Matron Maternity Acute

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust; Wolsingham; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Matron for Acute Maternity Services to provide strategic, clinical and professional leadership across the acute maternity network. The post holder will work with the Director and Heads of Midwifery to ensure safe, high-quality, woman-centred care aligned to national priorities.

The role emphasizes clinical governance, staff development, performance management and transformation initiatives, fostering a culture of safety, inclusion

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic, clinical and operational leadership across acute maternity services.
• Drive quality improvement and robust governance.
• Oversee service performance, workforce planning, patient experience and risk management.

Job description

The Matron Acute Maternity Services is a senior leadership role within County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, responsible for providing strategic, clinical, operational and professional leadership across acute maternity services. The post holder works closely with the Director and Heads of Midwifery, multidisciplinary teams and external stakeholders to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, high-quality, woman-centred care that aligns with local and national maternity priorities.

The role is accountable for maintaining clinical standards, driving quality improvement, embedding robust governance processes and ensuring compliance with national guidance, Trust policies and regulatory requirements. The Matron provides visible and accessible leadership, supporting and developing staff to achieve their full potential while fostering a culture of safety, compassion, accountability and continuous improvement. The post holder oversees service performance, workforce planning, patient experience, financial management, risk management and service transformation initiatives across maternity services. A key aspect of the role is strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration, promoting evidence-based practice, leading clinical governance activity and ensuring the delivery of excellent outcomes for women, babies and families. The Matron also acts as a professional role model, maintaining clinical credibility and supporting the organisation's strategic vision.

The Matron Acute Maternity Services will provide professional, clinical and operational leadership across acute maternity services, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and compassionate care for women, babies and families. The post holder will lead and support multidisciplinary teams, promote high standards of clinical practice, and ensure compliance with national standards, Trust policies and regulatory requirements. They will oversee service performance, workforce planning, patient experience, risk management and clinical governance activities, using data and audit findings to drive continuous quality improvement. The Matron will work collaboratively with senior leaders, clinicians and partner organisations to support service development and transformation, ensuring that maternity services are responsive, sustainable and focused on achieving excellent outcomes. The role also includes managing resources effectively, supporting staff wellbeing and development, leading investigations and learning from incidents, and acting as a visible role model who promotes a positive culture of safety, accountability, inclusion and excellence across the maternity workforce.

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.