person specification – helpline advocate

FACTOR / ESSENTIAL (E)
or DESIRABLE (D)
QUALIFICATIONS
  • Independent Advocacy Qualification (IAQ)
  • IAQ with specialisms of IMCA/IMHA
  • Advice, guidance and information qualification
  • NVQ level 3 in health or social care
  • Level 3 qualification or above (Note: By level 3 we mean 2 or more Advanced (‘A’) level passes (A-C), or NVQ Level 3 and GNVQ advanced or City & Guilds advanced)
/ D
D
D
D
E
EXPERIENCE
  • 1+ years experience of working with people to ensure their rights and their voices are heard
  • Experience of working with people with a range of characteristics that make adults and children vulnerable, such as mental health issues, learning disabilities, frailty, as well as people in stressful circumstances such as bereavement.
  • 1+ years experience of delivering advocacy, adviceor information provision
  • 3+ years experience in a role that requires outstanding communication skills to achieve excellent results
  • Enquiry handling (including telephone, web calls, texting and interpreters)
  • Handling incoming and outgoing communications (including post, web enquiries, and email)
  • Data input for reports and into a database
  • Referral and recommendation to other services
  • Working supportively and as part of a team
  • Working in the Charity sector
/ E
E
D
E
D
D
D
D
E
E
D
KNOWLEDGE
  • Advocacy and National Best Practice Standards
  • Health and Social Care law, policy etc
  • The Action for Advocacy Code of Practice
  • NHS Complaints structure, processes & regulations
  • Safeguarding
/ E
D
E
D
D
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
  • Excellent communicator – assertive, diplomatic, self-aware, non-judgemental, report writing
  • A friendly & calm telephone manner
  • Good listening and information assimilation skills
  • Strong relationship builder
  • Ability to communicate with people who have differing support needs and/or who are distressed
  • Strong time management and organisation skills to maximise output
  • Implement opportunities for innovation
  • IT skills – accurate/speedy typist and to intermediate level of using Word, Excel and confident learner of web and database applications
/ E
E
E
E
E
E
D
E
PERSONAL QUALITIES/STYLE
  • Professional
  • Enthusiastic and engaging
  • Good listener
  • Empathetic
  • Self-motivated
  • Well organised
  • Excellent initiative
  • Strong personal impact
  • Positive “can do” attitude
/ E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
MOTIVATION
  • To strengthen voice, champion rights and change lives
  • A passion for the third sector, the NHS and quality healthcare services
  • A strong commitment to empowering people who use health and social care services
  • Strong commitment to service excellence
/ E
D
E
E
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
  • A commitment to undertaking IAQ if not already held, or other appropriate qualification, and complete within 1 year of being appointed into the post
  • Able to travel in England, occasionally, as required
  • Full and clean Driving Licence
/ E
D/E
D/E
(this will vary by location and for some locations this will be essential)

Drafted: 27thFebruary 2013