“It’s a real privilege to deliver a baby and be there at such a precious time for families”
“Being a midwife is so much more than a job”
“We’re a great team”
These are just some of the comments made by the #RealMidwivesofWalsall who are urging others to come and join them at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust.
Two recruitment events are being held next week – Wednesday 24 and Saturday 27 November – for potential midwives to explore a range of Band 5 and Band 6 roles both in Walsall Manor Hospital and as part of its Community Midwives team. And virtual sessions will also be set up for those unable to attend in person.
Walsall Healthcare offers a host of specialist midwifery services to support mums-to-be and their families and runs an Early Bird Clinic which means women can book directly and very early in their pregnancy journey.
Jo Wright – Deputy Directory of Midwifery, Gynaecology and Sexual Health said: “We are looking forward to meeting some potential new Walsall midwives at our events and want to encourage them to come and be part of our teams here.
“We are proud of our excellent orientation and preceptorship programme to support new starters and our involvement in research through the PRODUCT study and the Oasi2 trial
“We have dedicated study days using PROMPT and simulation equipment to ensure our teams’ training is up to date and our Professional Midwifery Advocates are also here to provide professional support for both staff and service users.
“The role of a midwife is a very special one – we know that women never forget the care and support of their midwife at the most important time in their lives. It’s a real privilege for us to be there at such a precious time for our women and families.
“The ongoing pandemic has proved to be an exceptionally difficult time for mums-to-be as we’ve had to work differently in order to make our services as safe as possible for all and minimise infection risk. But we are still committed to providing inclusive and supportive services, albeit in a slightly different way, for our many communities.
“We are also proud of the professional and career development opportunities we can offer here in Walsall and will be showcasing these at our upcoming events.”
Walsall Healthcare is pleased to offer The Clinical Fellowship Programme for Midwives. This means Qualified Band 5 and Band 6 Midwives will get;
- A substantive Midwifery post
- Access to a fully funded master’s degree
- A career and professional development plan
- Coaching and mentoring
The Clinical Fellowship Programme (CFP) has been developed in partnership with The University of Wolverhampton and provides an opportunity for midwives to study up to and including masters level i.e. PG Cert, PG Dip or Masters, all fully funded by the Trust.
The CFP starts with the Career and Personal Development Module, Service Improvement Module and Advanced Inquiry Module in year one, before progressing into one of the four fellowship pathways, which are:
- Leadership and Management – for aspiring leaders of the future
- Research and Enterprise – for those who have an interest in a career within clinical research
- Teaching and Learning – for those who want a career as a clinical educationalist
- Speciality Practice – for those who want a career within a specialist role or to simply gain knowledge within an area of interest
Walsall Healthcare also has a freestanding Midwifery-Led Unit.
The recruitment events will run from 6pm-8pm on Wednesday 24 November and 9am-12noon on Saturday 27 November in the area outside the Antenatal Clinic on Route 122 of Walsall Manor Hospital. If you’d prefer to attend a virtual session on these dates please email communications@walsallhealthcare.nhs.uk in the first instance, putting Midwifery recruitment in the subject box. A link to the session will be sent to you the day before.