Practice Development Lead Midwife

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Plymouth seeks a Practice Development Midwife to lead the maternity education team and ensure excellent patient care. The role includes supporting clinical midwives, developing training programs, and maintaining high-quality standards in line with national directives. Ideal candidates will be Registered Midwives with proven experience in midwifery, effective communication skills, and leadership capabilities. Join a team dedicated to quality improvement and professional development.

Qualifications

• Must have good understanding of national directives and Governance aspects.
• Demonstrable experience of staff development.
• Proven ability to work in all clinical areas effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the maternity education team.
• Ensure mandatory training for all staff.
• Support staff with their professional development.

Skills

Clinical midwifery experience

Risk Management understanding

Effective influencing skills

Good communication skills

Education

Registered Midwife

1st degree level education

Postgraduate certificate or equivalent

Job description

The Maternity Department at University Hospitals Plymouth is seeking a Practice Development Midwife to join our dynamic senior midwifery team. We provide care for approximately 3800 women and babies per year and are proud to be part of the largest teaching hospital in the South West.

As Practice Development Midwife, you will play a key role in ensuring that all members of our multidisciplinary team are supported to provide excellent standards of care through a framework of training and education which supports continuing professional development.

As a kind and approachable clinical midwifery expert, the Practice Development Midwife will lead by example and be widely accessible to support staff with their training and educational needs. You will also work closely with the Clinical Governance Team to ensure that our maternity workforce is providing high quality, evidence based care which is in line with national policies to improve outcomes for mothers and babies. The post holder will take an active responsibility for supporting training compliance outlined in the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts, Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle and the Core Competency Framework.

Interested? Please call Clara Southby, Maternity Matron [e-mail] or Charlotte Roche, Consultant Midwife [e-mail]. We encourage informal discussion prior to application.

Main duties of the job

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

The successful candidate will work in partnership with the multidisciplinary team, including the clinical governance team, labour ward leads, medical staff, matrons, and the Consultant Midwife to foster an environment of continuous quality improvement and professional development. The post holder will ensure the delivery of care is regularly reviewed in line with emerging evidence and that service improvements are regularly embedded into practice to improve quality and safety.

The post holder will also provide senior leadership and support for midwives in clinical practice and feel confident to challenge practice calmly and sensitively and develop individual learning plans to improve clinical performance. Consequently, it is envisaged that up to 50% of this role will be spent in the clinical area, working alongside midwifery staff to provide support and training.

About us

We are a people business where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, committed to leadership, innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care.

We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams.

Job responsibilities

Responsible for leading and co‑ordinating the maternity education team.

Professional support and line management of Band 5 preceptee midwives.

Ensures that all staff have necessary mandatory training in relation to all equipment used.

Ensure own and others professional/educational/training needs are identified and maintains own mandatory and professional updating to maintain clinical and professional credibility.

Undertakes an annual Training Needs Analysis.

Make sure that the recruitment, induction and management of staff are in accordance with the Trust’s Human Resources Policies and departmental requirements. Develop induction programmes for new staff.

Maintain communication with university educationalists ensuring their involvement in in‑service education programmes.

Ability to work in all clinical areas supporting and training midwives in practice, promoting and developing midwifery skills to facilitate clinical practice.

Willing to provide day and night time clinical escalation cover as part of an on‑call rota.

Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary clinical practice and introduce changes to practice where this is proven to be beneficial and evidence based.

For further details please see the attached JD & PS.

Person Specification

Knowledge & Experience

• oWell‑rounded demonstrable clinical midwifery experience
• oGood understanding of Risk Management and Complaints procedures
• oUp to date with the NHS Agenda, national directives and all Governance aspects
• oDemonstrable experience of staff development and performance management
• oIV cannulation

Qualifications

• oRegistered Midwife
• oProven evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
• oEducated to a minimum of 1st degree level/able to demonstrate evidence that is working at degree level/commenced degree pathway
• oDocumented evidence of continued appropriate studies.
• oFurther relevant development to postgraduate certificate or equivalent.
• oMust be capable of carrying out physical activities required for the job.
• oGood communication skills, written and verbal, with ability to demonstrate fluency, clarity and effectiveness at all levels.
• oEffective influencing skills: in general and with senior health care professionals.
• oDemonstrable experience of involvement in successful change management
• oProven ability to present complex and sensitive information to service users and staff at all levels

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.