The role of a midwife is to provide maternity care and support for women and families during all stages of pregnancy, throughout labour and the early postnatal period. They provide evidence-based information whilst working closely together with women to ensure their preferences, decisions and views are considered – enabling women and their families to make informed choices of the services and options available throughout pregnancy and their postnatal journey.
Although challenging, the role a midwife plays in welcoming new life is seen as a privilege. To be present at such a momentous event in a woman’s life is highly rewarding as the care they provide is vital to the wellbeing of mothers and babies.
As a qualified midwife, you’ll be expected to carry out a range of duties including:
A midwife is considered a type of nurse however, they hold a licence to practice midwifery. As a midwife you’ll assist with labour and delivery and provide postnatal care for mother and baby. Midwives can specialise in a variety of medical disciplines – not just labour and delivery. Unlike labour and delivery nurses, midwives are fully trained to deliver babies.
Find out more about what is needed to join us. Browse the specialisms that we’re currently recruiting for at Thornbury.
There are various routes into midwifery if you choose it as your specialism. Like all nursing professions, you must have successfully completed a midwifery programme of education and be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Entry to midwifery programmes are highly competitive, high grades at A-level or equivalent at level 3 are needed along with supporting GCSEs.
Full-time courses usually take a minimum of three years to complete, and training takes place at NMC-approved educational institutions. You can choose to study midwifery as an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or complete a degree apprenticeship.
If you are already qualified as a nurse, you can take a shortened midwifery training program registered with the NMC.
Learn more about the midwifery requirements to work with Thornbury Nursing Services.
Yes – it’s likely you’ll be required to work some weekends. The working hours for a full-time midwife is 37.5 hours, this is likely to include weekends and bank holidays as well as a mixture of day and night shifts.
In the NHS, a newly qualified midwife’s salary starts at a fixed pay rate, which is £25,655. This is part of the NHS’s banded pay scale called Agenda for Change. The starting band for midwives is Band 5. After you have been qualified for some time, you’ll move on to Band 6 which pays between £32,306 and £39,027. Midwives in a management position or working at a more senior level can move to Band 7 or at consulting level at Band 8 which ranges from £54,765 to £75,874.
Learn about the hourly rates of pay provided to agency midwives working with Thornbury Nursing Services.
Here at Thornbury Nursing Services, we require midwives for last-minute placements in the NHS, private hospitals and specialist community settings across England and Wales.
You’ll need to work to our high standards and in return you’ll receive full professional support and excellent pay rates from us, as well as your NMC fees covered.
If you’re a qualified midwife and seeking roles across England and Wales, register online with us today.
We are looking for exceptional nurses and midwives to join our team. Register with Thornbury to access high rates of pay, paid mileage and support with revalidation.
