Delivery Suite Shift Coordinator

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Co-ordinate and manage midwifery care within the Delivery Suite/Antenatal Clinic/Community, work in partnership with colleagues and medical staff across the Directorate/Primary Care Trust. Also provide clinical leadership and develop standards to promote high quality practice.
• Ensure the provision of safe, effective and high quality care for all women maintaining continuity of care from referral/admission to transfer/discharge within the multidisciplinary framework.
• Evaluate clinical practice and its outcomes to sustain and improve the quality of care in all aspects of midwifery practice within Delivery Suite/Antenatal Clinic/ Community environments.
• Establish and maintain effective communication with individuals and groups about difficult or complex matters overcoming any problems in communication.
• Prioritise and delegate workload appropriately, assess performance, allocate, co-ordinate, monitor and assess the work of individuals/teams.
• Ensure effective management of the obstetric theatre and high dependency area within the Delivery Suite.
• Assess women’s health and well-being needs when those needs become complex and change within the workload/caseload.
• Manage own workload autonomously.
• Support the Matron Hospital/Community Services in the utilisation of physical and/or financial resources in the maintenance of the service within the post holder’s area of responsibility and in support of the Directorate.
• Develop and maintain midwifery knowledge and practice by attending and participating in Continuing Professional Development and influence the development of others.
• Teach in the clinical setting and participate in the in-service training programmes, study days and conferences.
• Influence and contribute to educational strategies, both within the Directorate/Community and across the Trust thus strengthening links with Salford University Midwifery Faculty.
• Responsible for recognising and responding to situations which requires immediate action within both hospital and community setting.
• Contribute to practice, education and development, act as a resource for the support and guidance of staff and represent corporate and Directorate level interests.
• Deputise for Matron Hospital/Community Services
• Liaise with Matron Hospital/Community Services to plan staff off duty rota negotiating with staff to ensure adequate staffing cover for the needs of the service across the Directorate for a 24 hour period. Provide and arrange on call cover as appropriate.
• Plan, implement and evaluate programmes of midwifery care for pregnant women/mothers and babies obtaining informed consent from the woman throughout the childbirth continuum.
• 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.
• Support Matron Hospital/Community Services and participate in the management and investigation of complaints and concerns identified within their area of responsibility.
• 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.
• Analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of any midwifery care and make the necessary modifications to meet the woman’s specific need giving professional advice and support as required.
• 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.
• Ability to assess and advise women in crisis situations and ensure their needs are met by the members of the team.
• Provide support and care for the woman, her baby and her family respecting their need for privacy and dignity.
• Be an authorised signatory when acting in the absence of Matron Hospital/Community Services.
• Ensure efficient and effective use of material resources/supplies within Delivery Suite/Antenatal Clinic/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.
• Ensure that staff for whom you are responsible have the opportunity to identify and use efficiently resources that are needed in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.
• Identify any problems with resource use/availability and make recommendations for corrective actions that are consistent with Delivery Suite/Antenatal Clinic/Community objectives and organisational policies.
• 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.
• Exercise effective managerial and clinical leadership.
• Perform comprehensive assessment of the daily workload/caseload, allocate and co-ordinate staff according to their knowledge and skills ensuring safe provision of midwifery care.
• Lead the appraisal process for themselves and others ensuring that personal development plans are consistent with their staff/team objectives.
• Communicate clearly with staff/team members and provide them with the opportunity to contribute to the planning and organisation of workload/caseload.
• Alert senior managers to resource issues which affect learning, development and performance.
• Identify, report and address poor performance issues.
• Diffuse challenging behaviour, ensuring that the situation is managed in a sensitive manner.Report any incidents/complaints or accidents to the Matron Hospital/Community Services and assist/support in the investigation and resolution of the same.
• Deal personally with women, families in order to aid resolution of complaints
• Responsible for the management of all nursing/midwifery staff in their area and contribute to the recruitment and selection process.
• Monitor and manage sickness absence of staff and provide effective support.
• 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 multi-disciplinary 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.
• Promote the nursing and midwifery strategy and encourage staff to be involved in achievement of standards.

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