Safeguarding Midwife

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

·         Provide advice and support to acute and community maternity services across Oldham and Rochdale,

·         Provide safeguarding supervision to Midwives and maternity support staff, under direction from the Named Midwife for safeguarding and Specialist Midwife for safeguarding,

·         As part of personal development within this role, the post holder will become competent in supporting frontline staff on the application of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) with the supervision of the Named Midwife for safeguarding,

·         To assist in the delivery of safeguarding training to maternity services as part of the safeguarding training strategy,

·         Provide appropriate feedback and challenge to practitioners where necessary,

·         Support the Named midwife for safeguarding and the Specialist Midwife for safeguarding in investigations and responses to any complaint or investigations that may have a safeguarding element,

·         Support the Named Midwife for safeguarding to implement the safeguarding standards for Maternity services,

Communications and Relationships

·         Communicate a range of complex, sensitive and contentious topics to a range of professionals in varying situations,

·         Whilst seeking supervision, support and advice from the Named Midwife for safeguarding and Specialist midwife for safeguarding. Analyse complex situations and provide professional judgements as to a range of options, deciding on best courses of action to ensure the optimum outcome for families,

·         Be able to articulate to colleagues their role, remit and clinical professional accountability,

·         To establish and maintain communication with groups and individuals on complex and highly sensitive issues in a range of inter and intra agency settings on issues pertaining to safeguarding,

·         Inspire others and encourage them to seek advice and solutions to problems,

·         Challenge, promote and encourage others to take an active part in developing safeguarding knowledge, ideas and working practice,

·         Under direction from the Named Midwife for safeguarding, disseminate lessons learnt from Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews, Safeguarding Adult Reviews and Domestic homicide reviews and advise on the implementation of recommendations,

·         Challenge practice and take appropriate risks accepting joint responsibility for any arising problems and tensions and using these to inform future practice,

·         Promotes the safeguarding service and encourages the safeguarding team to disseminate good practice both internal and external to the Organisation,

Analytical and Judgmental Skills

·         Support with gathering, analysing and evaluating evidence in order to safeguard the unborn, children, young people and adults,

·         Participate in the formulation of professional reports and audits within the Trust and for multi-agency forums,

·         Support complex situations and provide professional judgements as to a range of options, deciding on best courses of action to ensure the optimum outcome for the individual involved,

·         Assist in the management of contentious and emotive information and provide advice on the management of sensitive cases,

·         Monitor the quality and quantity of the data and information taking the necessary actions to deal with any problems,

·         To collate and analyse the information obtained using the appropriate methods,

·         To synthesise the data and information and develop justifiable and realistic conclusions and recommendations,

Planning and Organisational Skills

·         To decide priorities for own work area, balancing other service related and professional demands, and ensure that these remain in accordance with those of the service as a whole,

·         Participate in the weekly duty system as directed by the Named Midwife for safeguarding,

·         To demonstrate a sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management and apply to work situation,

·         To attend staff meetings and participate in discussions concerning the running of the service,

·         Actively contribute to and support agreed developments and Northern Care Alliance objectives,

·         Participates with appropriate service developments and quality improvements within safeguarding,

Physical Skills

·         Demonstrate competency in standard computer skills including the use of a keyboard, access to and use of word documents, basic management of excel,

·         Ability to develop and amend word documents accurately on windows 7 and above,

·         Ability to develop and amend Excel spreadsheets accurately,

·         Competence with standard databases,

·         Access to email including sending, receiving, opening and adding attachments,

·         Manage IT equipment securely,

·         Manage paper records and follow Information Governance procedures competently,

·         Ability to drive or access and use public transport appropriately,

Responsibility for Patient Care

·         Ensure the delivery of a high quality, patient centred service that meets the needs of the patient, and the safeguarding agenda,

·         Engage and work effectively with patients and colleagues across health and social care to identify concerns about health and well-being and discuss approaches available in management strategies for patients identified with safeguarding issues,

·         Work in partnership with both external and internal stakeholders to incorporate prevention and management of Safeguarding into the planning, development, and evaluation of programmes for health promotion,

·         Monitor and evaluate the safeguarding landscape in health and well-being, taking appropriate action to distribute and develop safeguarding resources effectively,

·         Adopt a shared decision-making approach when obtaining consent whilst respecting individuals’ dignity, wishes and beliefs as far as possible recognising the importance of the Safeguarding requirements,

·         Follow a process of reasoning which demonstrates and enhances capacity for problem solving, critical analysis and critical decision making,

·         Interpret available information and make justifiable assessments,

·         Work in collaboration with all interested parties to improve and optimise outcomes for patients,

·         Support the empowerment of patients and their families (as appropriate) to exercise choice and influence decision-making ensuring appropriate training development and support exists across the organisation,

Responsibility for Policy/Service Development.

·         Follows safeguarding policies and procedures relevant to own role,

·         Contribute to the development, implementation and dissemination of organisational policies and procedures,

·         Encourage case discussion, reflective practice and the monitoring of trends at a local level,

Partnership Working

·         Building key relationships in and out of the team forging trusting professional relationships with staff in other teams and organisations

·         Promote good communication systems between multi-disciplinary and multi-agency teams in respect of safeguarding in midwifery service

·         Provide health advice, support and training to professionals from other disciplines on the safeguarding issues that impact the health and wellbeing of women and children relating to pregnancy and the newborn.

Equality and Diversity

·         To carry out the duties of the post in a way that support equality and values diversity. This responsibility includes your actions in relation to service users, carers, work colleagues, people in other organisations and members of the public,

Making Every Contact Count

·         Front line staff are in an ideal position to offer support and advice on how to improve health and wellbeing

·         Staff should use their interactions with the public to give them additional advice on health and wellbeing

·         Staff will be given training and support to help them to signpost people to other services which may improve their health and wellbeing

Code of Conduct

·         Professional staff that have a national Code of Conduct are expected to adhere to that Code and failure to do so could result in disciplinary action being taken. Staff who do not have a regulatory body are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and in line with the Trust values and polices are all time.