Job overview

The key purpose of this role, in the first 3 years, is to deliver the priorities of the NWL perinatal pelvic health service pilot which include:

• Embed evidence-based practice in antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care to prevent and mitigate pelvic floor dysfunction resulting from pregnancy and childbirth
• Improve the rate of identification of pelvic floor issue antenatally and postnatally
• Ensure timely access to NICE-recommended treatment for common pelvic health issues antenatally and postnatally

The post holder will be working as the lead midwifery practitioner responsible for the development and overseeing of high quality midwifery led interventions which aim to reduce anal sphincter damage, perineal injury and improve repair during childbirth. They will also be responsible for ensuring appropriate care pathways for those women who experience Pelvic Girdle Pain.

The post holder will work in partnership with the specialist physiotherapist within the Gynaecology outpatient areas and perineal clinic whilst supporting the overall perineal/pelvic health service. They will also be involved in teaching, training and audit to support ongoing innovative care for postnatal women.

Main duties of the job

• Receiving referrals
• Working as part of an MDT team to provide skilled assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of specialist care within defined guidelines and protocols
• Referring to other disciplines and agencies
• Ordering and interpreting relevant tests and investigations
• Providing expert advice and guidance to midwives, GPs, nurses & other disciplines
• Providing specialist training and education to own and other professions
• Setting and monitoring standards of care and treatment
• Participating in audit and research activity
• Disseminating good practice
• Providing skilled professional leadership
• Post-natal review of 3^rd/4^th degree Should the trust need you to perform endo-anal USS, they will provide training for this
• Post-natal review of perineal breakdowns and perineal wound care
• Post-natal pelvic floor assessments
• Counselling women for future mode of delivery and writing specialist perineal birth plans
• Being an OASI care bundle champion in the unit and teaching OASI care bundle on a rolling basis
• Provide intrapartum and post-partum bladder care
• Teaching at perineal suture study days
• Supporting urinary retention and women requiring trial of void on the wards and counselling them postnatal, bladder care teaching on the MoM's
• Yearly 3rd/4th degree tear audit and perineal breakdown rolling audit as well as presenting audit findings at governance meetings
• investigate the 3rd/4th degree tear DATIX
• Manage perineal clinic patients and referrals

Working for our organisation

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) cares for the people of Brent, Ealing, Harrow and beyond.

Our team of more than 8,200 clinical and support staff serve a diverse population of almost one million people.

We run major acute services at:

• Northwick Park Hospital: home to one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country. The hospital provides a full range of services including the country’s top-rated hyper-acute stroke unit and one of only three hyper-acute rehabilitation units in the UK
• St Mark’s Hospital: an internationally renowned specialist centre for bowel disease
• Ealing Hospital: a busy district general hospital providing a range of clinical services, as well as 24/7 emergency department and urgent care centre, and specialist care at Meadow House Hospice
• Central Middlesex Hospital: our planned care site, hosting a range of surgical and outpatient services and collocated with an urgent care centre.  

We are a university teaching NHS trust, in recognition of the important role we play in training clinicians of the future and bringing the benefits of research to the public.