Job overview

To work as part of the lead midwife team providing expertise to all staff in maternity services in all areas of safeguarding children for Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust and to lead the safeguarding team.
To be a part of the midwifery management on call rota, providing operational and where required, practical support, to ensure safe delivery of services.
Support the Director of Midwifery in providing leadership in the development of safeguarding services across Epsom and St. Helier Trust maternity services, including the community midwifery services in line with local and national guidance.
To work collaboratively with the Trust safeguarding team to ensure good communication for vulnerable families.
To implement Safeguarding / Child Protection training for staff Trust wide and those involved in maternity care, with a specific remit to ensure that all maternity staff are adequately trained and supported.
To work with safeguarding committees and other agencies external to the Trust, to enable robust communication and joined up working to ensure multi-agency working to promote effective safeguarding practice within the Trust.
To work in partnership with other Named professionals and members of the Trust Safeguarding Children Committee to implement identified action points and raise the profile of safeguarding children within all areas of the Trust

Main duties of the job

        Provide clinical leadership, expert advice and support on child protection/safeguarding matters within the Maternity Unit and community services at Epsom and St Helier NHS Hospital Trust.

Ensure that Trust practice keeps pace with Department of Health recommended best practice and the Sutton, Merton & Surrey Safeguarding Children’s Board policies and procedures.

To assist the Named Dr and Named Nurse in the development and review of Trust Child Protection policies and procedures ensuring they are consistent with the three local area Safeguarding Children’s Board.

Establish robust communication systems, to up-date and inform staff of developments both internally and externally related to safeguarding children.

Provide relevant support and supervision to enhance practitioners’ contributions to case conferences.

Where appropriate attend conferences dealing with complex cases; prepare for court appearances and liaise with legal advisor

To ensure that child protection systems and procedures within the maternity unit are regularly monitored, evaluated and developed to minimise risk.

To provide professional expert child protection advice and support to clinicians and midwifery staff within the maternity unit ensuring staff support and advice is readily available and that there is clear guidance as to whom to contact for out of hours advice. 

To participate in the Maternity Management on-call rota to provide operational support to ensure safe delivery of service

Working for our organisation

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust provides a range of medical services to approximately 490,000 people living across southwest London and northeast Surrey. In addition, we provide more specialist services, in particular renal and neonatal intensive care, to a wider area, covering parts of Sussex and Hampshire.

We serve an area that is rich in diversity, with a mix of urban and rural areas, and differing levels of quality of life. We cover some of the most prosperous postcodes in the country, as well as some poorer areas. Together with our colleagues at NHS Surrey and NHS Sutton and Merton, we work to make sure that we deliver the best possible care to the communities we serve.

The Trust employs approximately 5,000 staff across its hospitals and is supported by over 500 volunteers.