About this role
Job summary
The Maternity Link Support Worker (MLSW) will support the Birmingham and Solihull Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) to improve outcomes for pregnant women from ethnic minority communities. Working with Community Midwifery Teams, Continuity of Carer teams, and community organisations, the post holder will support the delivery of key maternity initiatives, including Continuity of Carer, the Saving Babies' Lives Care Bundle, and Personalised Care and Support Plans.
The MLSW will provide person-centred support to women and their families throughout pregnancy, promoting health and wellbeing, encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, and signposting to appropriate services. The role will involve working proactively with women and their households to ensure maternity care is accessible, inclusive, and responsive to individual needs.
The post holder will deliver health messages through community engagement, outreach activities, and a range of communication methods to improve access to care and maternity outcomes. They will act as an advocate for women and families, build trusted relationships, support informed decision-making, and ensure the views of diverse communities are represented in service development.
As part of the LMNS, the MLSW will contribute to the delivery of the National Maternity Improvement Programme and the recommendations of Better Births, helping to provide safer, personalised, and equitable maternity care across Birmingham and Solihull.
Main duties of the job
You will have responsibility for managing a caseload, dealing with referrals, signposting, or referring people to specialist services, connecting people with community services to sustain seamless maternity care, providing continuity for their maternity health care and wellbeing needs.
Your role involves working with people who might be experiencing issues with access to services connected to complex issues, so you will need good listening and communication skills and be able to build effective partnerships with a wide range of organisations and community groups. Being proactive forming a network with other maternity co-Link Workers and primary care network Link Workers to navigate the woman to the right help/ service.
The MLSW will be required to manage their time effectively to meet the needs of the women and their families in addition to service needs as required across the LMNS.
The job outline highlights the main areas of responsibilities for the post but is not exhaustive. It is expected that in line with the development of the LMNS and the role, additional responsibilities that are commensurate to the role will be added to this role outline, to reflect the changing environment of the LMNS and maternity care system.
About us
Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust is the first of its type in the UK. Our Trust was formed in February 2017 to drive forward our commitment to provide the highest quality, world-class care for our women, children and families. Uniting our hospitals means more seamless care; more investment to make greater advances in our specialist treatment and world-leading neo-natal and fetal work. Importantly, it also gives us a greater voice in shaping the future of family-centered care.
Birmingham Children's Hospital is a UK leading specialist paediatric centre with an international reputation in several areas.
Birmingham Women's Hospital is one of two dedicated women's hospitals in the UK, with the busiest single site maternity unit, delivering more than 8,200 babies a year offering a full range of gynaecological, maternity and neonatal care.
Our Trust is committed to creating the best place to work. We believe in promoting and enhancing inclusion, diversity and equality and encourage applications from all areas of the community, who meet the criteria for the role, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification to view the full details for this opportunity at Birmingham Womens and Childrens NHS Foundation Trust.
When completing your application, please ensure you have evidenced how you meet the job description and person specification to include transferable experience, qualifications, skills along with professional registration details (if applicable).
Occasionally we receive a large number of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 in Health care or equivalent
- Key Skills - literacy/numeracy
Desirable
- GCSE pass in English Language or equivalent
- Trained in Making Every Contact Count and Motivational Interviewing
- Level 3 Certificate in Community Interpreting or equivalent
- Level 3 Award in British Sign Language or equivalent
KNOWLEDGE & NATURE OF EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Able to demonstrate an understanding of health outcomes for women/birthing people with neurodiversity during pregnancy
- Healthy lifestyle/behavioural change experience
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Desirable
- Experience of providing support to women/birthing people with neurodiversity aligned to their social needs
- Experience working with pregnant women
- Previous experience in healthcare in the NHS
- Baby friendly standards training certificate
- Audit skills
- Evidence of working with vulnerable patients requiring specialist support
PROFESSIONAL / MANAGERIAL / SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Excellent and accurate data entry skills
Desirable
- Experience of BadgerNet or patient records management system
- European Computer Driving License certification, or equivalent
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Address
BSOL LMNS Programme Management Office
90 Vincent Drive
Birmingham
B15 2SQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://bwc.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)