About this role
Job summary
Band 8b | Job Share
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) is seeking an experienced and inspirational Consultant Midwife to provide expert leadership for physiological birth, public health and community-based maternity care.
This is a senior clinical leadership role for an autonomous expert practitioner who is passionate about promoting normality of care, reducing health inequalities and improving outcomes for women and babies across community and continuity pathways.
Main duties of the job
Main duties of the role
Working closely with the Director of Midwifery and the Midwifery Leadership Team, the postholder will:
Lead and champion physiological birth Provide senior clinical leadership for public health, prevention and early intervention Strengthen community maternity pathways and continuity of carer models Lead improvements in care and outcomes for vulnerable groups and safeguarding Drive research, innovation and evaluation within community maternity services The role combines a minimum of 50% expert clinical practice with professional leadership, consultancy, education and research through the four pillars of advanced practice.
About us
Here in Oxfordshire, we offer a unique set up of our Maternity Services with around 7500 babies born annually.
We have 4 stand-alone Midwifery-Led Birth units within the county. These are based at Banbury, Chipping Norton, Wantage and Wallingford and we also offer home births to all areas. There is also an integrated Midwifery-Led birth unit, where around 10% of women and birthing people choose to go in labour. As a tertiary hospital, the John Radcliffe is composed of a Delivery Suite with 3 Maternity Theatres and a specific Maternity Recovery Ward. We work closely with specialist services such as the Fetal and Maternal Medicine Unit, Breech Team, and Maternity Bereavement Teams. Midwives employed within the service have the opportunity to rotate to all our units/departments providing care to both low and high risk women.
For those working with us, we have a substantial support network for staff, focusing on wellbeing and development. This includes a team of professional Midwifery Advocates, Wellbeing Champions, staff networks and a staff Maternity Psychologist.We champion diversity and strive to ensure every member of our team feels included, valued, and has the confidence to speak up and be heard.
We genuinely believe that by supporting our staff to feel happy and offering support within their work environment, we ensure the best quality of care for the women and birthing people who access our services.
Job description Job responsibilities
Expert Clinical Practice.
To provide expert leadership for:
Physiological birth
Public health, prevention and early intervention
Care of vulnerable groups and safeguarding
Community pathways and continuity of carer
Research, innovation and evaluation in community maternity services
Physiological Birth:
Act as the Trusts senior midwifery expert in physiological birth.
Lead development and evaluation of models that promote safe, evidence-based physiological birth across settings.
Support staff and women to make informed choices, reducing unnecessary intervention where clinically appropriate.
Influence practice, pathways and environments that enable physiological labour and birth.
Public Health & Prevention:
Lead on public health priorities within maternity services, including smoking cessation, infant feeding, nutrition, perinatal mental health and early years prevention.
Work in partnership with public health teams, primary care and community services to address the wider determinants of health.
Champion prevention and early intervention approaches across the maternity pathway.
Vulnerable Groups & Safeguarding:
Provide expert leadership for maternity care of vulnerable groups, including those experiencing social complexity, safeguarding concerns or health inequalities.
Support high-quality, trauma-informed, inclusive care for women from underserved and marginalised communities.
Advise and support staff in complex safeguarding situations, promoting professional judgement and compassionate practice.
Community Pathways & Continuity of Carer:
Lead strategic development of community-based maternity pathways.
Provide clinical and strategic leadership for continuity of carer models, supporting team development, sustainability and quality.
Strengthen integration across community, primary care, voluntary sector and acute services.
Ensure community services are safe, equitable and responsive to population need.
Research, Innovation & Evaluation:
Lead and support research and innovation within community maternity services.
Translate evidence into practice, ensuring community pathways reflect best available evidence.
Encourage and support midwives to engage in audit, research and service evaluation.
Contribute to regional and national learning related to public health, continuity and physiological birth.
Please see the attached job description and personal specification for more information.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Registered Midwife Relevant Teaching Qualification Educated to Masters Level Accredited Management and Leadership Development and Training
Desirable
PhD or Professional Doctorate Evidence of Publications and Research
Experience Essential
Expert practitioner in all areas of midwifery Evidence of teaching in clinical and Unviersity setting Experience of developing and implementing policy Ability to teach complex midwifery to student and colleague groups
Desirable
Experience of implementing strategy Operational management experience or clinical background in provider environment Experience of working with academic institutions
Skills/Aptitude/Additional Essential
Able to demonstrate a broad but in-depth knowledge of health policy in relation to midwifery practice Understanding of the complextities of the current health and social care environment Negotiating skills and ability to resolve conflict
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 Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address Womens Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital
Headley Way
Oxford
OX3 9DU
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)