff, parents and health partners alongside the infant feeding coordinator. It also includes supporting and enhancing the delivery of the Barnet Healthy Child programme as part of an integrated service.The role is also responsible for the delivery of Universal Health Services to designated areas within Barnet. Reporting to the Team Leader/Locality Manager, they will support the development of the service and work with colleagues to ensure the delivery of a safe and effective universal health provision.The role is a fantastic development opportunity which will enable you to get involved to shape and deliver on the local strategy.We are interested in your aspirations and supporting your career development so come and find out more

Main duties of the job

• 1. To demonstrate a commitment to best practice in Infant Feeding and all aspects of child development and work with the Early Years Teams and other partners to embed best practice in Barnet, and Whittington Health as a whole.
• 2. To demonstrate and develop evidence-based knowledge, attitudes, and skills to be able to be an expert resource for the integrated teams, particularly in the area of Infant Feeding.
• 3. To assess local need and to plan, coordinate and deliver training programmes and workshops to health visiting staff, and others as appropriate, to promote best practice standards in all aspects of Infant Feeding.
• 4. To work with other specialist colleagues such as Early Years to develop integrated protocols which support the Infant Feeding Strategy.
• 5. To provide Infant Feeding expertise and support to Community Nursery Nurses, Health Visitors and other partners working with families.
• 6. To take a lead role in working with colleagues and partners to deliver on our Infant feeding Strategy.
• 7. To participate in planning, carrying out and evaluating audits, research projects and/or innovations following agreed policy and protocol, in particular those relating to the Baby Friendly Initiative.
• 8. To initiate and to take part in Quality Improvement projects using recognised methodology.,

Qualifications

• Health Visiting/Midwife/Registered Nurse Professional Qualification, with entry onto the 3rd part of the NMC Register
• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• UNICEF breastfeeding and relationship building training.

Desirable

• Excellent performance in UNICEF Audits
• Leadership modules (L6/7)
• UNICEF Train The Trainer facilitator and/ or additional training in infant feeding
• IBCLC qualification

Skills & Abilities Essential

• Willingness to lead and support management of change.
• Excellent communication skills: IT written and oral.
• High levels of clinical skills, with the ability to identify, respond to and evaluate health needs, including the delivery of public health programmes.
• Evidence of application of high levels of knowledge and skills relating to emotional and physical wellbeing during the antenatal period.
• Evidence of application of high levels of knowledge and skills relating to the issues and concerns experienced during the Transition to Parenthood.
• Evidence of high level of knowledges and skills in infant feeding specific such as baby brain development, infant feeding support, relationship building.

Desirable

• Experience in Breastfeeding Audit

Knowledge & Experience Essential

• Knowledge of UNICEF baby Friendly accreditation process, legislation, national and local guidance relating to infant feeding.
• Knowledge of how to structure and deliver a training programme at all staff levels.
• Knowledge of current legislation and national guidance relating to all aspects of the Healthy Child Programme.
• Knowledge on how to apply audit and Quality Improvement methodology.
• Knowledge and skills in managing change at an operational level.
• Knowledge and skills of co-production.
• Understanding of the safeguarding process and child protection procedures, clinical governance arrangements and the ability to make decisions in these areas.
• Ability to manage other members of staff and delegate work appropriately and safely., Ability to work as part of an integrated team working across organisational and professional boundaries.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Commitment to the development of excellent services, which focus on improved outcomes for children.
• Awareness of Equal Opportunities and valuing diversity.
• Ability to set personal and team objectives and manage time, priorities and stressful situations.
• Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trustbelieves that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.