Head of Midwifery, Gynaecology and Sexual Health

Job overview

• The post holder will work in collaboration with an extensive multidisciplinary team within Maternity services, the Divisional Management and corporate team to provide professional Midwifery and Nursing leadership and support the Director of Midwifery with the strategic direction for the Midwifery & wider Women’s Services. They will work closely with the Clinical Director and Care Group Manager as part of the care group as well as in collaboration with the Divisional management team, leading on the design, development, and implementation of Maternity and other strategies

Main duties of the job

Purpose of the role:

To ensure safe and effective clinical practice.

• Provide direct line management to band 8a and designated band 7 nursing and midwifery senior team.

• Function as the visible designated clinical midwifery/nurse leader, set standards of care. and professionalism and promote teamwork within a multi-professional environment, demonstrating critical analysis and decision-making skills, operationally leading the delivery of a clinically excellent service, influencing & facilitating change within the service.

• Design a model of integrated maternity services in line with local and national recommendations.

• Harness a culture of excellence and drive in both performance and professionalism.

• Ensure National and local quality and environmental standards are achieved in the Maternity & Gynaecology and Sexual Health service.

• Ensure the maternity services are delivered within resources available, controlling and reviewing utilisation of the resources. Holding the managerial accountability for budgets delegated to other staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Participate in Trust investigation of complaints and serious untoward incidents.

• Actively contribute to the implementation of the healthcare governance agenda and ensure this is embedded into directorate business.

• Support the development of a Maternity research strategy in line with national policy and drivers.

• Support the Director of Midwifery to agree Maternity targets for the Trust and ensure Midwifery-led performance targets are achieved.

• Act in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and ensure own and team’s preparedness for revalidation.

• Have operational responsibility and be accountable for the delivery of the Trust and Divisions performance objectives.

• Assist in the development of the divisional annual business planning process as part of the Senior Divisional Management team.

• Ensure effective infection prevention systems are implemented within maternity services including monitoring of infection prevention and control policies and practices within the Care Group and wider Division.

• Promote a clean and safe environment for staff, patients, and visitors by ensuring compliance with legislation, policies and protocols including health and safety, healthcare associated infection prevention, clinical governance, including risk management and critical incident reporting and root cause analysis.

• Function as a change agent, developing clinically effective practice through the effective utilisation and integration of evidence-based practice, setting, implementing, and monitoring evidence-based standards of care, policies, procedures, and protocols.

• Ensure a culture of continuous quality improvement using research, audit, patient feedback, and reflection on practice by self and other members of the team.

• Ensure a high standard of record keeping in accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Council, Health and Care Professions Council, national legislation, and local standards.

• Facilitate effective communication with the multi-professional team.

• Assess the risks involved in the care of patients and ensure utilisation of practices and protocols to minimise those risks, including safe use of medical devices. To monitor the standards of care and take appropriate actions when standards fall below expected levels Ensure that the operational management and delivery of women’s services is maintained to an excellent standard.
• Managing a high quality, seamless midwifery services across the Trust’s acute and community settings, providing strong operational and professional leadership.
• Designing, implementing, and evaluating the Director of Midwifery’s long-term strategic plan for Maternity, Gynaecology and Sexual Health services for the Trust in line with national policies.
• Providing expert professional advice on Midwifery and Nursing issues
• Delivering agreed corporate schemes.
• Ensuring that a high-level performance is maintained within agreed parameters.

To enhance the patient’s experience

• Ensure that there are robust mechanisms for inclusive service user feedback that in line with Trust Patient Experience vision and strategy.

• Within sphere of care ensure effective and efficient patient journeys by planning, co-ordinating and monitoring the episodes of care including the smooth transition to other settings, promoting effective discharge and communication with interdisciplinary and interagency teams as required.

• Co-ordinate nursing/midwifery interventions, influence clinical decisions and monitor the quality of patient care provided through using expert clinical knowledge relevant. to own field of practice, underpinned by theory and experience.

• Within a multidisciplinary team environment, develop a culture of person-centred care.

• Be highly visible within the services, communicating regularly with patients, relatives and/or carers; promoting a caring environment where equality and diversity issues are respected, and patients are enabled to be partners in their care.

• Identify opportunities to develop care and services by ensuring that there are effective systems in place to ascertain patient and carer experience/feedback and ensure complaints are managed in line with organisational policy, including the dissemination of learning points.

• Ensure that everyone within sphere of care is treated with dignity and humanity, understanding individual needs, showing compassion and sensitivity, and provide care in a way that respects all people equally.

• Critically appraise and synthesise the outcomes of relevant research, evaluations and audits and apply the information when seeking to improve practice.

• To assist in the design and implementation of safeguarding policies for Maternity Gynaecology and Sexual Health services in collaboration with the safeguarding lead.

To professionally manage and lead midwives and nurses

• Provide Leadership to Nursing & Midwifery staff, influencing and motivating and redesigning seamless services to work across professional boundaries.

• Develop a training plan for Nursing & Midwifery workforce services to inform commissioning and in house provision.

• Ensure that mandatory training, specific Trust training and maternity specific training are maintained at the agreed target levels.

• Provide professional leadership to the Matrons and Midwifery Managers who are responsible for the day-to-day operational management of the Maternity and Gynaecology and Sexual Health service and its associated staff and budget.

• Professionally inform the direction of the Nursing & Midwifery team including the specialist practice for midwifery managers and specialist midwives

• Undertake Annual performance development reviews for Matron’s, Specialist Nurses & Midwives, ensuring each has clear service objectives and a personal development plan to optimise their potential and career progression.

• Lead on Trust investigations, disciplinary hearings as required.

• Ensure and monitor the provision of high standard of evidence-based Nursing &

Midwifery care within the Trust which is efficient and effective.

• Work with the Director of Midwifery the development of the future Professional agenda, informing the Nursing and Midwifery strategy.

• Implement an effective recruitment and retention strategy with the Director of Midwifery which provides the right level of resource to support service requirements.

• Function as a positive role model, creating a supportive ethos to empower staff to contribute to the delivery of excellent person-centred care.

• Lead by example, develop self and other staff, and influence the way care is given in a manner that is open and responds to individual needs.

• Create a learning environment that ensures effective learning opportunities for staff and students including appropriate orientation and induction programmes, a range of clinical support strategies (mentoring, coaching, clinical supervision, action learning and peer review). Plan, monitor and evaluate ongoing mandatory training and relevant education and development opportunities for the team.

To ensure continuous service improvement

• Lead on innovative development of new roles and practice within the Maternity and Gynaecology and Sexual Health service.

• Develop and implement transformational change in line with local and national policy which results in improved quality, experience, performance, and efficiency.

To ensure effective contribution to the delivery of the organisation’s objectives

• To represent the Trust and work with partner organisations developing a partnership approach in the best interest of patient care. Function as an ambassador for the Trust and deputise for the Director of Midwifery as required.

• Assist in the design of Trust strategies to ensure the professional view of Nursing and Midwifery is taken account of.

• Work in partnership with a range of clinicians and managers in the planning or development of own service promoting the involvement of patients/public.

• Seek opportunities for personal and team development supporting the research agenda of the organisation.

• Develop and maintain a working knowledge of local, national, and professional strategy and policy, ensuring that organisational goals are reflected in personal objectives and in ward/department development plans.