Head of Midwifery and Neonatal Services

NHS; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Great Western Hospital in Swindon is seeking a Head of Midwifery and Neonatal Services to provide strategic leadership across perinatal care, overseeing midwifery and neonatal services for a Trust with 3,800 births per year and a local neonatal unit.

The role focuses on delivering high standards of care, patient experience and safety, driving quality improvements, and working with regional partners to shape future maternity and neonatal services.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in midwifery or neonatal services.
• Evidence of project management or service improvement qualifications.
• Experience delivering clinical governance and quality improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational direction for midwifery and neonatal services and ensure high standards of care.
• Develop governance, safety, and patient experience systems and reporting.
• Provide deputising support for the Director of Midwifery and Neonatal Services as required.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Change management

Communication with senior managers

Education

Degree in Midwifery or Nursing

NMC Registered Practitioner

Masters level study in Health Related Subject

Job description

Go back Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Head of Midwifery and Neonatal Services

The closing date is 27 September 2026

Are you an experienced and passionate leader in perinatal services ready to take the next step in your career? Great Western Hospital is seeking a dynamic Head of Midwifery and Neonatal Services to provide operational leadership across our perinatal services.

With 3,800 births per year and an 18-cot Local Neonatal Unit, our service plays a vital role in delivering high-quality, safe, and compassionate care to families in Swindon and beyond. This role is crucial in supporting the Director of Midwifery and Neonatal Services, ensuring compliance with national strategy, and driving quality improvements. You will also work collaboratively with colleagues across the Bath, Swindon, and Wiltshire Maternity and Neonatal System, helping to shape the future of regional perinatal care.

If you're a strategic leader with a strong background in midwifery or neonatal services and a passion for service development, we'd love to hear from you.Join us and make a real impact on the future of maternity and neonatal care.

Main duties of the job

This is a senior leadership role in which the post holder will be responsible for operational direction and provision of management of midwifery and Neonatal services.

They will ensure delivery of consistently high standards of care, patient experience and satisfaction, and ensure that divisional and corporate objectives in relation to the workforce, service delivery, quality improvement, clinical quality, safety, and leadership are carried out.

The responsibility includes covering for board assurance and quality committee reports and presenting them in the absence of the DoMN.The post holder will develop, maintain, and provide assurance on clinical and operational governance systems and processes, CQC standards, clinical policies and procedures, clinical quality, health and safety, patient experience, complaint systems and resolution, incident reporting and resolution, contractual quality measures and safeguarding.

The post holder will act as a key member of the Divisional Management Team contributing fully to the development delivery and achievement of the group's objectives with the ability to deputise for the Directorof Midwifery and Neonatal Services as required.

The post holder will participate in a senior manager on call rota for maternity and neonatal services.

About us

We are proud to be part of BSW Hospitals Group - a formal partnership between Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. With a combined workforce of over 17, 600 colleagues, and budget of 1.6 billion the Group is united by a common purpose to deliver the best possible care to over 1 million people.

We are creating a health and care system that works with the people we care for, reducing the differences people currently face in access, experience and outcomes, improving the experience of our colleagues and tackling shared challenges like sustainability and finances. Every improvement we make across our Group will be guided by what creates the greatest benefit for our colleagues, our patients, our communities and our partners.

Job responsibilities

The post holder will assist the Director of Midwifery and Neonatal Services (DoMN) in the development of the professional midwifery and neonatal nursing agenda to achieve consistency of practice, high standards of care and innovation with a strong patient safety focus.

Please see attached the full Job Description

Qualifications

• Midwife or Nurse NMC Registered Practitioner
• Degree in Midwifery or Nursing
• Masters level study in a Health Related Subject (or working towards)
• Evidence of recent post registration continuous professional development/qualification
• Project Management/Service Improvement Qualification

Experience

• Significant experience in a senior midwifery or nursing position at Band 8a or above and currently working in a leadership role
• Experience of midwifery practice in hospital and community settings
• High degree of professional development
• Can demonstrate expertise in midwifery or nursing practice
• Experience in writing reports/presenting information internally/externally in a timely manner to a range of Senior Managers
• Demonstrable experience of leading change and problem solving in clinical settings, patient care and experience
• Experience of working on own initiative and as part of a team working with local and external terms, acting as an ambassador of a speciality
• Evidence and experience in delivering midwifery operational and strategic performance including strategic safe staffing and skill mix reviews, infection control, risk management, complaints, and adverse incidents across a range of services
• Experience in setting and achieving objectives/KPI's
• Previous publication of own work
• Previous experience of clinical research or audit
• Previous experience of working with pre and post registration students of multiple disciplines

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.

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£79,504 to £91,609 a yearPer annum, Pro Rata