Chief Midwifery Officer for Wales

The Chief Midwifery Officer is the most senior professional adviser for midwifery and neonatal services in Wales. The post holder will provide professional leadership for both midwifery and neonatal services, recognising their interdependence in delivering safe, seamless and high-quality care for women, babies and families

Working on behalf of, and as delegated by, the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales, the post holder will provide expert professional leadership and strategic advice to the Chief Nursing Officer, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, Deputy Director – NES, senior Welsh Government officials on all matters relating to midwifery, maternity, neonatal and early years services.

The Chief Midwifery Officer will provide visible national leadership for the midwifery profession and work across organisational, professional and governmental boundaries to improve outcomes for women, babies and families across Wales.

The post holder will play a critical leadership role in the delivery and implementation of A Path to Safer Beginnings, the Welsh Government Programme for Government commitments, the Women's Health Plan and the Strategic Vision for Nursing and Midwifery in Wales 2025-2030. They will work with partners across Welsh Government, NHS Wales, Public Health Wales and the wider system to ensure maternity and neonatal services deliver safe, high-quality, equitable and person-centred care.

A key focus of the role will be improving population health outcomes through prevention, early intervention and reducing inequalities, recognising the importance of pre-conception, pregnancy, birth and early years experiences on lifelong health and wellbeing. The post holder will champion evidence-based approaches that support women, babies and families to achieve the best possible outcomes and a positive start in life.

Working closely with the Women's Health Policy Team, NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, the Maternity and Neonatal Network, Public Health Wales, Health Education and Improvement Wales, the Royal College of Midwives and NHS Wales organisations, the post holder will provide professional leadership for national improvement, workforce sustainability, service transformation and quality improvement.

The post holder will provide both individual and collective leadership as a key member of the Chief Nursing Officer's professional leadership team, ensuring the voice and expertise of midwifery informs policy development, workforce planning, service delivery and quality improvement. They will represent Wales at UK and international forums and provide authoritative professional advice to Ministers, senior officials and NHS leaders on matters affecting maternity and neonatal services.

Success in this role will require exceptional professional credibility, strategic leadership, collaboration and influence, with a strong focus on delivery, implementation and measurable improvement in outcomes for women, babies, families and communities across Wales.

• Act as Welsh Government's senior professional adviser for midwifery and neonatal services, providing expert advice to the Chief Nursing Officer, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, Deputy Director – NES, Ministers, senior officials and NHS Wales organisations.
• Act on behalf of, and as delegated by, the Chief Nursing Officer in relation to professional midwifery and neonatal matters.
• Provide visible, credible and inspirational professional leadership for the midwifery profession across Wales.
• Provide both individual and collective leadership as a key member of the Chief Nursing Officer's professional leadership team, contributing to delivery of national nursing and midwifery priorities.
• Work closely with the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer and Deputy Director – NES to provide integrated professional and policy leadership across maternity, neonatal and women's health services.
• Influence the strategic direction of maternity and neonatal services, ensuring alignment with Welsh Government priorities and wider UK and international developments.
• Develop strong partnerships with Health Boards, NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, Public Health Wales, HEIW, universities, regulators, the NMC, the Royal College of Midwives and third-sector partners.
• Represent Welsh Government and the Chief Nursing Officer at national, UK-wide and international forums relating to midwifery, neonatal care and women's health.
• Provide independent professional challenge and advice to support evidence-based decision making and service improvement.
• Lead the professional contribution to the delivery and implementation of A Path to Safer Beginnings across Wales.
• Provide professional leadership to support delivery of Programme for Government commitments relating to maternity, neonatal and women's health services.
• Work closely with Welsh Government policy teams to develop, implement and evaluate maternity, neonatal and women's health policy.
• Ensure midwifery and neonatal expertise informs policy development and implementation.
• Support implementation of the Women's Health Plan and wider national improvement programmes from a professional perspective.
• Advise on major service transformation programmes, legislative developments and national priorities affecting maternity and neonatal services.
• Promote co-production and ensure the voices of women, babies, families and communities inform policy and service development.
• Identify emerging risks, opportunities and innovations and advise Ministers and senior officials on appropriate policy responses.
• Support development of innovative and sustainable models of care that improve outcomes, experience and service resilience.
• Champion a population health approach across maternity and neonatal services.
• Work collaboratively with Public Health Wales and system partners to improve outcomes through prevention, early intervention and health promotion.
• Promote the importance of pre-conception health, healthy pregnancy, infant wellbeing and the first 1,000 days as critical determinants of future health outcomes.
• Support initiatives that reduce health inequalities for women, babies and families.
• Ensure maternity and neonatal services contribute effectively to broader goals around population health, wellbeing and the ambitions of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.
• Promote evidence-based approaches that provide babies with the best possible start in life and support women and families to achieve optimal health outcomes.
• Provide strategic leadership for midwifery workforce planning, sustainability and transformation.
• Work collaboratively with HEIW, universities and NHS Wales organisations to ensure workforce supply, capability and capacity meet future needs.
• Provide strategic leadership to strengthen recruitment, retention, succession planning and career development across the profession.
• Promote advanced practice, professional development and leadership opportunities for midwives.
• Support development of future professional leaders through talent management and succession planning.
• Champion staff wellbeing, compassionate leadership and inclusive workplace cultures.
• Advise on workforce risks, workforce intelligence and staffing models required to support safe and effective care.
• Monitor emerging workforce challenges and advise the Chief Nursing Officer on national action required.
• Provide professional leadership to improve quality, safety and outcomes across maternity and neonatal services.
• Work closely with NHS Wales Performance and Improvement and the Maternity and Neonatal Network to support improvement programmes and implementation of recommendations and evidence-based practice.
• Provide professional advice relating to governance, service quality, staffing and patient safety.
• Promote evidence-based practice, innovation and quality improvement methodologies.
• Support development and implementation of national standards, guidance and improvement initiatives.
• Promote learning from reviews, investigations, incidents and service evaluations.
• Ensure safeguarding and professional standards are embedded within maternity and neonatal services.
• Support Welsh Government and NHS Wales quality assurance, accountability and performance arrangements.
• Promote research, innovation and evidence-informed practice across midwifery and neonatal services in alignment with PRIORITY 2.
• Maintain awareness of emerging national and international evidence, policy and professional developments.
• Build and maintain influential networks across Wales, the UK and internationally.
• Develop productive relationships with the Royal College of Midwives, Nursing and Midwifery Council and other key professional stakeholders.
• Lead or contribute to national reviews, programmes and strategic projects on behalf of the Chief Nursing Officer.
• Prepare ministerial briefings, correspondence, reports and professional advice relating to maternity, neonatal and women's health services.
• Support development of the evidence base informing future workforce, service and policy developments.
• Contribute to delivery of the Strategic Vision for Nursing and Midwifery in Wales 2025-2030.
• Support Welsh Government assurance, accountability and performance management arrangements with NHS Wales.
• Work collaboratively with Nursing Officer colleagues to deliver shared priorities and collective leadership responsibilities.
• Promote professional excellence, innovation, inclusion and continuous improvement across Wales.
• Undertake programmes of work on behalf of the Chief Nursing Officer, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, Deputy Director and Ministers.
• Support wider Welsh Government priorities where expert professional leadership is required.