Job Title : Labour Ward Co-ordinator
Location : Northampton NN1
Company : Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
Salary :
Open Date : 2023-04-03
Close Date : 2023-08-03

The post holder will have overall responsibility for the daily organisation, effective management and leadership of this busy clinical area. The successful candidate will also be responsible for ensuring positive patient experiences and managing the clinical teams to deliver an exemplary maternity service.

Act as an expert resource to assess and manage clinical situations by delegated responsibilities for the clinical area, on a shift by shift basis.Be responsible for the implementation and monitoring of assessment tools to ensure optimum safety and care.

To lead by example and empower staff in their personal and professional development to undertake a greater range of clinical skills to improve patient care.

Working closely with the Intrapartum Matron and multi-disciplinary team, be responsible for the monitoring and auditing of clinical standards of care within the Labour Ward.

To support staff in the acquisition of essential clinical skills.

To promote clinical competence in the practice setting and identify the individual and unique educational needs for learners and all staff working in the maternity unit.

To support the management of a defined group of staff

Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.

Our Excellence Values

Compassion

Accountability

Respect

Integrity

Courage

We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.

We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.

The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.

We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.

We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.

Demonstrate positive and supportive leadership and motivational skills in the coordination of staff as well as detailed knowledge of midwifery and contemporary maternity care

Develop and maintain a departmental culture which promotes an open and honest approach to professional decision making and problem solving

Report ward activity to the Operational Bleepholder in a timely way and use a collaborative approach to escalation

Lead specific delegated projects to improve the experience of women and their families.

Promote and maintain organisational and professional standards, ensuring that Trust and Directorate Policies and Guidelines are available, implemented and followed.

On a daily basis via their leadership role, employ professional behaviour that encourages and coaches their midwives to challenge their current competencies, whilst seeking opportunities to expand their roles.

Influence and nurture positive attitudes and behaviours within the ward area and wider multidisciplinary team

Demonstrate and promote excellent interpersonal skills promoting quality written, verbal and nonverbal communication styles

Ensure adequate staffing forward area, participate in monthly off duty for staff and identify and authorise bank shifts in the absence of the labour ward sister and within allocated budget.

Ensure staff are managed in line with current Trust HR policies and processes including appraisal

Facilitate Preceptorship and Mentorship programmes within the clinical settings by collaborative working with the Practice Development midwives and the wider multi-disciplinary team including the University of Northampton.

Clinical Care Responsibilities:
Promote awareness of Safeguarding issues, implementing the Trust Safeguarding policy

Act as a source of expert clinical and professional advice and support to colleagues in their care of women and their families

Liaise and work together with Obstetricians to ensure the provision of high-quality women centred care – ensuring the smooth running of labour ward.

Take action to ensure that all clinical risks and complaints are identified, reported within the clinical risk reporting framework and monitor outcomes, which include the investigation of incidents and complaints within the ward area and feedback to staff to ensure lessons are learnt.

Undertake relevant clinical practices in accordance with the Scope of Professional Practice

Proactively contribute to the development of care pathways and guidelines within the maternity service

Take all possible action to minimise clinical risk to women and their babies, utilising all available resources

Keep contemporaneous records of the woman and her baby and influence and develop recordkeeping skills amongst midwives and the wider multidisciplinary team

Act as an advocate for women, carers and staff to ensure their views are represented at all levels

Support with Infection Control / quality audits for the Labour Ward and report monthly to Intrapartum Matron via the Labour Ward Manager

As part of your development, assist on specified and agreed directorate and Trust wide Nurse/Midwife Development Projects.

Patient Experience and Safety:
Be ‘user-aware’ and deal at all times appropriately, i.e. professionally and politely, with all ‘users’ whether women, their relatives, carers, other members of staff or the general public, and ensure this is engendered within areas of responsibility

Liaise with senior/managerial staff to bring to their attention any problems identified.

Promote a blame free culture in reporting incidents and where appropriate initiating a local investigation in a timely manner.

Financial & physical resources:
Ensure effective use of resources

Ensure all equipment is in working order and undertake risk assessments as necessary; highlight adverse risks to the Labour Ward manager and Intrapartum Matron for escalation and inclusion as necessary in the Directorate Risk Register

Information resources:
Able to input information and have a working knowledge of the hospital information systems

Adhere to Trust information governance policies

Research & development:
Lead designated audit projects against midwifery standards of care

Assess effectiveness of practice against determined midwifery standards of care

Involvement in clinical audit and evaluation of practice within the clinical area

Demonstrate an ability to critically appraise research findings

Contribute ideas and undertake monitoring with regards to quality of women-centred care

Personal Skills:
Maintain personal CPD and Revalidation requirement

Take on delegated responsibilities conducive to service need and personal development

Participate in an annual individual performance process where objectives will be agreed, performance monitored and personal development needs discussed

Maintain an awareness of issues relating to midwifery on the national and local agenda

Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing

Co-ordinate the responsibilities, capabilities and workload of team members