Specialist Midwife for Maternal Mental Health ServiceNHS
Job summary
The purpose of the post is to manage and provide expert specialist clinical practice for both outpatients and inpatients. The Clinical Midwife Specialist (CMS) acts as a keyworker for the patient. The CMS will lead in the use of evidence-based clinical practice in line with current research, guidelines and other available evidence. They will ensure that patients and their families are fully informed about their journey through the service. The CNS will liaise with other members of the multi-disciplinary team when required to ensure delivery of reliable high quality care.
Specific to the Role Working within a vision of "Becoming the Best" the Specialist Midwife for the Maternal Mental Health Service will provide expert clinical, educational and leadership to all maternity staff working with pregnant women who are experiencing mental health difficulties directly arising from or related to the maternity experience. The post holder will have a key role in developing and
maintaining high quality standards of care for women with mental health problems in pregnancy and the postnatal period, and their families. Have a high level of relevant expert knowledge and skills which you will use to manage, develop and lead care for pregnant and new mothers with psychological health needs.
Main duties of the job
- Work autonomously, providing an effective nurse-led service as needs dictate.
- Demonstrate comprehensive holistic assessment of patients utilising a variety of advanced clinical skills, while acting as a role model, in line with the Clinical Nurse Specialist role for the service.
- To assess and diagnose specific symptoms within scope of practice; advise medical and nursing staff and/or prescribe medications according to patients' requirements, writing a record in the medical notes and reassessing according to the individual patient needs. Provide an effective and accessible telephone advice service for patients and families and their carers.
- Promote and initiate innovations and change related to improvement of clinical services in relation to the speciality. Where relevant to role, undertake non-medical prescribing as appropriate to patient/client group.
- To continually review performance against Key Performance Indicators, proactively addressing areas of concern, in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team.
- Undertake advanced technical skills with appropriate training and specific to the clinical area. Collaborate in the development and monitoring of a job plan to ensure role and personal effectiveness.
Job description
- Work flexibly within the Specialist Midwifery team to support the engagement and retainment of the most vulnerable pregnant women experiencing mental illness in Maternity services, providing a seamless service that is responsive to womens needs.
- Work closely with women and their families to plan and coordinate their care based on their individual needs.
- Provide a link between the maternity service and maternal mental health services providing Psychological therapies services and Adult mental health services ensuring liaison and effective communication at all times.
- Ensure relevant pathways, policies and processes for women with or at risk of mental illness are developed, implemented and audited. This will involve working with a range of relevant professionals, services and agencies.
- Support colleagues through coordinating and providing training and guidance in maternal psychological mental health for keymaternity staff, to enable them to provide holistic care that optimises mental as well as physical health.
About us
Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).
We have four primary goals:
- high-quality care for all,
- being a great place to work,
- partnerships for impact, and
- research and education excellence
And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.
Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:
- we are compassionate,
- we are proud,
- we are inclusive, and
- we are one team
This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.