We have an exciting new opportunity join the Breast Feeding Team, supporting women and to increase and support the prevalence of breast feeding for women living, in Brighton and Hove through multi-agency partnership work. Through provision of on-going clinical and managerial leadership, ensure promotion of breast feeding across partnerships. Coordination of multi-agency working to understand local issues and contribute to a reduction of health inequalities and to promote breast feeding through public health skills and knowledge.

The infant Feeding Lead will ensure, jointly with other services, the development of multi-disciplinary pathways, policies and procedures to address the infant feeding requirements of the service and implement and plan services to improve breastfeeding rates in especially in areas of disadvantage and vulnerable families.

To act as a lead specialist for infant feeding, working with local health visitor leads to support the management of drop ins and peer support across Sussex Community Foundation NHS Trust

To be a specialist health visitor and provide clinical and professional leadership to the Community Division in the field of infant feeding to enable the effective delivery of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust’s contracted specialist public health nursing service. This will include an element of clinical practice each week.

The role will have key specialist clinical, consultative, training, practice development and strategic responsibilities; the post holder will provide a visible, accessible and authoritative presence in the field of infant feeding health, acting as a professional role model by providing leadership and support to the HCP 0-19 teams

To improve the quality of the learning environment by providing evidence-based consultation, support, supervision and training to colleagues to develop their skills in critical thinking, reflective practice and knowledge in infant feeding. This will include identifying, sourcing and planning training required for clinical teams and leading the evaluation and benefits realisation of the impact of training on clinical outcomes. The post holder will also be expected to support the assessment of the clinical competence of staff.

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?
• Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: community hospitals, patients’ homes, and bases across Sussex
• Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
• Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
• Accredited Living Wage Employer, we ensure fair pay for all our staff
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust

Our values—Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence—guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

a) They will be responsible to the Nursing and Operational Heads of the Healthy Child Programme and accountable to the Community division for driving the infant feeding breastfeeding agenda throughout Sussex Community Foundation Trust.



b) They will provide professional leadership as a specialist practitioner to manage, develop and lead on Infant feeding, demonstrating innovation to achieve excellent outcomes for mother’s babies and their families. This will supplement the care given by the universal health visiting service throughout the Trust



c) They will provide expert clinical leadership with a visible, accessible and professional presence within agreed settings, working clinically alongside staff and be available to patients, their families and key partners offering information, advice and support on infant feeding as required.





d) As agreed with line manager, lead the infant feeding team in Brighton and Hove, stakeholders and the breast-feeding partnership for implementing the steps toward accreditation of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative in the community. This will be achieved through the educational guidelines and clinical audit framework, working to the policy and influencing strategy. There will be close working with West Sussex Team to support continuous improvement across SCFT.



e) They will actively engage with and involve service users in both care delivery and service co-design ensuring feedback is used to improve breastfeeding practice.



f) Coordinate the collation of data to inform service evaluation, delegating work appropriately to other staff with skills in data collection and analysis.



g) Produce reports on Infant feeding



h) Maintain clinical expertise on breast feeding issues including developing and maintain up-to-date research-based specialist professional knowledge. Develop and maintain a good working knowledge of infant feeding legislation, policy and guidance. Have good up to date knowledge of local services available to pregnant and post-natal women and their families in relation to their needs.



i) They will ensure all family members receive appropriate and evidence based infant feeding information /support in a sensitive way using a variety of media including social media as appropriate.



j) Receive clinical supervision on a regular basis in line with the clinical supervision policy. They will maintain professional registration / CPD through clinical competency and NMC revalidation programme.



k) Working with the Deputy Heads of Service, the Heads of Service and Data Analyst team, they will ensure accurate quality data is used to provide assurance to Commissioners Children’s Quality and Safety Board and Business Meeting in relation to key performance indicators around quality & safety of patient care in the field infant feeding.



l) To identify areas and undertake for audit and development relevant breast feeding are undertaken to improve outcomes for patients and ensure that recommendations are used to change practice. To participate in research as required.



m) Support and assure clinical effectiveness through the implementation of NICE guidance and guidelines by statutory and professional bodies. Ensure that all policies and guidance relating to infant feeding are evidence based and appropriate. They will embed the principles of prevention, health and wellbeing within policy and support operational management of policy into practice.



n) Provide specialist advice to strategic groups and guidance on the policies and practices that impact Breast feeding.



o) They will ensure that risks in the field of infant feeding are assessed and identified and will support the Deputy Heads of Service, and the Heads of Service to manage risks proactively, escalating where appropriate as per policy.



p) They will work with head of the Healthy Child Programme to create a culture of learning that is based on a need for continuous improvement.



q) Ensure staff are competent and confident to deliver services to infants and parents with a range Breastfeeding needs, referring to and working collaboratively with partner agencies as required. The post holder will lead the provision of evidence-based training, support and advice to the wider workforce.



r) To support ‘Breastfeeding Champions / infant feeding Allies’ within the health visiting team to fully maximise their role



s) Participate in local and regional strategic and other identified meetings as directed and feedback information as appropriate to senior managers



t) Holds responsibility for reporting on the Baby Friendly Initiative progress and progressions Infant feeding Steering Group.



u) They will establish networks and effective partnerships between health visitors, midwives, GPs, Specialist teams, and voluntary and third sector organisations to promote collaborative working that are focused on improving clinical quality standards to promote excellent outcomes for families in breastfeeding.



v) Line manage and supervise the Breast-feeding Peer Support Coordinators and other infant feeding skill mix posts across the Trust as required


This advert closes on Sunday 12 Oct 2025