Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Prioritise their own workload and that of others, assess performance and provide clear, constructive feedback to team members.
• Monitor progress of work recognising changing priorities and implement corrective actions within own limits and inform the relevant people.
• Responsible for recognising and responding to situations which require immediate action in the hospital and community setting.
• Plan staff off duty rota where appropriate.
• Manage own workload autonomously.

• Participate in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating programmes of midwifery care relevant to women and the babies within their sphere of responsibility.

• Undertake midwifery care consistent with evidence-based practice, transferring and applying knowledge and skills to meet the needs of women and their families.

• Establish and maintain effective communication with women and their families.

• Obtain informed consent from women throughout the childbirth continuum.
• Utilise highly developed physical skills where appropriate and carry out all relevant forms of care including emergency obstetric interventions.
• Prioritise and develop programmes of care to reflect women’s health and wellbeing, related to need following risk assessment. This can include the provision of midwife led care.
• Analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of any midwifery care and make the necessary modifications to meet the woman’s specific needs.
• Monitor the effectiveness of care delivery and renegotiate the programmes of care where indicated to meet the needs of women and their families.

• Refer women/babies to other practitioners when needs and risks are outside their scope of practice or require specialist input.
• Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams to ensure that mothers and babies receive a high standard of care, co-ordinating and participating in case conferences as required.
• Support women and their families encouraging them to promote their own health and wellbeing and to express their interests and concerns.
• Provide support and care for the woman, her baby and her family respecting their need for privacy and dignity.
• Ensure efficient and effective use of material resources/supplies within delivery suite/ward/community.

• Monitor, control and store resources/supplies according to the requirements and specifications of the clinical environment.

• Responsible for the safe storage and transportation of all drugs and medical gases and comply with Medicines Legislation.

• Identify any problems with resource use/availability and make recommendations for corrective action.
• Be aware of resources and give high quality, cost effective care.
• Maintain accurate records of resource use.
• Assess and identify own development needs in relation to midwifery knowledge and skills required to meet the demands of the role. Take responsibility for their continuing professional development and performance whilst maintaining a personal development plan/portfolio in accordance with registration requirements.

• Make effective use of appropriate learning opportunities and apply the knowledge and skill gained to practice.

• Undertake annual mandatory training updates and other relevant courses in line with Trust and local policies.

• Act as a role model and support professional development of all students and junior staff.

• Act as a mentor and assessor to assigned learners, to teach and support them through their competency assessment programme.
• Lead a team and assume responsibility and control of ward/community management in the absence of the ward manager/band 7midwife.
• Participate in the appraisal process for themselves and others.
• Identify report and address poor performance issues.
• Diffuse challenging behavior, ensuring that the situation is managed in a sensitive manner.
• Report any incidents/complaints or accidents to the shift Co-Ordinator / Band 7 team midwife and assist/support in the investigation and resolution of the same.
• All midwives have a duty of care and a responsibility to protect and safeguard babies/children.

• Midwives must have an awareness of Child Protection procedures and who to contact within the Trust for further help and guidance.

Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – the post holder is required to fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.

• Take responsibility for professional updating by maintaining knowledge and skills in accordance with professional and educational requirements.
• Facilitate a supportive learning environment that enables all junior members of the team to develop.
• Act as a role model and mentor/preceptor to all grades of staff and student midwives in establishing a positive learning environment where staff can develop their full potential.
• Participate in developing and providing programmes of parent education for women and their families.
• Midwives are accountable for their own professional actions undertaking all duties having regard to the NMC “Code of Professional Conduct” for the nurse, midwife and health visitor and their professional contribution to clinical governance.