Maternity Care Assistant, . Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

DBS Checks and Costs

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Job Description

Job responsibilities

The primary role of the Maternity Care Assistant is to assist, support, and work in collaboration with the midwife and the wider multidisciplinary team, to provide a safe and holistic approach to women-centred care.

The midwife is ultimately responsible for the care of the mother and her new-born(s), and it is under the direct or indirect supervision of the midwife that the MCA assists with and provides personal care following completion of any relevant or appropriate training. The post is rotational and the employee will be provided with appropriate training for the clinical setting in which they are working. These settings include antenatal inpatient care, intrapartum inpatient care, and postnatal inpatient care.

The post holder is expected to undertake a set of defined competencies. This job description is directly linked to The Maternity Support Worker Competency, Education and Career Development Framework set out by Health Education England.

Key Duties:

• Develops and maintains positive relationships, respects the woman's and her family's wishes, with kindness, compassion, and empathy.
• Should be trustworthy, provide woman-centred care and support, and take ownership for mistakes by reporting concerns or errors to a registered practitioner in a timely manner.
• Recognises the Maternity Care Assistant's scope of practice within national frameworks.
• Understands the main principles of team working and can define their own role and role of others.

Administrative Duties

• Keeps complete, clear, accurate, and timely records.
• Provides administrative support to the maternity team.

Professional Attitudes And Responsibilities

• Conveys an approachable and professional manner to all mothers and their families.
• Demonstrates an awareness of discriminatory attitudes and challenges this behaviour, with reference to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage, civil partnership, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.
• Is aware of legal and ethical responsibilities in relation to own role, including the need to work in ways agreed by the employer.
• Does not project own experiences and values onto others and demonstrates understanding of own role and contribution in creating inclusive, equitable care.
• Is aware of organisational aims, objectives, policies, and values that relate to the MCA role.
• Recognizes the importance of maintaining own health, wellbeing, and resilience to ensure that personal performance and judgement is not affected by ill-health.
• Ensures that knowledge of local safeguarding policy and procedure is maintained.
• Understands and follows principles of safeguarding and protection and adheres to local security procedures.

Training Responsibilities

• Attends all statutory and mandatory training as and when required.
• Maintains and develops own skills and knowledge with training accessed where required. Keeps evidence of personal development, prepares for, and participates in appraisal.
• Participates in the annual individual performance review process, whereby objectives will be agreed, performance monitored, and personal development needs discussed.
• Is always welcoming and takes an interest in the education and development of Trainee Maternity Care Assistants and Trainee Maternity Support Workers in acquiring skills and knowledge.

Safe Environment

• Ensures own actions promote a positive and safe environment. This includes checking the clinical area for hazards, ensuring the working order of equipment, reporting any concerns, faults, or breakages to the appropriate person in a timely manner.
• Demonstrates the ability to respond flexibly to needs of the working environment.
• Demonstrates safe and evidence-based practice in all skills and procedures stated within the job description.
• Ensures that each woman feels safe and knows how to access support if required.
• Uses a range of techniques for infection prevention and control. Using PPE as required.
• Acts responsibly in respect of colleagues' health, safety, and welfare following safety at work guidance and protocol.
• Ensures the cleanliness of equipment in all clinical and non-clinical areas and assists the midwife in appropriately preparing the birthing environment.
• Ensures adequate stock levels are maintained in all clinical settings, and equipment is available; escalates any depletion of stock or resources in a timely manner.
• Assists in stocking up and cleaning all home birth team equipment if required.
• Reports any incidents using the local risk management reporting system and escalates such incidents appropriately and in a timely manner. To ensure they are following local health and safety guidance.
• Understands the importance of following standard operating procedures, protocols, policies, and guidelines to promote safety.
• Understands the importance of courage and candour, recognizing and reporting behaviours or errors that could result in poor outcomes for women and their families.
• Supports audit and service improvement initiatives and keeps up to date with changes in policy and practice.

Care of the Woman

• Escorts women and their families between clinical areas as required.
• Assists with the admission, orientation, and discharge of women and their babies in accordance with local policy and guidance.
• Communicates respectfully, effectively, and timely manner when speaking with women and the wider MDT, utilising verbal and non-verbal skills.
• Understands and gains valid consent prior to action or providing care.
• Manages delegated tasks effectively and in a timely manner for which they have received training, ensuring basic care needs for women and babies are met. Reports completion of tasks and any findings to an appropriate practitioner.
• Assists in effective care planning and evaluation by sharing relevant information in a timely manner with members of the MDT.
• Understands the benefits of continuity of carer and how this applies within own role.
• Recognizes and responds to signs of discomfort and anxiety or concerns raised by promptly reporting them to an appropriate practitioner.
• Supports women during clinical procedures and acts as chaperone when requested to do so by the midwifery or obstetric team.
• Shares knowledge and teaches skills that empower women and their families to safely and effectively care for themselves.
• Provides support with personal care to labouring women if asked to do so, and under the supervision of the midwife.
• Assists in the maintenance and understands the principles of good bladder care, such as hydration, and documents the fluid balance accurately.
• Assists in the nutrition needs of women.
• Assists women with mobilisation following surgical procedures under the direction of the midwife.
• Notices vulnerability, changing or additional needs and reports these to a suitably qualified colleague to take forward.
• Acts sensitive