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Job summary

Main area
Midwife
Grade
Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
344-4542COR
Employer
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Kent and Canterbury Hospital
Town
Canterbury
Salary
£57,528 - £64,750 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
02/10/2026 08:00

Employer heading

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust logo

Safe Staffing Lead Midwife

Band 8a

Job overview

This role sits within the Corporate Care Group and provides strategic and operational leadership for the Trust’s safer staffing agenda. The postholder will lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of systems and processes that ensure safe, effective and financially sustainable staffing across all areas of midwifery. Working closely with the Associate Director-Workforce Development and Education for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals and Deputy Chief, they will provide expert advice on safe staffing establishments, workforce planning, Birth Rate Plus and the configuration of HealthRoster templates in response to service pressures. 

Main duties of the job

The Safety Staffing Lead Midwife provides strategic and operational leadership for safe midwifery staffing across the Trust, ensuring compliance with workforce, skill mix, acuity and dependency standards. The role leads the monitoring and optimisation of staffing systems, including Healthroster and Birth Rate Plus, to support safe and effective workforce deployment, workforce planning and establishment reviews. Working closely with senior nursing, midwifery, workforce, HR and finance leaders, the post holder reviews staffing performance, develops and implements safe staffing policies and escalation processes, supports compliance with CQC staffing requirements, and drives continuous quality improvement. The role also provides expert advice on safer staffing, promotes best practice and innovation, ensures staff are appropriately trained in workforce planning tools, represents midwifery staffing issues at Trust level, and maintains a visible presence within clinical areas to address workforce challenges and support the delivery of safe, high-quality maternity care.

Working for our organisation

We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference’. We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called 'We care'. It's about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We're looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day.

Please note that if you require a Certificate of Sponsorship to work in the UK you must declare this on your application form, even if you currently have a certificate of sponsorship or a work permit for another role and are already working in the country. Please note we are only able to sponsor candidates for a Skilled Worker Visa for roles that are eligible at the time of application.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please scroll down to access the full Job Description and Person Specification located in ‘Documents to download’.

If you have further queries please don’t hesitate to contact the line manager using the contact details below

Person specification

Qualifications and training

Essential criteria
  • Evidence of Bachelor’s Degree (BSc) in Midwifery
  • Professional midwifery knowledge gained through a degree, enhanced by specialist training, experience and CPD to master’s level or equivalent.
  • Evidence of professional registration and NMC pin as applicable to role
Desirable criteria
  • Safe Staffing Fellow

Clinical skills & Experience

Essential criteria
  • Knowledge of national policy in relation to midwifery staffing. Ability to plan workforce and lead on both service delivery and development in response to evolving service needs
  • Proven ability to analyse complex problems and to develop and successfully implement practical and workable solutions to address them.
  • Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly.
Desirable criteria
  • Ability to lead on and manage investigations / complaints

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardThe Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion is the leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion in the workplace.Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerThe Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei) is the UK's leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion issues in the workplace.Prince's Trust - Proud to support the Prince's trust - Youth can do itStep into healthHappy to Talk Flexible WorkingArmed Forces Covenant

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.

Application numbers

To help us manage recruitment effectively, we use an application limit and we will close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications and the limit is met. If you are interested in joining us, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Ian Setchfield
Job title
Associate Director - WDET NMAHP
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07580331521
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