News

November 2023

Growing the Black Country Maternity family

Date of release: 2 November 2023

Latest News: Black Country Local Maternity and Neonatal System

Support Workers who are interested in joining Maternity Services to support families across the Black Country can find out more about a tailored apprenticeship programme at a recruitment event coming up this month.

The Black Country Local Maternity and Neonatal System (BCLMNS) event is being held at The Village Hotel, Walsall, between 9am and 2pm on Wednesday 22 November and will focus on “career aspirations” for current staff across the four NHS Trusts in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

The BCLMNS will also be promoting the Senior Healthcare Support Worker (Maternity Support) Apprenticeship programme. Birmingham City University will be attending as one of the providers that offers this apprenticeship course which may be of particular interest to current Band 2 Support Workers.

Lucy Murcott, BCLMNS Workforce Lead, said this apprenticeship offers an opportunity for work-based learning to build on existing knowledge and skills, access to work-based clinical educators and a range of support services.

“Across the Black Country we have fantastic Maternity teams and are keen to encourage committed and passionate individuals to join them to further enhance the services we offer our families,” she said.

“At our recruitment event, visitors can find out more about this apprenticeship degree programme which can open the doors to a host of opportunities for budding Maternity Support Workers (MSWs). The MSW role is a valuable one - MSWs help run clinics and complete screening tests for outpatients, including taking blood, support Doctors and Midwives and undertake observations.

“Colleagues in this role enjoy this responsibility and the important engagement they have with pregnant women and birthing people as well as their clinical colleagues.”

The recruitment event is open to:
  • Midwives – Bands 5 and 6
  • Nurses – Band 5
  • Neonatal Nurses – Band 5
  • Qualified in Specialty (QIS) Nurses – Band 6
  • Return to practice Midwives
  • Nurses interested in completing a shortened course to become Midwives

The day will also feature information about the shortened Midwifery courses available to Nurses as well as the range of roles that QIS Nurses may be interested in.

“At our recruitment event, visitors can find out more about this apprenticeship degree programme which can open the doors to a host of opportunities for budding Maternity Support Workers (MSWs). The MSW role is a valuable one - MSWs help run clinics, complete screening tests for outpatients, including taking blood, support Doctors and Midwives and undertake observations. Colleagues in this role enjoy this responsibility and the important engagement they have with pregnant women and birthing people as well as their clinical colleagues.