Job summaryWe have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, motivated and passionate midwife to join our established senior leadership team at West Middlesex University Hospital as the Maternity Quality & Safety Lead Midwife.
The successful candidate will take the lead role in delivering the quality, governance and safety agendas across the maternity service by ensuring there is a robust governance framework in place to deliver on all aspects of safety and clinical quality agendas.
We are seeking an experienced midwife with a proven breadth of experience in all areas of midwifery as a leader with demonstrable success in quality improvement work alongside being a confident communicator; with excellent written and verbal skills.They will be empathetic by nature and a good listener. They will have strong analytical skills, with the ability to give balanced and measured responses. They will have the ability to identify themes and trends within data which warrant further investigation.
They will be able to support members of the maternity team at all levels with governance and risk management processes to include supporting with statements, investigations and potentially coroners inquests.
They will need to remain clinically visible and respected. This will be maintained with working clinically as required, and supporting the day to management of the unit.
Main duties of the jobThey will have lead responsibility for Clinical Governance, Safety and Quality Management to ensure full implementation of the risk management strategy which supports internal reporting and communication across the Trust and to external partners.
Responsible for leading improvements in quality standards across Maternity services, participating in National benchmarking and clinical validation as required.
They will be instrumental in monitoring and supporting risk issues and the reporting of risk within the department.
The successful candidate will promote and encourage risk and safety awareness across the area.
Using information and learning from incidents to be proactive in developing practice and ensuring the delivery of the highest standards of care provided within the service.
They will provide professional and managerial support to the Divisional management team in relation to clinical risk, complaints and quality standards.
About usChelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites--Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital--along with award-winning clinics across North West London.
Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children's services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.
We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.
We welcome applications for flexible working arrangements, accommodating requests where possible to support our staff and patient needs.
The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven't heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.
Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.DetailsDate posted: 25 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £66,274 to £73,496 a year
per annum incl. HCAS
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours
Reference number: 289-SC-462
Job locations: Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9NH, United Kingdom
Job responsibilities- To provide professional and managerial support to the Divisional Management team in relation to Complaints, Clinical safety and quality standards.
- The post holder will take responsibility for development and implementation of the maternity risk strategy ensuring that it complies with the Trust strategy and incorporates all required external influences.
- Support all elements of incident investigation under the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)
- Support all elements of the Perinatal Mortality Review tool in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.
- Provide guidance, support and leadership to all staff within the maternity service with regard to Risk Management and Clinical safety and Governance issues.
- Coordinate the day to day maternity risk management procedures including the accurate reporting of incidents onto the local incident reporting system and to ensure that the appropriate actions are taken in relation to any risks that are identified.
- To be responsible for ensuring incidents from the service are reported to the NPSA via the reporting system.
- To co-ordinate investigations and provide leadership and support for staff when patient safety incidents occur within maternity.
- To ensure that patient safety incidents are reported and investigated and that any subsequent action plans are implemented and monitored.
- Provide support to the rest of the Division if needed when they are undertaking patient safety incident investigations.
- To be able to debrief and support staff and families following traumatic cases or where practice has been reviewed.
- Undertake clinical risk assessments as required and ensure that these are discussed at the appropriate forum and then escalated onto the Divisional risk register if necessary.
- Collate safety related data and present it in a variety of formats and forums
- Coordinate safety meetings
- To lead implementing improvements in quality standards and direct the team to participate on National benchmarking and clinical validation.
- To provide professional advice and leadership to all staff and to ensure care standards are patient centered, evidence based and meet CQC requirements.
- Proactively take responsibility for monitoring effectiveness of maternity services against national and local reports into care quality and safety
- Take responsibility for co-ordination and completion of clinical audits across the service. Ensure learning and outcomes are disseminated across all areas
- Explore current practices to identify areas for development, planning the appropriate change using evidence based principles and evaluate the outcomes in line with the Trusts Governance Strategy, including submission to the risk register.
- To support the implementation of national policy documents.
- To act as a clinical role model promoting professional, competent standards, working closely with the multi-disciplinary team.
- To represent the Maternity Division on safety and clinical governance issues where required.
See full job description attachedPerson SpecificationEducation & QualificationsEssential- Active Midwifery registration
- Masters degree or evidence of continuing professional development towards accreditation
Desirable- A risk management qualification
ExperienceEssential- Comprehensive midwifery experience across all clinical areas alongside management level
- Understanding of the PSIRF, learning responses and report writing
- Formulating, implementing and closing comprehensive action plans
- Analysing data for trends and presenting/discussing at senior level
Desirable- Experience in change management/QI
- Line management/management of teams
- Working alongside relevant external agencies
- Presenting at/leading complex meetings with the MDT
Skills & KnowledgeEssential- Clear understanding of the national and local Healthcare agenda
- Good understanding of CNST/CQC maternity and general standards and their implementation
- Effective communication skills
- Negotiating and influencing skills
Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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 SponsorshipApplications 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 RegistrationApplicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer detailsEmployer name: Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9NH, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website
Employer contact detailsFor questions about the job, contact: Lead Midwife for QA, Governance and Compliance, Claire Durkan, claire.durkan@nhs.net, 07917336377
