About this role
Job summary
The Fetal Wellbeing Practice Development Midwife is a key role within County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust Maternity Services, responsible for ensuring that all staff providing antepartum and intrapartum care are competent, confident, and skilled in fetal monitoring practice. The post holder will provide expert clinical leadership, education, and support to promote excellence in fetal surveillance and contribute to the delivery of safe, high-quality maternity care.
The role focuses on embedding learning into clinical practice through workplace-based education, coaching, and support for the multidisciplinary team across all maternity settings. Working alongside staff in the clinical environment, the post holder will enhance knowledge, build confidence in the interpretation of fetal monitoring, and support effective clinical decision-making to improve outcomes for women and babies.
Working collaboratively with senior clinical leaders, practice development teams, and patient safety and governance colleagues, the post holder will ensure that the knowledge and skills gained through fetal monitoring education programmes and competency frameworks are consistently translated into everyday practice. Through ongoing assessment, support, audit and quality improvement activities, the role will help foster a culture of continuous learning, accountability, and improvement.
Main duties of the job
The Fetal Monitoring Practice Development Midwife will provide expert clinical leadership, education and support to ensure all staff undertaking antepartum and intrapartum fetal monitoring are competent, confident, and able to deliver safe, evidence-based care. The post holder will work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams across all maternity settings to embed best practice in fetal surveillance, interpretation, and escalation.
The role will focus on workplace-based learning, coaching and competency assessment, supporting staff to translate knowledge gained through formal training into everyday clinical practice. This will include facilitating teaching sessions, delivering bedside support, promoting reflective learning, and providing targeted development where learning needs are identified.
Working closely with senior clinical leaders, practice development teams, patient safety and governance colleagues, the post holder will contribute to the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of fetal monitoring standards, competency frameworks, and quality improvement initiatives. The role will promote compliance with national guidance, including Elements 3 and 4 of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle (Version 3), and support the consistent application of risk assessment, fetal monitoring, and timely clinical escalation.
About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.
You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.
We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.
Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.
Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.
For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.
Please note that we may close any vacancy early once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Through audit, quality assurance, data analysis and continuous improvement activities, the post holder will help strengthen patient safety, reduce variation in practice and provide assurance that maternity staff maintain the skills and competence required to achieve the best possible outcomes for women and babies.
Person Specification
Special Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of fetal monitoring, wellbeing and surveillance
- Knowledge of the standards of professional practice
- Knowledge and understanding of relevant National Services Frameworks
- Knowledge of Trust guidelines and policies
- Knowledge of care pathways for women with complex health needs
- Awareness of current issues in midwifery
- Capable of lateral thinking
- Influencing and negotiation
- Skills in identifying and securing provision of training needs for the team
- Highly developed communication skills, written and verbal
- Delegation abilities and excellent time management skills
- Listening/counselling skills
- Well-developed problem solving and decision-making skills
- Flexibility/adaptability to meet the needs of the service
- Self-awareness
- Possess individual credibility
- Approachable
- Has strategic vision and demonstrates innovation in practice
- Ability to work under pressure, thinking and acting coherently and with respect for others
- Manage and identify stress in self and others
- Excellent written and verbal skills
- Ability to organise and prioritise own and other workloads
- Understanding of skills and knowledge required to lead and develop team members
- Resource management
- Ability to take the lead in the promotion of evidence-based practice
- Excellent IT skills, including Word, Excel, Power-point, and Outlook
Desirable
- Knowledge of Fetal Medicine
Statutory Registration
Essential
- Registered Midwife
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience post registration
- Experience of managing and leading a team
- Current issues on healthcare
- Experience of leading, motivation and supporting a team
- Experience of providing training
- Excellent presentation skills
- Experience of delegating workload and monitoring progress
- Evidence of managerial development
- Clinical audit and standard setting
- Experience of managing resources
- Service development and/or change management
- Experience of training staff
Desirable
- Service development and/or change management
Special Requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel between sites independently
Desirable
- Full UK Driving licence and access to a car.
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Midwife with current NMC registration.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
- Relevant post-registration training in Fetal Monitoring and Surveillance
Desirable
- Recognised management/leadership qualification masters degree or working towards
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
County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust
Hollyhurst Road
Darlington
County Durham
DL3 6HX
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)