Job Details:

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is situated on the west coast of Lancashire, with services covering the local authority areas of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. The Trust is part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) supporting a population of around 1.6 million people.

We have three main hospitals providing acute services to around 330,000 local residents. The organisation also provides specialist tertiary care for cardiac and haematology services, delivers community health services to over 445,000 residents including those in North Lancashire and hosts the National Artificial Eye Service across England. Plus, we provide urgent and emergency care services to an estimated 18 million people who visit the seaside resort each year. We employ over 7000 people from 68 different countries.

We welcome and encourage application from anyone with protected characteristics, as well as supporting reservists and Veterans who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career within the NHS.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals encourages flexible working in all our roles to support staff in maintaining healthy home-life balance. Working patterns such as: part time working, self-rostering, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time, reverse term time and flexitime working can be explored. 

Job overview

We are a maternity unit at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals requiring maternity support workers to come and work with us. We deliver just over 2600 babies per year, and provide holistic care to women and their families

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as part of the midwifery team under the guidance and supervision of midwives/neonatal nurses and other professional staff caring for women and babies. Maternity Support Workers will assist in planning and implementing, evaluating and delivering care to women and babies, and providing support to the multi-disciplinary team. Ensure all care is delivered, respecting the rights of individuals and is done with privacy, dignity, sensitivity, empathy and non judgmental.

Working for our organisation

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has ideally situated just a forty-five minute drive from Manchester. The Trust provides services to the 440,000 residents of Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre and North Lancashire, as well as specialist tertiary care for Cardiac and Haematology patients.

As one of the United Kingdom’s largest coastal resort, Blackpool has plenty to offer its residents –  it’s not just a good place to work; it’s a great place to live . In addition to its bustling centre and historic seafront, the town is world famous for its many attractions, including the famous Blackpool Tower. Blackpool also offers a number of scenic cycling routes round our local parks and across the surrounding countryside, as well as boasting panoramic views of the coast on its picturesque Promenade. Further afield, Blackpool also benefits from less than three-hour connections via rail to Edinburgh in the north and London in the south.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

General Duties include (please also refer to the full job description)

Trained and able to support and delivery neonatal life support in an emergency.

Provide basic care to the neonate including skin care, demonstrate and support parents in their adaptation to parenthood, (bath demonstrations, nappy changing, bottle feeding and instructing on correct process to prepare feeds and sterilization).

Breastfeeding support and promotion including explanation and support of hand expression (cup and syringe feeding).

Will be competent in performing 5 day newborn blood screening.

Will be able to undertake neonatal sepsis observations.

Will be able to undertake neonatal BM’s, SBR’s and routine bloods as directed by Midwife.

Weighing of neonates.

Safely transferring neonates to NNU for procedures, obtaining parental consent.

Undertake tasks to support patient care, basic nursing care, and assisting with hygiene needs including observation and documentation of pressure areas.

Perform venepuncture at the midwife’s direction, including printing orders and results from Cyberlab.

Check venflon sites regularly for signs of extravasation and infection, complete VIP.

Remove women’s venflons as requested by midwife

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Willingness and ability to undertake NVQ Level 2 and 3 Care Certificate
• GCSE English and Maths

Desirable criteria

• NVQ Level 2 or 3 Care Certificate

Experience & Knowledge

Desirable criteria

• Experience as a Healthcare Assistant

Skills and Ability

Essential criteria

• Ability to communicate in a variety of settings with patients of varying levels of understanding
• Ability to present factual information and refer questions to others where appropriate
• Able to deal with sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy
• Ability to use initiative
• Team player
• Ability to prioritise
• Basic IT skills
• Motivation and enthusiasm
• Ability to develop clinical skills needed and perform a wide range of duties
• Good attendance record
• Willingness to use equipment; with full training provided
• Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues in the health care setting
• Carrying out clinical interventions as delegated by midwife and as agreed by local protocol

Desirable criteria

• Venepuncture skills
• Willingness to develop IT skills (including HISS and MAXIMS)
• An understanding of the organisation of nursing care
• Basic understanding of the NHS issues

A bit more about us and the surrounding area:

Although Blackpool is, of course, a famous seaside destination that attracts millions of visitors every year, you might be surprised at the breadth and variety of scenery on offer in this particular part of North-West England. They go way beyond the town itself and are part of what makes us such an attractive place to work.

It’s not just the area that’s a great draw – as a member of our team, you’ll have access to one of the most generous and comprehensive pension schemes in the UK, a minimum of 27 days annual leave (on top of Bank Holidays) and an award-winning package of staff benefits.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

IELTS is a universally recognised and long-standing international test of English language proficiency. IELTS measures language ability of people who wish to study and/or work where English is the main language of communication

Regulated healthcare professionals who are recruited from overseas need to pass a level of language competency as part of the requirements for professional regulation before they can practice in the UK. This then allows them to communicate effectively with their colleagues and patients.

Applicants need to have passed their IELTS and have at least a level one in their Computer Based Test (CBT) before applying for roles at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require Tier 2 sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. However, non-EEA candidates may not be appointed to a post if a suitably qualified, experienced and skilled EU/EEA candidate is available to take up the post as the employing body is unlikely, in these circumstances, to satisfy the Resident Labour Market Test. The UK Visas and Immigration department requires employers to complete this test to show that no suitably qualified EEA or EU worker can fill the post. For further information please visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, Tier 2 skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) will also be subject to this requirement.

Guidance can be found here Criminal Records Checks For Overseas Applicants