2021 Transition to Professional Practice Program for Registered Midwives

Applications closed

Applications for the 2021 Transition to Professional Practice Program for Registered Midwives have now closed. Thank you to everyone who took the time to apply. Please monitor this page for updates on the TPPP recruitment process.

TPPP updates

Update: 10 November 2020

SA Health has notified all applicants of the recruitment outcome. Successful applicants must respond to their provisional offer, via the online link provided in the provisional offer email, by 5.00pm Tuesday, 17 November 2020.

Update: 6 October 2020

The reference check process has now concluded. SA Health has commenced the assessment of all TPPP applications. The outcome of applications will be advised in the second week of November. Please do not contact us to request for an update on your application.

Update: 8 September 2020

Applications have now closed. The reference check process will commence shortly.

About the Transition to Professional Practice Program (TPPP)

Passionate, driven and excited to kickstart your career as a newly registered midwife? A career in midwifery is filled with opportunities, challenges and rewards. You will follow women on their pregnancy and birth journeys, and support them in making informed choices about their care.

SA Health’s TPPP will kickstart your midwifery career through a well-structured program designed to support your first year of practice as a Registered Midwife. You will consolidate your skills and knowledge in providing care, support and advice to women during pregnancy, labour, birth and during the postnatal period.

SA Health provides a centralised annual recruitment of graduate midwives for the TPPP in public health services across South Australia. This means that you will have the opportunity to apply just once for TPPP positions at up to four health services.

The TPPP recruitment process is competitive with more people applying than there are positions. Therefore it is important to be well prepared and organised in your application.

Our TPPP offers:

  • TPPP Educator/Coordinator and education support team
  • Orientation program
  • Professional Development Study Days
  • Peer support
  • Clinical rotations
  • Shift work – 24 hours, 7 days a week
  • Full-time and part-time positions are available – please refer to the LHN specific information below to learn more about potential rotations and positions available

TPPP updates

This page will be updated periodically. Please check this page for TPPP updates.

Combined Registered Midwife-Registered Nurse TPPP

If you are also a newly Registered Nurse, you may be interested in the Combined Registered Midwife-Registered Nurse TPPP (Combined RM-RN TPPP) being offered in the regional local health networks. The Combined RM-RN TPPP offers support to graduate midwives who are also new to the nursing profession. If this is of interest to you, please refer to the Eligibility section below for the criteria to apply.

Collaborative country-metropolitan TPPP

The collaborative regional and metropolitan TPPP aims to provide graduates with the opportunity to consolidate their midwifery skills in two diverse clinical environments and teams as they transition to professional practice.

For more information about the Collaborative TPPP, please refer to the 2021 Collaborative TPPP Information Sheet (PDF 364KB).

Role Description and Job Capacity Statement

Prior to applying to the TPPP, you are encouraged to read the Registered Midwife Level 1 Role Description (PDF 212KB) to learn more about the skills, knowledge and attributes relevant to the role of a registered midwife. The role description contains the selection criteria for the RM1 position and is used for the assessment and selection process.

You are also encouraged to read the Registered Midwife Job Capacity Statement (PDF 260KB) to learn more about the likely demands of working in the role of a registered midwife.

Eligibility

Core eligibility criteria

The TPPP is designed specifically to support you in your transition as a newly qualified midwife into clinical practice. To be eligible to apply for the 2021 RM TPPP, you must, at the time of application:

  • Working towards completing Midwifery studies and be eligible for registration as a registered midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia for the first time
  • Not have had more than 912 hours (6 months’ full-time equivalent) of paid experience as a registered midwife in any setting and in any country*
  • Not have undertaken more than 6 months of a graduate midwifery program (or equivalent) in any setting and in any country*
  • Not be applying during the ‘employment exclusion period’ after taking a Targeted Voluntary Separation Package (TVSP) from the SA Government

*Applicants who have had any paid employment as a registered midwife, or have commenced in a graduate midwifery program, will be required to provide a Statement of Service. Please refer to the FAQ document below for more information. 

Eligibility criteria for the combined RM-RN TPPP

If you are applying for the Combined RM-RN TPPP in the regional LHNs, you are also required to meet all of the following criteria (in addition to the core eligibility criteria above) at the time of application:

  • have less than 12 months (full time equivalent) of paid experience as a registered nurse in any health setting; and
  • have not previously completed a TPPP in Nursing

Criteria for priority appointment

SA Health applies criteria for prioritising the appointment of all midwifery graduates to the RM TPPP. Preference for appointment will be given to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander midwifery graduates, and local South Australian midwifery graduates with Australian citizenship or permanent residency, or New Zealand citizenship. You will be required provide proof of identity relevant to the priority group applicable to you at the time of application. To find out more about the type of documentation required for the priority group applicable to you, please refer to the Criteria for Priority Appointment document (PDF 308KB).

