About this role
Job summary Job overview
The Specialist Infant Feeding Practitioner (SIFP) will be providing leadership in infant feeding and specialist evidence-based support to families with more complex needs. They will lead delivery of the infant feeding remit and will be responsible for a service providing high quality infant feeding support to parents and carers, and regular training and advice to professionals As the Infant feeding specialist you will be working in partnership to deliver on the Start for Life and Family Hubs feeding workstream and responsible for providing evidence-based information to assist the client to make decisions regarding infant feeding
Main duties of the job The SIFP post holder must provide safe, competent and evidence-based care whilst demonstrating specialised knowledge and clinical expertise in breastfeeding and human -holder is a qualified and registered Health Visitor and Lactation Consultant with clinical credibility and influence to speak as an advocate for Baby Friendly Standards and on behalf of feeding parent/carers and infants, both within and beyond the organization with key partners to support and enable an increase in breastfeeding initiation and maintenance across the population.
About us
NELFT NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and community services for over 4.9 million people living in the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and across Essex.
We work to ensure our patients, their friends and family, feel confident that their health needs are well met. With an excellent reputation for research and development, our skilled health professionals are at the cutting edge of evidence-based innovation, opening up the possibilities for better ways of working and delivery of care.
Job description Job responsibilities
In Line with the Thurrock ‘Brighter Futures Children’s Partnership Strategy and the ‘Developing Well in Thurrock strategy to provide children and young people with the best start in life. This post is crucial to establishing a supportive culture towards infant feeding; this support enables parents/carers in Thurrock to make an informed choice about feeding their baby in a way that optimises nutrition and develops a close, and loving parent-child relationship.
This is a fixed term contract until 31st March 2029
As an integral member of the 0-19 Healthy Child Programme team, this post-holder will function within the Scope of Practice as defined by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) and follow the Standards of Practice as defined by their professional association (International Lactation Consultant Association), and adhere to their policies, procedures, and guidelines of care.
To act as an autonomous, practitioner who is legally and professionally accountable for own unsupervised actions guided by the professional code of conduct and Trust guidelines and protocols. Liaise and work in partnership with other agencies, statutory and voluntary, making referrals and consulting as necessary with the consent of clients and within the policies of the Trust. The post holder provides clinical intervention and support to the families with the most complex infant feeding needs. The post holder provides clinical supervision, infant feeding advice and guidance to clinicians across the infant feeding, health visiting and perinatal mental health teams who are working directly with the families Liaise and work in partnership with other agencies, including statutory and voluntary groups, making referrals and consulting (as necessary) with the consent of clients and within the policies of the Trust. The post holder reviews current evidence and maintains awareness of national and international research and best practice to ensure that clinicians are kept up to date and ensure SOPs are in line with the most credible evidence. The post holder has responsibility for writing and reviewing the SOPs and pathways. This role is responsible for developing and delivering a robust training programme to ensure clinicians can practice to the standard guidelines. The post holder assures quality through assessment of clinical competence in relation to infant feeding through 1:1 assessments and thorough clinical audit Starting with NELFT NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Goodmayes, Essex.
Probationary Period This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
High Cost Area Supplement – Fringe (Basildon, Thurrock, Brentwood, Harlow and Dartford only) This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,346 to a maximum of £2,270 p.a. pro rata for part time)
Working for Us Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Please see JD
Desirable
Please see JD
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.
Employer details Employer name NELFT North East London Foundation Trust
Address Grays Health Centre
Grays
Essex
RM17 5BY
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)