Community Maternity Support Worker (Community Midwifery)
Come and join our team in this exciting time of change as we pride ourselves, our staff and our services on excellence.
At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is “Working together to provide outstanding care for our community.”
We are Compassionate in our thoughts, words and actions
We are Aspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate
We are Resourceful and responsible in the way we work and live
We are Excellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice
Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don’t you come and join us. We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.
Diversity is what makes us interesting… Inclusion is what will make us outstanding.
Inequality exists and the journey to eliminate it is not easy. Every step we take will be a purposeful step forward to deliver a truly inclusive culture where all our people are enabled to deliver outstanding care, where background is no barrier, and where everyone can be their authentic self and we truly represent our patient community.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where possible. All applicants who have a disability and meet the minimum criteria for the post can opt for a guaranteed interview.
If you need additional help with your application please get in touch by calling the recruitment team on 0118 322 6997 or 0118 322 5342.
Our primary method of communication will be via email. However, if you would prefer to be contacted through a different method, please inform the recruitment team.
Job overview
An opportunity has become available for an experienced health care assistant to work within our community midwifery team. The maternity support worker will be providing care to women and their families in their own homes in the postnatal period and supporting community midwives providing antenatal care.This is a great development opportunity for band 2 support workers to gain some extra experience.
Good communication skills are essential and also a willingness to embrace change and be passionate about offering a good quality service supporting women in their choices.
Candidates should have recent/current experience in healthcare at band 2 or above . Completion of Trust's band 2 Care Competencies (Care Certificate) or equivalent level of competence is required for this role.
It essential as part of the role to be a car owner and have a full drivers licence.
The role includes on call duties, it is essential that candidates are able to commit to on calls.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide support to a maternity team, mothers and their families. He / She will carry out assigned tasks involving direct care including information giving, guidance and reassurance, assistance and support to women and their families to improve the quality of care as planned by the midwife.Candidates will be required to work on calls to support the service and provide care to women/birthing people. The post holder will be expected to supervise and guide less experienced staff.
Working for our organisation
The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is the main provider of hospital services for the population of Reading, Newbury, Wokingham and the towns and villages of West Berkshire.
At our heart we are a local hospital that works with NHS and social care partners to provide excellent healthcare services for over 500,000 people who currently live in our catchment area. We also provide specialist hospital services beyond the county’s borders.
We employ more than 5,500 staff from 39 different nationalities and deliver care from a network of facilities across sites in Bracknell, Henley-on-Thames, Reading, Thatcham and Windsor.
Each year we are responsible for efficiently and effectively spending more than £400m of NHS resources on the services we provide.
As a founder member of the Berkshire West Integrated Care System, we are one of NHS England’s demonstrator sites for integration between primary, community, mental health and acute healthcare services.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Health Care Support Worker should complete the Care Certificate providing that care has been assessed against a specific set of standards and has demonstrated that they have the skills, knowledge and behaviours to ensure they provide compassionate and high quality care and support (HEE, Skills for Health & Skills for Care, 2015).
Provide support for women with infant feeding including breast feeding. Provide advice and recognise correct attachment. Teach mothers how to hand express breast milk. Support women experiencing difficulties. Provide support for women/birth people with formula feeding including how to prepare formula feeds.
To be able to achieve the competencies in relation to supporting the midwives support women/birth people in the birth process as described in the development passport for band 3 maternity support worker
Assists in the monitoring and maintenance of the health, safety and security of self and others in work area. The post holder must ensure that he/ she works within risk management/ occupational health legislation and Trust procedures for safe working practices.
Demonstrates a commitment to continued personal development. Works towards completion of Trust’s Maternity Care Assistant Competency Framework within an appropriate timescale.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Completion of trusts band 2 Care Competencies (Care Certificate) or equivalent level of competence
- NVQ level 3 in promoting care or promoting independence
Experience
Essential criteria- Experience as an HCA/MCA in a community or hospital setting
- Flexible working opportunities and a strong emphasis on your work, life balance
- Annual leave – 27 days for new starters, plus bank holidays. Increasing to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years NHS service. Pro rata for part time staff
- NHS pension scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Money Advice Service
- Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave for eligible staff
- On-site nursery (based at RBH)
- Full educational library services
- Cycle to work scheme, lockable storage for cycles
- Bus to work scheme
- Excellent rail and bus links
- A huge range of Health Service Discounts at hundreds of big brands from holidays to gadgets and restaurants to retail.
After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third party recruitment system (TRAC). All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, that as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website.
By applying for this post you are agreeing to Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
Appointment to any position is conditional on the satisfactory completion of the core NHS Employment Checks Standards. Information disclosed in your application will be checked and any offer of appointment may be withdrawn if you knowingly withhold information or provide false or misleading information.All new appointments to the Trust, with the exception of executive positions, are subject to a 6 month probationary period.
The Trust may close any vacancy prior to the advertised closing date due to the high level of responses we receive for some of our vacancies.
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is committed to improving the health of its staff, patients and the wider community by providing a smoke free environment. A smoke free policy is in operation and smoking is not permitted on any of the Trust’s sites.
The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults.