Role Description for Healthwatch Islington Director

Role description for Healthwatch Islington Director

Role title: Director

Description of Healthwatch Islington

Healthwatch gives people a powerful voice locally and nationally. At a local level, Healthwatch Islington will work to help local people get the best out of their local health and social care services. Whether it's improving them today or helping to shape them for tomorrow. Healthwatch Islington is all about local voices being able to influence the delivery and design of local services. Not just people who use them, but anyone who might need to in future.

Healthwatch Islington’s objectives

Healthwatch Islington will improve the experience of residents using health and social care services in Islington by:

·  Trying to influence local health and social care based on evidence collected from the local community;

·  Providing information to local people about health and care services;

·  Being the local consumer champion;

·  Visiting local services power to observe and assess the quality of publicly funded health and social care services.

The role of the Healthwatch Islington Directors is to:

·  Try to make the organisation a success using your skills, experience and judgment

·  Make decisions for the benefit of the organisation,

·  Exercise independent judgement and declare any conflicts of interests,

·  Exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence in carry out activities,

·  Make sure the company’s accounts are a ‘true and fair view’ of the business’ finances,

·  Determine the company’s strategic objectives and monitor progress towards these appointing senior management,

·  Promote the organisation and its objectives with local statutory and voluntary sector partners,

·  Raise awareness of potential local sources of funding,

·  Maintain confidentiality in accordance with our confidentiality policy.

·  Adhere to Healthwatch Islington’s Code of Conduct and Articles of Association.

As well as attending Board meetings, directors are asked to attend Steering Group meetings (held on alternate months to Board meetings).

Person specification for Healthwatch Islington Director:

We are particularly keen to recruit volunteers with experience of:

·  Strategic planning and development, and/or

·  Leadership at senior management level within a voluntary sector organisation, and/or

·  Fund-raising, including diversifying sources of income, and/or

·  Producing qualitative research, and/or

·  Experience of campaigning, using qualitative evidence to influence change, and/or

·  Experience of engaging with children and young people,

·  Knowledge of health and care commissioning, and/or

·  Experience of using social media as a platform to engage communities, particularly young people.

Applicants would need:

·  Connections in the borough/ knowledge of the diversity of the borough,

·  Willingness to attend Board meetings at various venues across the borough,

·  Good communication and interpersonal skills,

·  Islington resident or working with an organisation supporting Islington residents,

·  Willingness to commit to volunteering for at least 7 hours per month with a flexible approach for a minimum of three years,

·  Have an interest in improving health and social care outcomes in Islington.

You are not able to act as a Director if you:

·  have an unspent conviction for an offence involving dishonesty or deception (such as fraud),

·  are bankrupt or have entered into a formal arrangement (eg an individual voluntary arrangement) with a creditor,

·  have been removed as a company director or charity trustee because of wrongdoing.

Time commitment required:

7 - 8 hours per month. Terms of office are three years (directors can serve a maximum of two terms). Terms of office are three years and members can stand for a maximum of two consecutive terms.

Recruitment Method:

Applicants should outline their interest in joining the team and how they meet each point of the Person Specification. Appointments will be made subject to approval by the Steering Group.

Please send documentation to:

Emma Whitby

Chief Executive, Healthwatch Islington

020 7832 5814

200a Pentonville Road, Islington, London, N1 9JP.

If you have any queries about the role or application process, please do not hesitate to call or email Emma Whitby for further information.

Thank you for expressing your interest in joining Healthwatch Islington’s team.