Job Description

Title:Healthwatch Advisor (Advocacy)

Reports to: Director/Senior Advisor

Responsible for: To be agreed

Hours: Between 22.5 and 37hrs

Salary: £21,000 to £23,462 (pro rata for part-time hours)

Job Purpose

To provide independent health complaints advocacy to people living in Calderdale who are raising concerns about their care and treatment from the NHS.

To support the planning and delivery of engagement projects based around health and social care issues in Calderdale and to produce reports which reflect the opinion of people who use those services with the aim of influencing change and improvement within the health and social care system.

Main duties and responsibilities

  1. Independent Health Complaints Advocacy
  2. Engagement projects
  3. Outreach
  4. Information and signposting
  5. Knowledge, training and personal development
  6. General
  1. Independent Health Complaints Advocacy
  • To work with the Senior Advisor to deliver the Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service for Calderdale residents to agreed standards and in line with the appropriate national guidance.
  • Support individuals to make complaints about NHS services at the level that they need; this could involve supporting individuals to identify their key concerns, understand the NHS Complaint processes and use them appropriately, writing letters to NHS providers, attending meetings with NHS providers, raising complaints with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
  • Support individuals to speak up for themselves, and when necessary, speak on their behalf.
  • Ensure that contact with individuals through the advocacy service is accurately and appropriately recorded on our CRM system.
  • Work in a way that maintains the organisation’s independence and the individual’s confidentiality.
  • Utilise learning from the delivery of Independent Health Complaints Advocacy to influence the engagement projects delivered by Healthwatch Calderdale.
2.Engagement projects
  • Produce project proposals and plans for engagement around issues which have been identified within the health and social care system in Calderdale.
  • Identify the most appropriate methodology for the project.
  • Plan and deliver a timetable of outreach sessions/visits in order to engage on the issue identified.
  • Involve volunteers in engagement projects.
  • Analyse data and responses to the engagement.
  • Report on the findings in the most appropriate way.
3.Outreach
  • To arrange visits to organisations, community groups and events to have discussions with people about their experience of health and social care services and to promote Healthwatch Calderdale.
  • Involve volunteers in outreach visits.
  1. Information and signposting service
  • Respond to telephone, e-mail and face-to-face enquiries and accurately record this information using Healthwatch Calderdale’s case recording system.
  • Moderate reviews left on the Healthwatch Calderdale and follow up where requested.
  • Ensure that the quality of information given to clients and case recording is of the best possible standard and meets the requirements of the Trustee board.
  • Ensure that information gathered through enquiries and website reviews is used as a means of identifying issues for potential further work by Healthwatch Calderdale.
5.Knowledge, training & personal development
  • Ensure that your awareness and knowledge of health and social care services is up-to-date and that any relevant information is shared with the staff team.
  • Actively seek feedback to review and evaluate your own performance and identify your training and development needs.
6.General
  • Participate in other related duties when required.
  • Encourage good teamwork and communication between all members of staff and volunteers.
  • Work with the Director to facilitate your own personal and professional development through regular supervision meetings, annual Joint Progress reviews and on-going training.
  • Comply with all policies and procedures ensuring confidentiality, equal opportunities and anti-discrimination are observed and actively promoted.
  • Comply with safeguarding processes and procedures
  • Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and accepted safe practices.
  • Attend appropriate internal and external meetings.
  • Participate in undertaking periodic reviews of this job description for consideration by the Trustee Board.

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