Job summary
- Main area
- Maternity
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- Fixed term: 12 months (N/A)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 153-SP06382
- Employer
- University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Bournemouth Hospital
- Town
- Bournemouth
- Salary
- £57,528 - £64,750 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/07/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 30/07/2026
Employer heading
Named Midwife for Safeguarding
NHS AfC: Band 8a
As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.
We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.
In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.
We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.
We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.
At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.
As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.
We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.
Job overview
To take the lead and oversee safeguarding within the maternity service including those at risk from domestic abuse.
To take the lead and oversee pathways for maternal mental health within the maternity service.
Support all activities necessary to ensure that the organisation meets its responsibilities to safeguard children and young people.
At all times and in relation to the roles and responsibilities listed, work as a member of the Trust safeguarding team
To be responsible for independently leading and managing midwifery practice, using an advanced level of professional accountability, autonomy and judgement for highly complex decision-making across a range of safeguarding issues.
To work in an expert, independent, autonomous clinical practice role in Maternity care, and activities. The post-holder will use advanced assessment, diagnostic and decision-making skills and knowledge in assessing and managing complete safeguarding pathways of care for complex maternity patients
To act as an expert educational and advisory resource, proactively disseminating and sharing safeguarding and maternal mental health knowledge and advice for maternity patients and their families and all levels of staff within the Trust and externally, locally, regionally and nationally.
To take a strategic lead in the development of safeguarding services to enhance and improve patient care, using a broad range of complex activities, drawing on and utilising current evidence base.
Interview: 30th July
Main duties of the job
Exercises significant discretion in the delivery of this role, being guided by policies and procedures
and implementing appropriate action in order to achieve expected results. Proposes and
implements appropriate changes to policy/ service provision as consequence of interpretation of
local and/or national guidance/research findings
Works within broad occupational policies and seeks guidance from clinical colleagues and peers,
with particular reference to new and review patients. Proposes and implements appropriate
changes to policy or service provision as a consequence of interpretation of local and/or national
safeguarding guidance/research findings.
Maintains significant autonomy in the delivery of advanced level of child safeguarding practice,
and is responsible for his/her own actions, in accordance with professional body registration
(NMC)
Working for our organisation
UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.
If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
UHD has active networks including Women’s, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.
AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.
For UHD employees, this fixed-term post will be offered as a secondment in line with the Trust’s Secondment Policy. Please speak with your line manager before applying.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the Job description and personal specification for an in depth understanding of this role.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Holds a valid NMC registration
- Has completed a minimum of 24 hours of education, training and learning on Safeguarding Children in the last three-year period.
- Completion of a management programme with a focus on leadership and change management in Safeguarding Children or willingness to complete this within three years of taking up the post of Named Midwife.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Can demonstrate a minimum of 2 years worked experience a Senior Safeguarding Midwife at Band 7
- Can demonstrate the ability to manage and deliver to deadlines and within resources
- Can demonstrate the ability to analyse highly complex problems and to develop practical and workable solutions
- Can demonstrate the ability to collaborate constructively with internal and external partners to create the conditions for successful partnership working
- Can demonstrate experience of delegating workload, evaluating and monitoring progress
- Experience of using audit to improve patient care
- Can demonstrate involvement in standard setting and Clinical Governance (includes research, audit and quality improvement)
- Demonstrates an understanding of professional body registration requirements for practitioners.
- Demonstrates use of feedback and evaluation to improve teaching in safeguarding.
Technical Skills
Essential criteria
- Able to demonstrate problem solving and prioritising abilities at an advanced level
- To be competent to deal calmly and professionally with staff, patients, relatives and work colleagues in a confidential and sensitive manner
- Strong sense of commitment to openness, honesty and integrity in undertaking the role
- Has skills in communicating with patients of all ages and their families, can demonstrate experience in undertaking ‘Duty of Candour’ conversations
- Can demonstrate skills in writing complex clinical reports.
- Advanced keyboard skills
- Manual dexterity to complete advanced clinical skills
- Physical assessment skills at advanced level
- Ability to travel significant distances to strategic and professional conferences as required by the role.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Has expert specialist knowledge related to Safeguarding Children
- Can demonstrate knowledge of Professional, legal and ethical issues related to Safeguarding Children
- Can demonstrate an understanding of appropriate and effective training strategies to meet the competency development needs of different staff groups
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Demonstrates critical insight of personal limitations and an ability to participate in peer review.
- Ability to work flexible hours across 7 day service
- Flexible in their attitudes and behaviours to support team working and delivery of objectives
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lorraine Tonge
- Job title
- Director of Midwifery
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 019 2190
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