Fetal Monitoring Specialist Midwife

NHS; England; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization is seeking a Fetal Monitoring Specialist Midwife to lead the implementation of fetal heart rate monitoring standards. This role involves developing educational programs for midwives and ensuring accurate practice in monitoring low-risk pregnancies. The ideal candidate will have a Registered Midwife qualification, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to improving patient outcomes. The position is vital for enhancing care quality in busy hospital settings across Bedfordshire.

Benefits

Access to high quality training and development

Commitment to equality and diversity

Qualifications

• Evidence of teaching and assessing experience.
• Evidence of ongoing further professional and personal development.
• In-depth knowledge of CTG interpretation, including intelligent intermittent auscultation.

Responsibilities

• Act as an advocate for women and their families.
• Lead and support the introduction of new initiatives related to fetal monitoring.
• Develop midwives competence in performing intermittent fetal heart auscultation.

Skills

Leadership skills

Effective written and verbal communication

Coaching approach to developing colleagues' knowledge and skills

Presentation and teaching skills

Report writing skills

Audit or research experience

Coaching experience/qualification

Education

Registered Midwife

Leadership course

Fetal monitoring masterclass attendance

Job description

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Fetal Monitoring Specialist Midwife

The closing date is 11 February 2026

To lead the implementation of the Stillbirth Care Bundle, improving standards of fetal heart rate monitoring, interpretation, escalation, and appropriate management of care, reporting directly to the Inpatient Matron.

To work collaboratively with maternity teams to develop and deliver a programme of clinically based education aimed at improving birth outcomes.

To enhance staff awareness of pathophysiological factors that may contribute to the misinterpretation of fetal heart rate patterns, applicable to both intermittent auscultation documented on the partogram and electronic fetal monitoring using cardiotocography (CTG).

To develop and extend midwives' competence in intermittent fetal heart auscultation when caring for low-risk women, ensuring accurate technique and meaningful documentation using a Pinard stethoscope or handheld Doppler (Sonicaid).

To support staff in strengthening fetal monitoring skills, with a focus on early risk identification, timely escalation, and reduction of avoidable harm within clinical practice.

To work closely with the senior midwifery team to promote and embed a positive safety culture, recognising the challenges of resource limitations and competing clinical priorities in relation to fetal monitoring.

Main duties of the job

Ensure all midwives and obstetricians providing antenatal and intrapartum care complete the Trust-approved CTG competency assessment package for physiological CTG monitoring.

Work in collaboration with the Education Team to provide enhanced teaching and additional support for staff required to repeat the competency assessment or identified through the risk management process as needing further support.

Support staff in clinical practice to consolidate and develop clinical skills related to fetal heart rate monitoring.

Develop, disseminate, and embed an "intelligent intermittent auscultation" training package and lead its delivery for midwives providing intrapartum care across all care settings.

Lead weekly CTG workshops, maintaining an electronic database to evidence attendance and ensure compliance with mandatory training requirements for midwifery and obstetric staff.

Disseminate learning and key themes identified through CTG workshops.

Organise and deliver monthly CTG masterclass.

About us

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Job responsibilities

Act as an advocate for women and their families, making appropriate referrals when necessary.

Promote normality while providing antenatal and intrapartum care that is evidence-based and delivered in an appropriate setting.

Liaise with multidisciplinary teams and external organisations to ensure effective, collaborative care.

Lead and support the introduction of new initiatives related to fetal monitoring, ensuring staff assess fetal well‑being in the context of the womans individual risk, including her health, pregnancy, gestation, and stage of labour.

Develop midwives competence in performing intermittent fetal heart auscultation for low-risk women in line with NICE guidelines.

Support staff in enhancing their clinical skills to reduce risk and improve patient safety.

Provide midwifery expertise and ensure all staff, including midwives and obstetricians in training, are supported in their practice.

Communicate sensitive and complex information effectively, supporting the womans care pathway.

Identify and refer women and babies at high risk to appropriate services.

Assist the Directorate Management Team in using information from all relevant sources to inform service improvement and enhance womens care.

Person Specification

See below for Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge, and Skills.

Qualifications

• Registered Midwife
• Evidence of teaching and assessing experience
• Evidence of ongoing further professional and personal development
• Leadership course
• Fetal monitoring masterclass attendance

Experience

• Suitable Post-Registration experience within relevant speciality at band 6 or above
• Extensive clinical experience in intrapartum area
• Previous experience in practice development and facilitating learning
• Audit and risk management experience

Knowledge

• In depth knowledge of CTG interpretation, including intelligent intermittent auscultation
• In depth knowledge of Fetal monitoring in relation to Saving Babies' Lives Care Bundle

Skills

• Leadership skills, effective written and verbal communication
• Coaching approach to developing colleagues' knowledge and skills
• Ability to manage own workload and delegate
• Presentation and teaching skills
• Report writing skills
• Leadership course/change management course
• Audit or research experience
• Coaching experience/qualification

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.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust