Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Infant Feeding  Team in Middlesbrough  0-19 Services in the role of Infant Feeding Coordinator.

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Public Health Nurse to work within the Infant Feeding Team to provide an enhanced service alongside our 0-19 Children’s Universal Service. The post holder will work in line with partnership agencies to develop an Infant Feeding strategy and be responsible for ensuring that processes are further developed to improve both initiation and duration of breastfeeding rates within the Middlesbrough population.

The Infant Feeding Co-ordinator is required to lead on promoting best practice through the maintenance of the Baby Friendly Initiative standards and on the development and provision of a multi-disciplinary education and training programme and to provide support for women and expert advice for colleagues on complex feeding issues. 

Ideally the post holder will be an International Board of Lactation Consultants Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).  

Main duties of the job

• Work to establish a Peer Support model within the service. They  offer a training and a competency framework to ensure Family Peer Supporters deliver advice and support in line with UNICEF Baby Friendly Guidance. The post holder will offer continuing supervision, support and guidance and co-ordinate this group of staff. 
• Work to plan and deliver the service training for all Health Visiting staff, alongside the Infant Feeding Lead and family hub staff. 
• Provide and receive highly complex or contentious information to staff or clients and specialist breastfeeding clinics, where persuasive, motivational, negotiating, training, empathic or re-assurance skills are required. This may be because agreement or cooperation is required with leading staff to facilitate the baby friendly accreditation or because there are barriers to understanding with clients in clinic. 

The successful candidate will: 

• be willing to work flexibly 
• work in partnership with the 0-19 Staff, Maternity Services and Family Hub staff to identify local needs, ensuring children and their families can access the same level of support 
• have access to regular restorative and safeguarding supervision sessions to support your practice 
• have experience in using electronic records and be able to be a mobile worker. 

Working for our organisation

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) cares for the population in Harrogate and the local area, as well as across North Yorkshire, Leeds and parts of the North East. 

At HDFT we provide outstanding care to both our patients and our staff and we value Kindness, Integrity, Teamwork and Equality. If you’re looking for an interesting and rewarding career in the NHS, where you can make a real difference to patients’ lives, HDFT could be the place for you! 

We offer colleagues:

• A supportive culture so colleagues can bring their whole selves to work.
• Staff Recognition - as well as regular appraisals, we recognise achievements with our Making a Difference & Team of the Month Awards, along with annual Colleague Recognition Awards.
• Employee Support and wellbeing – we offer a wide range of staff benefits including an Employee Assistance Programme, counselling service and a fast-track Physiotherapy service. 

Please note:

• Due to high levels of interest, posts may close early if we reach a sufficient number of applications
• Visa sponsorship is only available for certain roles. Please ensure the role you are interested in meets the criteria for a visa before submitting your application. 
• Please also be aware that the Trust does not offer relocation packages for Agenda for Change roles.