JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE:Healthwatch - Community Engagement Officer

ACCOUNTABILITY:Healthwatch Development Manager

SALARY SCALE NJC pay scales grade SO2 pt 32, 30,351–pt 34, 31,935 incl ILW

HOURS:28hours per week including occasional evening and weekend work for which time off in lieu is granted

HOLIDAYS:26days, plus 8 statutory (pro rata if part time) days plus an additional 3 days during Christmas when our offices are closed

BACKGROUND

The Local Authorities have commissioned Voluntary Action Lewisham to deliver Healthwatch Lewisham. Healthwatch is the main public and patient engagement mechanism for health and social care service users. National guidance and a range of local engagement activities have helped to develop outputs for Healthwatch Lewisham in order to improve outcomes for local people.

Healthwatch will includechampioning the health and social care needs of adults and children in Lewisham, acting as an independent local voice ensuring that services meet the needs and remain high-quality and fit-for-purpose. Representing the views and experiences of local people, including children and young people and help communities to exercise greater choice over the services they receive. Healthwatch Lewisham will have a visible presence in the borough, with an effective, proactive and independent local voice.

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB

To engage with both public sector agencies and voluntary and communityorganisations who

deliver health and social care in Lewisham, promoting the work of Lewisham Healthwatch.

Engaging effectively with Lewisham’s diverse communities enabling residents to contribute to

health and wellbeing outcomes and exercise choice by making their views known regarding

health and wellbeing.

SCOPE

  • To support the Development Manager with the development and implementation of Healthwatch Lewisham
  • To engage and involve local people in the work of Healthwatch

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. To be aware of organisations, networks and providers of health and social care information and services.
  1. To signpost the public to appropriate health and social care services on request.
  1. To signpost the public to appropriate complaints and advocacy services on request.
  1. To engage with health and social care providers, third sector organisations, service user groups and individuals and represent Healthwatch Lewisham on local and regional Healthwatch networks as required.
  1. Carry out social research through all appropriate means such as focus groups, discussion groups, drop-in ‘surgeries’, forums and panels, questionnaires, seminars and conferences to identify issues and priorities for users of health and social care services in Lewisham.
  1. Assist in organising stakeholder events and public consultations, meetings and conferences.
  1. Actively engage with and provide information and advice to the diverse population of Lewisham about accessing health and social care services and choice in relation to aspects of those services.
  1. Use the Nolan principles of standards in public life, the public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010 and the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the views of people about their needs and experience of local care services, using feedback processes and database to forward those views and/or complaints to the Healthwatch team.
  1. Promote community involvement in the commissioning process and in the development and redesign of services.
  1. Contribute to the maintenance of Healthwatch Lewisham website, ebulletin and mail outs, and social networking tools to provide information and advice to the public.
  1. Update database and internal admin systems.
  1. To produce community engagement reports and recommendations to the Development Manager.
  1. To support the Enter and View team as required.
  1. To provide support to volunteers in delivery of the project’s work.
  1. To attend regular team meetings to review progress.
  1. Provide monthly reports on progress measured on agreed outcomes.
  1. To undertake specific identified projects and any other duties consistent with the nature and level of the post as assigned by the Development Manager.

Other Responsibilities

  1. To contribute to team working within Voluntary Action Lewisham by participating in

staff meetings,away daysand other events as necessary.

  1. To attend supervisions and appraisals and provide written progress and work reports

as required.

General

  1. In addition to the above the post holder will be required to:
  1. Plan and manage own workload, set targets and deadlines, and be self-supporting with regard to administration and IT.
  1. Attend training courses as agreed with, or determined by, his or her line manager.
  1. Work within VAL’s Equality & Diversity framework, taking positive action where necessary.
  1. Be aware of the provisions of the Lewisham Compact (to which VAL is a signatory) and to work accordingly.