Deputy Director of Midwifery – Quality Risk & Safety

Job summary

Working in partnership with the Maternity/ perinatal Directorate, Family Health Care Group and Corporate Leadership team, the Deputy Director of Midwifery will lead the delivery of efficient, effective and high quality processes and systems to provide assurance and ensure compliance with regulatory and NHS obligations, ensuring through maternity leadership and corporate functions, and in liaison with other key professionals that activities and work plans within care groups and the overall Trust are aligned to meet these requirements.

Have operational accountability for the Maternity Governance Team. They will be expected to develop innovative practice in relation to the provision of maternity and other services to women and their families.

Ensure that the maternity quality governance activities reflect national and local strategic frameworks and initiatives in relation to regulatory compliance, working closely with the corporate and care group teams.

The Deputy Director of Midwifery will have the ability to operate independently and decisively to ensure effective operational running and strategic development within the maternity governance team in conjunction with the Director of Midwifery and Medical leadership. The post holder will play a significant role in developing and implementing the Trusts Nursing and Midwifery Strategy. This will be in accordance with patient needs, national and local priorities and professional codes of practice.

Main duties of the job

Working within the overall objectives, lead, develop, implement & monitor strategic plans in relation to compliance with regulatory & NHS obligations & ensure that they reflect national and local priorities.

Ensure processes & systems are in place across the organisation to maintain the CQC registration, aligned to maternity services.

Ensure appropriate CQC compliance monitoring programmes & processes are in place across maternity to be able to evidence ongoing compliance with standards & ensure awareness and readiness for external inspection.

Have responsibility for the day-to-day operational running of the Maternity Governance Team.

Support and deputise for the Director of Midwifery as professional lead relating to the conduct of midwives and ensure that the Director of Midwifery & Chief Nurse are kept informed with regard to misconduct issues. Recognise cases outside own area of authority and /or with wider public concern and seek advice accordingly.

Lead the governance Senior Midwifery team acting as line manager in ensuring that all maternity staff have clear goals and objectives, regular appraisals & feedback on performance as well as personal development plans.

Lead on regular establishment and activity reviews per clinical area and advise on staffing issues, taking action where necessary to resolve under the direction and support of the Director of Midwifery.

Participate in the Silver on-call rota for the Trust or maternity on-call rota.

About us

With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.

Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.

Job responsibilities

For full detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the Job Description & Person Specification.

Proposed Interview Date - week commencing 21.09.26

We are the largest employer in Nottinghamshire and one of the biggest and busiest NHS Trusts in the country, serving more than 2.5m residents of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and its surrounding communities and a further four million people across the East Midlands and beyond. Our Trust spans over three sites including Queens Medical Centre (QMC), Nottingham City Hospital and Ropewalk House.

We are home to the East Midlands Major Trauma Centre, the Nottingham Children's Hospital and in partnership with the University of Nottingham we host a Biomedical Research Centre carrying out vital research into hearing, digestive diseases, respiratory, musculoskeletal disease, mental health and imaging.

As a teaching hospital, we are instrumental in the education and training of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. We are proud of our strong relationships with universities across the East Midlands, including the University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and Loughborough University.

Recent years have been challenging. Alongside our continued recovery from Covid, our maternity services are subject to an independent review, and we must do more to improve our culture. We have seen improvements in many areas already and continue to be more focused than ever on making sustained improvements across our services.

Person specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential

• Relevant Master's Degree or equivalent experience and evidence of continuing professional development
• Current NMC Registered Midwife
• Extensive knowledge of maternity governance , acquired through postgraduate diploma or equivalent experience or training

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of leading governance, or components of governance, within a large and complex organisation.
• Demonstrates an extensive knowledge and senior level experience of NHS regulation and compliance agenda: 1.Political context 2.Role of Care Quality Commission and NHSE 3.Relevant healthcare legislation with UK and EU 4.Governance and assurance frameworks 5.Maternity specific legislation and regulations

Communication and Relationship Skills

Essential

• Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiate with senior staff and external stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups
• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to persuade and influence others and deliver presentations in a variety of settings

Analytical and Judgement Skills

Essential

• Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options
• Strategic thinking - ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise

Planning and Organisation Skills

Essential

• Plans and organises a broad range of complex activities, formulating and adjusting plans to reflect changing circumstances
• Works with senior staff and other external stakeholders to develop performance improvement plans