Application dates

Applications for the 2021 RM TPPP intake are now open. Applications will close at 5.00pm on Monday, 7 September 2020. Late applications will not be accepted.

How to apply

All applications must be completed online via the SA Health eRecruitment system. You will require an email address to apply. You will also be asked to upload documentation to support your application.

Application guideline: frequently asked questions

The 2021 TPPP RM Frequently Asked Questions document (PDF 353KB) contains information about the TPPP recruitment process and application requirements to assist you in navigating through the TPPP application process. You are encouraged to read the FAQ document prior to submitting online queries.

Please also refer to the RM TPPP Application Checklist (PDF 167KB) for guidance on the type of documents required for your TPPP application.

You are required to provide:

  • A current Curriculum Vitae (CV) showing details of full employment history and continuous education in a chronological order
  • Certified evidence of change of name, if applicable
  • Certified copy of identification documents
  • Academic transcript with a current GPA printed
  • One full clinical placement report from your most recent clinical placement
  • Contact details of three clinical referees
  • Statement of Service from each employer if you have worked as a registered midwife
  • Submission of answers to three professional questions drawing on your own clinical experience

All documents must be uploaded onto the eRecruitment system as part of the application process (maximum of 10MB for all documents).

TPPP in the Local Health Networks (LHNs)

TPPP in the regional Local Health Networks

Undertaking a TPPP in rural or regional SA provides both challenging and rewarding times that will mark the beginning of a successful midwifery career. Midwives who work in rural or remote locations are dynamic, able to problem solve with limited resources, and think outside the square. They play a critical role in ensuring positive maternal health outcomes for women giving birth in resource-constrained environments. If you want to know more about undertaking a TPPP in one of th regional local health networks, please contact the contact person listed on the information sheets for your hospital(s) of interest.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are encouraged to apply for TPPP positions in the regional LHNs.

TPPP in the metropolitan LHNs


LHN information sessions

As part of your application, you will be asked to nominate your preferred locations and specialty areas. If you are interested in undertaking the TPPP in any of the Local Health Networks, we encourage you to attend their information sessions to find out more about their health services, the programs they offer and intake start dates.

Please refer to the TPPP RM Schedule of LHN Information Session (PDF 220KB) for more details about the information sessions.

Provisional offers

Provisional offers will be issued in November 2020. Successful applicants will receive a provisional offer containing instructions to accept or decline the offer, which must be responded to within a specified timeframe. All provisional offers are issued based on the applicant’s ranking and location preferences.

Pre-employment requirements

If an offer is made to you, you will be required to satisfy all of the following pre-employment requirements prior to the commencement of employment.

Registration

You will be required to obtain registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia prior to commencing employment as a registered midwife with SA Health. The application process can be done online via the AHPRA Graduate Applications website.  The registration process can take a few weeks to complete, therefore it is important to start the process as early as four to six weeks prior to completing your studies.

English language skills

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) requires all applicants for initial registration to demonstrate English language competency to be eligible for registration. If your application is successful and you are required to undertake an English test in order to gain registration, you are strongly encouraged to complete this as soon as possible and well ahead of course completion. Please refer to the English Language Skills Registration Standard for further details.

Criminal history check

Prior to the commencement of employment, you must ensure that the mandatory employment screening checks are up to date. A contract of employment cannot be issued until this occurs. At a minimum, you will be required to have a valid Department of Human Services (DHS) ‘Working with Children Check’ and a satisfactory National Police Certificate (NPC). If an offer is made to you, you will be asked to provide these documents to the employing LHN as part of your pre-employment requirements.

Further information regarding Criminal and Relevant History Screening is available on the following websites:

  • Department of Human Services website – Working with Children Check for work with children/prescribed positions as required by the Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016 and Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Regulations 2018. You will be required to provide a current DHS Working with Children Check before employment, and every five years after the date of issue.
  • South Australia Police website – National Police Certificate from SAPOL or from an accredited Crimtrac Provider (you are required to obtain this check if you do not already have a valid NPC for Aged Care and/or Vulnerable Assessment check). Your NPC must be appropriate to your employment as a Registered Midwife. NPC obtained for other roles such as Assistant in Midwifery, volunteer work, student, clinical placement or work experience will not be accepted.

Immunisation requirements

SA Health is committed to providing a safe working environment for all persons and acknowledges the positive impact immunisation has on health outcomes for our employees and patients.

As a condition of employment, you will be required to provide evidence of current immunisation during the pre-employment process. This will be requested by the employing LHN when provisional offers are issued. Candidates who refuse to participate in screening and/or vaccination, or fail to provide confirmation of immune status, will not be considered for employment in Health Care Worker positions in SA Health services. 


TPPP in the country locations

If you are applying for a TPPP in a Country location you will be required to have a driver’s license and own vehicle, as some travel may be required.

Contact us

You can make enquiries by sending an email to healthjobs@sa.gov.au. Please note this e-mail service is only available during business hours, Monday to Friday.

Thank you for your interest in SA Health.