Visa sponsorshipHome Office sponsor register · Skilled Worker route
This role is listed by an employer that holds a live Home Office sponsor licence on the Skilled Worker route.
Salary for this role£49,387 – £56,515 a year
Health and Care route minimum£25,000 a year
Pay basisNational pay scales (NHS bands)
This occupation falls under the Health and Care Worker route. Salaries set by national pay scales (NHS bands) at or above the relevant band rate typically meet the occupation's requirement.
Closest occupation match: SOC 2231, Midwifery nurses. Pay for this occupation is set by national pay scales (NHS bands), so no single Home Office going rate applies.
Individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. These figures are public reference information, not advice or a verdict on this job.
Role description
Job summary
The Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife is responsible for providing strong clinical, professional and operational leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, personalised and high-quality maternity care within the Bracken Birth Centre. Working closely with Midwifery Matrons, senior midwives, obstetric and neonatal colleagues, the post holder will maintain a well-led service that places women, babies and families at the centre of all decision-making.
The role involves the day-to-day management of the birth centre, including workforce planning, staff leadership, resource management, service delivery, governance and quality improvement. The post holder will be responsible for monitoring and maintaining standards of care, promoting evidence-based practice, managing risk, supporting patient safety initiatives and ensuring compliance with Trust policies and national standards.
As a clinical leader and role model, the post holder will support and develop midwifery staff, foster a positive and inclusive team culture, and contribute to service development across maternity services. They will champion the philosophy of physiological birth, informed choice and personalised care, ensuring women receive compassionate, respectful and responsive care throughout their maternity journey while promoting continuous improvement in clinical outcomes and patient experience.
Main duties of the job
The Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife will provide clinical, professional and operational leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, high-quality and personalised maternity care within the birth centre. The post holder will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the service, including workforce planning, staff management, resource allocation, rostering and service coordination, ensuring that care is delivered in accordance with Trust policies, national standards and best practice.
Working closely with Midwifery Matrons, obstetric and neonatal colleagues, the post holder will act as a clinical role model, promoting evidence-based practice, maintaining high standards of care and supporting continuous quality improvement. They will lead on patient safety initiatives, risk management, clinical governance, audit and the implementation of learning from incidents, complaints and service reviews to improve outcomes and patient experience.
The post holder will support, supervise and develop midwives, maternity support workers and student midwives, fostering a positive team culture that promotes learning, wellbeing and professional development. They will champion the philosophy of physiological birth, informed choice and personalised maternity care, ensuring women, babies and families remain at the centre of all decision-making whilst contributing to the strategic development of maternity services across Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Details
Date posted
27 October 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 7
Salary
£49,387 to £56,515 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
184-OL-GR-6012
Job locations
Bracken House
Crewkerne Road
Chard
Somerset
TA20 1YA
United Kingdom
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife is responsible for providing strong clinical, professional and operational leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, compassionate and personalised maternity care within Bracken Birth Centre. The post holder will work collaboratively with Midwifery Matrons, senior midwives, obstetricians, neonatologists, maternity support workers and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure services are responsive, well coordinated and aligned with local and national maternity priorities.
The post holder will have overall responsibility for the day-to-day management and operational delivery of the birth centre, ensuring appropriate staffing levels, effective deployment of resources and the maintenance of a safe clinical environment. They will lead workforce planning, rostering, annual leave management and sickness absence management to ensure the service remains operationally effective and provides high-quality care at all times.
As an experienced clinical leader, the post holder will maintain credible clinical practice within the maternity service, acting as a role model and expert resource for staff. They will provide professional leadership and support to midwives, maternity support workers and student midwives, promoting excellence in clinical practice, accountability and continuous professional development. The post holder will oversee appraisals, supervision, training and competency development, fostering a positive and inclusive culture that supports staff wellbeing, learning and retention.
The Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife will be responsible for monitoring and maintaining standards of care through clinical governance processes, audit, quality improvement initiatives and compliance with Trust policies and national maternity standards. They will lead investigations, support the management of incidents and complaints, implement learning from reviews and audits, and ensure actions are embedded within practice to continuously improve patient safety and experience.
The post holder will champion the philosophy of physiological birth, informed choice and personalised maternity care, ensuring women and families are empowered to make informed decisions regarding their care. They will promote evidence-based practice and support the delivery of safe, respectful and compassionate care that places women, babies and families at the centre of all decision-making.
Working proactively with internal and external stakeholders, the post holder will contribute to service development, policy implementation and strategic maternity objectives. They will support the delivery of national maternity transformation programmes, promote innovation and identify opportunities to improve outcomes and experiences for women, families and staff.
The post holder will be responsible for the effective management of budgets, equipment and supplies within the birth centre, ensuring resources are used efficiently and in accordance with Trust financial procedures. They will also participate in the maternity on-call rota and deputise for the Midwifery Matron when required, providing senior leadership and decision-making support across the maternity service.
Through visible leadership, expert clinical knowledge and a commitment to continuous improvement, the Bracken Birth Centre Lead Midwife will ensure the birth centre remains a safe, welcoming and high-performing environment that delivers outstanding care for women, babies and their families.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
Midwifery NMC registration
Evidence of ongoing continued professional development
Evidence of leadership and management courses
Training in PSIRF and human factors
Neonatal and Infant Physical Examination qualification (NIPE) or working towards
Neonatal life Support (NLS)
Experience
Essential
Understanding of patient safety
Experience of formal and multi-disciplinary meetings
Experience of working in partnership with healthcare organisations
Evidence of ability to promote normality in childbirth for women within a variety of clinical environments
Evidence of continuing educational/enhanced learning within a specialism.
Confident in undertaking the midwifery care of women across the perinatal pathway.
Able to demonstrate awareness of research related to midwifery practice
Desirable
Management of a midwifery team
Experience of working in Bracken Birth Centre and the Community
Additional Criteria
Essential
Ability to actively listen to service users and their families and accurately share their views
Ability to work collaboratively with clinical teams and project managers
Ability to display sound judgement and objectivity.
Have an awareness of, and commitment to, equality and diversity
Able to make valid judgements on the interpretation of complex statistical information, weighing up the relative significance and effectively highlighting the need for attention / action.
Advanced clinical skills including perineal suturing, management of obstetric emergencies
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.