Lead Midwife - Midwife Led Birthing Unit

NHS; Basildon; On-site; GBP 48,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Basildon is seeking an experienced Lead Midwife for their Midwife Led Birthing Unit. In this pivotal role, you will lead the delivery of maternity services, ensuring high standards of care and effective team management. Ideal candidates will possess strong leadership skills, hold a Bsc (Hons) Midwifery, and have at least 3 years of clinical practice experience. This role offers a competitive salary of £47,810 per year with opportunities for personal development.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years post-registration clinical practice required.
• Current knowledge of national initiatives impacting maternity services.
• Evidence of experience in a developmental leadership role.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of the Midwife led birthing unit.
• Ensure safe and evidence-based maternity care.
• Work with management to promote a positive workplace culture.

Skills

Excellent leadership skills

Team collaboration

Evidence-based care

Education

Bsc (Hons) Midwifery or equivalent

Registered practising midwife

Post registration study

Job description

Go back Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Lead Midwife - Midwife Led Birthing Unit

The closing date is 09 December 2025

Here at MSE our Maternity Services have undergone some exciting and innovative changes in recent years, if you are an experienced Midwife looking for your next step into a leadership role, we would love you to join us and help us deliver our ongoing programme for improvement.

We want to hear from you if you're an effective team player, leader and builder who leads by example to bring out the best in the team and ensure our core values - Excellent, Compassionate and Respectful - are a driving force in the care delivered.

If successful, you will take responsibility for the shift management and clinical leadership of the midwifery services on Labour Ward ensuring high standards of maternity care through effective management of staff by leading the team, organising others in their actions and setting priorities.

You will liaise with and collaborate with other areas of the department to ensure a seamless service that provides woman/pregnant person-centred care. The post holder will provide strong leadership support to the Maternity Matron / Head of Midwifery, and will demonstrate expert clinical skills, providing advice to staff and colleagues.

So, if this sounds like the right role for you, please apply today.

Main duties of the job

Through strong leadership and continuing development of own skills and knowledge you will:

• Focus on the day to day running operational management and leadership of staff and services provided in the Midwife led birthing unit
• Act as a role model, leading with a high example of professionalism and compassion
• Promote safe, evidence based care
• Develop and publish auditable standards to demonstrate service compliance with current best practice
• Provide clinical and professional leadership by demonstrating excellence in clinical practice and by participating in direct midwifery care
• Undertake roll of Duty Manager / SMOC (senior manager on call) and work day, night and weekend shifts as required to meet the needs of the service.

About us

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust

Job responsibilities

For full details of this rewarding role, where you will have the opportunity to help innovate and drive positive change in our maternity services, please see attached job description. But some responsibilities will see you working in partnership with the senior midwifery and management teams to:

• Develop systems and processes to improve and develop support, communication and a positive culture within the service
• Explore ways to further develop the integration of services to meet the continuity of carer agenda
• Promote inter‑professional and multidisciplinary working to ensure care pathways and service developments are established to provide women centred care and optimise outcomes
• Undertake the role of Lead Midwife for the Maternity unit out of hours (Senior Midwife on Call)

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Bsc (Hons) Midwifery or equivalent
• Registered practising midwife
• Post registration study

Knowledge & Experience

• A Minimum of 3 years post registration clinical practice
• Current knowledge of national initiatives directly impacting on Directorate specialties
• Excellent leadership skills
• Evidence of working in a developmental leadership role

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.

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

£47,810 a year Per Annum (Pro rata for part time)