Salary: Band 5 (£24,670 - £30,742) Band 6 (£30,401 - £38,046)
Could Highland be the place for you?
NHS Highland is the biggest geographical health board in Scotland and spans from Caithness in the North to Campbeltown in the south. We are looking for midwives to work in the areas of Inverness, Caithness, Lochaber and Skye and Lochalsh.
Inverness is the largest city and the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands and is one of Europe's fastest growing cities. It is located on Scotland’s northeast coast, where the River Ness meets the Moray Firth. It has all the benefits of city life, but with the beauty and nature of the Scottish Highlands right on its doorstep.
In the north Caithness is an area of dramatic scenery, with beautiful shorelines, cliff top walks and an opportunity to experience rare insect, flower and bird life. It has a lot to offer for those interested in exploring the wonders of nature on land and at sea, as well as local historical and archaeological sites.
Heading west the Isle of Skye is connected to Scotland's northwest coast by bridge and is known for its rugged landscapes, picturesque fishing villages and medieval castles. The largest island in the Inner Hebrides, it has an indented coastline of peninsulas and narrow lochs, radiating out from a mountainous interior.
Fort William is a town on the shores of Loch Linnhe. Located in Lochaber in the West Highlands, the town is often described as the outdoor capital of the UK. With Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, the surrounding area has dramatic landscapes of Glencoe and stunning scenery.
Integrated Midwife, Community Maternity Unit
We are looking for midwives who are keen to work as part of remote and rural midwifery teams, working in one of the freestanding Community Maternity Units (CMU) that are situated in the Rural General Hospitals in Caithness and Fort William and in the Community Hospital in Skye. NHS Highland is an early adopter board for Best Start and midwives working within the CMU setting are caseload holding and offer continuity of care for women on their caseload. These posts offer an exciting opportunity for newly qualified and experienced midwives who are keen to practice in a midwife-led care model and to develop skills as an autonomous practitioner. The CMU midwifery teams provide a local birth service for low risk pregnancy.
For the management, care and transfer of higher risk pregnancies and sick neonates the CMU midwifery teams work closely with the central NHS Highland Obstetric, Midwifery and Neonatal Maternity Unit team based in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness (approx. 100 miles away). As with any remote service there are challenges in providing a sustainable 24/7 service, the midwifery team is therefore required to work flexibly. There is the opportunity for newly qualified midwives to be supported through the Flying Start programme in a rotational post working between the CMU and the busier maternity unit in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness.
Staff Midwife, Raigmore Hospital
The maternity department within Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, provides care for approximately 2200 deliveries per year and offers an integrated maternity service, which includes special care facilities for the neonate and an early pregnancy/gynaecology department. Staff midwives in the unit rotate through antenatal ward/day case, postnatal ward, including high dependency and labour suite.
Interested applicants should ideally be educated to degree level. Both full time posts of 37.5 hours per week and part time posts are available, with commitment to flexible shift patterns and on-call working. Job share applicants will be considered.
A current driving licence is essential for the community posts and you will be expected to travel efficiently and effectively between various work locations to meet the operational requirements of the service.
Relocation package is available to successful candidates.
Informal enquiries would be welcomed by Mary Burnside, (Interim) Head of Midwifery, who can be contacted by email on mary.burnside@nhs.net or tel: 07721466373. Mary can discuss any of the posts with you in detail and then arrange for a job pack to be sent to you for the post you are interested in.
Closing date for completed applications: 3 October 2019.
