Patient Representative as part of CCG Assurance Process

Role Description and Application Form

We are looking for creative, caring people with a passion for health to join our patient leaders. We (NHS England’s South regional team in the South Central local office) would like to recruit 8 people to help support us and the Clinical Commissioning Groups to assure the delivery of great healthcare in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire.

Before describing this role in more detail, here is a bit of background:

What is commissioning?

At its simplest, commissioning is the process of planning, agreeing and monitoring services.

Commissioning involves many actions, ranging from assessing the health needs of local populations and using clinical evidence to design patient pathways (the journey of care), to developing service specifications and negotiating on contracts or the purchase of goods and services, while continually assessing quality. See NHS England’s website for more information:

Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are statutory organisations responsible to their governing body for the delivery of both their statutory and constitutional duties, and improvements in the health outcomes of their population. They commission:

  • Planned hospital care
  • Urgent and emergency care
  • Rehabilitation care
  • Community health services
  • Mental health and learning disability services.

NHS England directly commissions some services including Primary Care (GPs, Dentist, Pharmacists and Optometrists) and Specialist Commissioning.

Since April 2015 NHS England is giving CCGs the opportunity to assume greater power and influence over the commissioning of primary medical care and so there is a move towards co-commissioning of Primary Care between NHS England and CCGs, or delegating commissioning to CCGs.

What is the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) assurance process?

NHS England has a statutory responsibility to conduct a performance assessment of each CCG to ensure that they are delivering their commitments and improved outcomes. It does this through the assurance process. The new assurance process introduces an approach that differentiates high performing CCGs, those whose performance gives cause for concern, and those inbetween.

Successful applicants to this role will learn more about this and how you might contribute to this assurance process.

See NHS England CCG Assurance Framework 2015/16

Equality Statement

NHS England is committed to ‘high quality care for all, now and for future generations’. Promoting equality and equity are at the heart of ourvalues – ensuring that we exercise fairness in all that we doand that no community or group is left behind in the improvements that will be made to health outcomes across the country.

Alongside this values-based commitment, sit our legal duties to promote equality, as required by the Equality Act 2010, and to address health inequalities, as required by the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

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Role Description

In 2014/15 we recruited 6 Patient Leaders to assist in the assurance of CCGs in the Thames Valley area. This involved being part of the NHS England team, providing an independent perspective and contributing to the quarterly assurance meetings. We would now like to recruit more patient leaders to assist us with the assurance of the CCGs in Bath and North East Somerset, Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire.

It is anticipated that on recruitment we will negotiate with you and link you to one or two localities so that you can attend the meetings for those areas throughout the year. Some flexibility maybe required and you might be invited to cover another CCG meeting at short notice, depending on your availability to do this.

You should be able to contribute to the conversation relating to all aspects of the assurance process and offer fresh views and a reality check rather than to formally represent a group of patients or public. No formal qualifications are required, simply a commitment to support the development of the NHS, an objective approach, a genuine interest in participation and an ability to constructively engage with the views and assumptions of senior level professionals.

What if you are already involved with your local CCG?

If you are already a paid CCG Lay member, it would not be appropriate to apply for this role as you will already be involved in your CCG’s own assurance.

If you are associated or involved with a local CCG as a patient representative, you can apply for this role but would be asked to not be involved in the assurance of the CCG in question.

What might you gain from this process?

  • You will benefit from training to support you in the role that you are expected to undertake.
  • A real opportunity to represent the patient voice and influence at a strategic level in the NHS.
  • An opportunity to be part of and influence how the NHS engages with and works in partnership with patients in all aspects of healthcare management.

What skills and attributes are required?

  • Experience of engagement and participation within health, social care or the third sector. You will need to have led the engagement/participation work or worked in partnership with senior colleagues.
  • Ability to demonstrate how you have used your voice, on behalf of patients and public, to influence change.
  • Ability to present an independent, lay perspective at a senior level and offer constructive challenge.
  • Ability to understand and evaluate a range of information and evidence, sometimes at short notice.
  • Ability to operate effectively as a team member and independently.
  • Good time management skills.
  • Awareness of and commitment to equality and diversity.
  • Understanding of the need for confidentiality.
  • A broad understanding of the NHS and its structure, roles and responsibilities of commissioning organisations. Or the ability to quickly get up to speed.
  • Effective, proactive networking skills.
  • Effective IT skills (including ‘virtual’ / electronic methods).
  • Flexibility of diary.
  • Ability to deal with ambiguity.

Confidentiality

You must not communicate any confidential information you learn as a result of being a member of this process. If you are unclear about whether or not information that you have access to is confidential, please seek clarification from your dedicated support.

Requirements of the successful applicant

  • Time commitment will vary depending on which CCG (s) that you are aligned to and the process of assurance of that/those CCG (s). As estimation it is expected that an assurance meeting is 2 hours and remuneration for this will include half a day preparation time, making up 1 day plus expenses.
  • You may be required to attend other meetings, such as CCG Public Board meetings if appropriate.
  • Local travel to the meetings (travel and support worker/carer expenseswill be reimbursed in addition to your time).
  • Attend a one off training session which may be over 2 half days prior to commencing the role. Your time for this will also be reimbursed.

Payment

NHS England has a policy for reimbursing out of pocket expenses and involvement time. This role is considered to be an ‘Expert Advisor Role’ and therefore there is a set rate for involvement of £75 per half day, £150 for a full day. You will be offered involvement payment for all meetings that you are required to attend as part of this role and this will be agreed in advance.

Please refer to the policy

What you can expect from NHS England:

  • Training and support for the role
  • Peer support from other patient leaders involved in CCG Assurance across South Central
  • A mechanism for you to raise any concerns and request assistance/support regarding your role
  • NHS England will provide background documents, information; expenses claim forms and relevant policies
  • Opportunities to feedback to NHS England on the value, effectiveness and areas for improvement in the role
  • Reasonable notice of meetings times, dates and locations and documentation
  • Your role to be supported valued and respected by all involved.

Please complete the application form on the next page

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Application Form: Patient Leader as part of CCG Assurance Process (South Central)

If you would like to apply for this exciting opportunity, please complete all sections of the following application form by: Friday 4th September 2015 and return

Name:
County of residence:
Email Address:
Telephone Number:
Are you involved with your local Clinical Commissioning Group at the moment?
What do you understand about the role of the Clinical Commissioning Group?
How do your skills match those outlined in the role description?
Have you had any experience working within the health and social care sectors? Please describe
Is there anything else that you feel you can bring to this role?

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