Healthwatch Champion Jobs in Wandsworth
Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea
Healthwatch was set up in 2013 to champion the rights of health and social care users, and hold the health and social care system to account for how well it engages with the public. Its remit covers all publicly funded health and social care services for adults and children.
Healthwatch’s remit covers all publicly funded health and social care services for adults and children.
The Advocacy Project delivers Healthwatch services in Kensington & Chelsea, Brent and Westminster – three of 152 local Healthwatch organisations. We’re building on the important work that’s been done to date, while bringing new insights from the voices of seldom heard and hard to hear groups.
About the role
The role is to lead the work of Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea, working with a small skilled staff team and a range of volunteers and other community stakeholders. In particular, you will share our commitment to embed user engagement and community development at the heart of the Healthwatch service model, empowering user voices and improving access to health services.
You’ll have an opportunity to develop the service in line with our ambitious vision. This will include leading on the planning and delivery of targeted projects, supporting a diverse and varied engagement programme, and building relationships with a range of strategic partners. The Healthwatch Manager (Kensington & Chelsea) also takes the lead on managing our local Advisory Board. You will work closely with the Healthwatch teams in Westminster and Brent.
Key responsibilities
Ensure Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea’s work conforms to all required principles, objectives and statutory obligations, and meets all contractual requirements between The Advocacy Project and Brent Council.
Manage and motivate a small staff team to deliver an effective and vibrant local Healthwatch.
Provide leadership to make sure the patient and public voice is heard across health, social care, children’s and other sectors in a continuously changing external environment.
Support the effective working of the Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea Advisory Board.
Ensure local communities are able to participate fully in our work, particularly those that are least likely to have had their voices listened to. Support these communities in influencing local and national policy.
Represent Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea at strategic governance and external meetings with key stakeholders, liaising with nominated Board leads regularly.
Develop the service to respond to emerging trends and needs, keeping abreast of Healthwatch England best practice to continually enhance the quality of the service.
Monitor the service to make sure it delivers to time, budget and quality; provide reports evidencing this to key stakeholders, including local commissioners, Healthwatch Advisory Board, the Bi-borough Health and Wellbeing Board and Healthwatch England.
Develop effective partnerships with key staff in health and social care services.
Work with the communications and engagement lead to make sure all relevant internal and external stakeholders receive relevant, timely and up-to-date communication about all Healthwatch projects.
Work with the Healthwatch Service Manager and Head of Business Development to identify opportunities for funding additional work which will add value to our Healthwatch services.
General responsibilities
Participate in team meetings, training and organisational development.
Contribute to monitoring reports.
Keep to our policies, including health & safety, safeguarding and risk regulations.
Work to our mission, vision, and values.
Work flexibly to meet the needs of the service, in line with the changing local and national landscape and carry out other projects and tasks as needed.
Person specification
Essential
Excellent knowledge of and experience of working with the health and social care system and the voluntary and community sector.
Thorough understanding of user engagement, community development, user involvement and co-production principles and practice.
Experience of working with diverse communities and tackling discrimination and inequality.
Understanding of the public health challenges in Kensington & Chelsea.
Experience of managing team members.
Experience of contract management and compliance.
Excellent communications (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills. Effective in working with a wide variety of stakeholders ranging from trustees, commissioners, partners, colleagues and local residents.
Able to interpret complex information and deal effectively with competing interests and challenging situations.
Excellent organisational skills who can work on their own initiative and plan and prioritise your own workload.
Experience of working with a budget.
Commitment to working within The Advocacy Project and Healthwatch code of conduct, equality and safeguarding policies.
Willingness to attend further training as appropriate and to adopt new procedures.
Willingness to promote Healthwatch and The Advocacy Project in line with our mission, vision and values
Desirable
Evidence of ongoing personal development and training.
Experience of working with senior managers in public sector bodies.
Experience of developing ideas for new areas of work.
Experience of working directly with volunteers.
Benefits of working for us
We’re committed to providing an empowering, flexible and supportive working environment for all our staff.
Our employee benefits include 30 days annual leave (including up to 3 days between Christmas and New Year), participation in a pension scheme with 6% employer contribution, access to a free confidential counselling service, and an interest-free travel/bike loan.
All our staff are supported to learn and develop in a variety of ways, including a monthly lecture series where we invite sector experts to talk to our staff on topical issues.
We are a Disability Confident Committed and Mindful Employer.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are looking for a highly motivated individual to support the work of the Director SEL Healthwatch. The successful candidate will be a key part of our friendly team, providing project and administrative support to the Director of SEL Healthwatch, and the wider Healthwatch Greenwich team.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
In this role you will lead and empower the Executive Team and organisation to deliver high quality services to ensure that patient voices are heard. Working with the Board of Trustees you will develop the organisation’s long term strategy and ensure good governance. You will be the public face in building relationships with strategic partners and stakeholders to deliver impact and improvement and will represent the organisation at strategic meetings to hold services to account.
