Job summary
The post holder will manage the diabetic service and staff within the team and work clinically where required providing care for diabetic/high risk women in liaison with the multidisciplinary team for diabetes care in pregnancy. The post holder will take responsibility to advise staff in the acute and primary care setting in relation to Diabetes and will be actively involved in client/family education, supporting midwives, obstetricians and GP's to provide on-going antenatal care and management and care planning for clients with diabetes in the intrapartum and postnatal period.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will ensure:

• Women receive sensitive, appropriate and individualised care based on the best available evidence and according to existing hospital policy.
• Ensure 'best practice' is disseminated to multi-disciplinary colleagues.
• Provide leadership, expertise and training to midwives, medical and support staff.
• Ensure the provision of a safe and high quality Diabetic midwifery service providing a comprehensive range of health education, psychological and social care advice to women in a hospital setting.
• To provide effective clinical and professional leadership to all midwives, support staff, students and the multidisciplinary team working within the diabetes service.
• Contribute to the multi-professional team in ensuring delivery of care to improve outcomes for women and their babies with diabetes.
• Be actively involved in the education of women, midwifery support and insulin management.
• Take responsibility for the management, education and care of diabetic women.
• Attend combined antenatal/diabetes clinic and act a resource for women and staff throughout the maternity services
• Provide education for other Midwives in all aspects of diabetes care during pregnancy, intra-partum and postnatal periods.
• Monitoring and evaluating of the diabetes service
• Work in collaboration with the Deputy Head and Head of Midwifery, lead Obstetrician and other key members of the team to ensure pathways of care reflect best practice and are women centred.

About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job

Job responsibilities

• Demonstrate organisational skills to manage area of responsibility effectively and efficiently.
• Provide visible clinical leadership and direct line management for all the maternity diabetic team including roster management, failsafe procedures and optimisation of clinical pathway delivery.
• Attends and participates in inter departmental meetings both clinical and non-clinical.
• Be aware of current research in diabetes care and aid in active participation where opportunity allows.
• Develop and deliver high quality training for the maternity workforce in line with core competency frameworks and local learning needs analysis
• Work in collaboration with the maternal medicine lead to support care and oversight of services for women with pre-existing diabetes
• Refer as appropriate any women to the multidisciplinary team, ensuring distinct roles and responsibilities within the workforce
• Assist with review and support of the women with diabetes in pregnancy in the clinical areas including intrapartum, inpatient and postnatal care.
• Work with the outpatient lead midwives and matron to provide leadership within the diabetic and antenatal clinics

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Midwife
• Midwifery Degree or equivalent
• Evidence of further study related to Diabetes
• Evidence of recent professional development

Desirable

• Diabetes qualification
• Non-medical prescriber

Experience
Essential

• Proven recent post registration practice and relevant competencies
• Proven experience of caring for women with diabetes in pregnancy
• Able to demonstrate knowledge of diabetes in pregnancy
• Evidence of working in a multi professional team
• Worked in all areas of maternity services

Desirable

• Clinical audit experience

Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of frameworks and guidance informing care in diabetes
• Aware of current issues in Midwifery and NHS as a whole
• Conversant with recommendations from National Enquiries and Statutory bodies.
• Knowledge of management responsibilities including roster management and HR processes

Desirable

• Risk management

Skills
Essential

• Excellent verbal and written skills
• Ability to communicate with all team members/staff/families
• Ability to communicate at all levels within the profession and other professionals on a range of complex and sensitive issues
• Teaching skills
• Leadership skills and excellent interpersonal skills
• Demonstrate effective time management skills
• Computer literate
• Training, presentation, facilitation and mentoring skills
• Excellent clinical skills

Personal Characteristics
Essential

• Committed to working within the organisation and achieving departmental goals
• Ability to achieve deadlines and work under pressure
• Adaptable and flexible
• Act as a role model
• Enthusiastic and motivated

Desirable

• Desire to pursue professional development

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Luton & Dunstable Hospital, Luton, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Deputy Head of Midwifery, Michelle Vaughan, michelle.vaughan@bedsft.nhs.uk