The deadline for applications is 23:59 on Monday 29th April 2024.
The selection process will include:
- Interviews including a presentation element which will be held face to face on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th May 2024.
- Online sessions where the candidate will meet with stakeholders, the Board of Trustees and the Executive Team later in the week commencing Monday 13th May 2024.
If this sounds like the job for you, please follow the link to our website to access our application form and further details!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Healthwatch Croydon is the local champion for Health and Social Care, commissioned by Croydon Council to hear the views of patients and service users. The Healthwatch Croydon Research and Engagement Officer will work closely with the Engagement Lead and Communications Lead to take forward the work of Healthwatch Croydon on resident engagement and research. This is a core strategic focus for the organisation and builds on a substantial track record. The key responsibility will be to support engagement including outreach, events and research such as data entry and analysis. The role will help deliver against measured outcomes, and maximise the impact of our work.
We are looking for an individual who has a strong interest in health and social care, is comfortable communicating with the public and colleagues at all levels. The role requires someone who enjoys a varied role, working as part of a small, friendly and cohesive team. Someone who enjoys creating content, who equally enjoys working with data as well as people, and is methodical with an eye for detail. A candidate who is keen to learn and grow will have the opportunity to gain various experiences in the role.
About Public Voice
Public Voice is a Community Interest Company (CIC) with a mission to improve neighbourhoods, the lives of the people who live in them and the public services they use.
Through our work, we ensure people in the community are heard – bringing together diverse voices and including those who find themselves marginalised or are rarely reached by service providers. We take a usercentred, co-production approach to understanding individuals’ and communities’ needs, and translate that into meaningful insights for service providers in government, public health, and housing. The results are better outcomes for residents and service users, more effective and efficient services for providers, and stronger and healthier neighbourhoods.
To apply, please submit a copy of your CV and a personal statement of no more than two sides of A4 detailing your suitability for the role.
We translate the insights and needs of people into actions to improve public services, leading to reduced inequalities and improved outcomes.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Join Our Team as a secondee: VCS Neighbourhood Facilitator
Transforming Communities, Enhancing Well-being
Are you passionate about making a tangible difference in your community? Do you have a knack for connecting people and organisations for a common cause? If yes, then seize this unique opportunity to become a Neighbourhood Facilitator for the City & Hackney Neighbourhoods Programme.
About Us
Hackney CVS is the leading force in City & Hackney’s voluntary and community sector, committed to supporting groups to meet the needs of the local community, especially those most in need. Through our City & Hackney Neighbourhoods Programme, we're pioneering a place-based approach to integrated health and care across eight Neighbourhood Forums. Our mission is to empower residents and the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) to lead the change towards improved health outcomes and reduced inequalities.
The Role
As a Neighbourhood Facilitator, you will be seconded into Hackney CVS and:
- Lead two of the eight established Neighbourhood Forums, driving community engagement and cross-organisational collaboration to identify local issues and co-produce solutions.
- Work closely with resident groups, service providers, and the Neighbourhood Leadership Group, ensuring that community insights and VCS expertise shape local services and pathways.
- Organise engaging community forum meetings, conduct outreach, and foster strategic connections to enable positive system change.
- Serve as a bridge between residents, VCS organisations, and health and care partners, creating opportunities for co-creation and influencing system changes to address health inequalities.
What We Offer
- A secondment opportunity from July 2024 – March 2026, with a pro-rata salary of £34,944
- A contribution of £5,700 per annum to employer costs to the secondee’s employer.
- Professional development opportunities, access to chairing and evaluation and impact training and more.
- The chance to work within a supportive team and contribute to meaningful, community-driven change.
- Hackney CVS benefits include a beautiful garden for relaxation, staff wellbeing champions, a summer away day, and a festive party.
Who You Are
- A self-starter with excellent organisational and communication skills, passionate about community well-being.
- Experienced in health/well-being, outreach activities, and facilitating group discussions, preferably within the City & Hackney area.
- Knowledgeable about the VCS/not-for-profit sector and the public sector landscape, especially in health and social care.
- Skilled in partnership building, project management, and problem-solving, with a creative approach to identifying solutions.
Join Us
This is more than a job; it’s a chance to be at the heart of community transformation in City & Hackney. If you're ready to make a difference and have the skills we're looking for, we would love to hear from you.
For further details about the Neighbourhoods Programme, visit our website.
Deadline for applications: 23:59 pm on Sunday 12 May 2024
Interviews: Week commencing Monday 20 May 2024
Hackney CVS is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Transform lives, communities, and systems. Become a Neighbourhood Facilitator.