Healthwatch Lincolnshire Steering Group (HSG) – recruitment of 3 new Layperson Voluntary Members
Healthwatch Lincolnshire Steering Group (HSG) – recruitment of 3 new Layperson Voluntary Members
(please note, this recruitment is specifically targeting layperson voluntary member with specialist skills, knowledge or experience)
Background to HSG
HWLincs is currently looking to recruit 3 new volunteer members onto its Healthwatch Steering Group, which oversees the operation of the Healthwatch Lincolnshire contract, and provides guidance to Healthwatch Lincolnshire, to ensure successful delivery of its work programmes. We are particularly looking for people who have in depth knowledge either through working in areas highlighted below or by ‘experience’* i.e., have gained their knowledge as someone that has required extensive or ongoing support from the service. *Expert by Experience, this is you if you have recent personal experience (within the last five years) of using or caring for someone, who uses health, mental health or social care services.
Healthwatch Lincolnshire has achieved a great deal of success since it began in 2013. Reaching out to excess of 200,000 people our delivery has recognised positive impact year on year, with the services delivering health and care to Lincolnshire people.
Our HSG wishes to recruit new people, believing the addition of new lay members with specialist experience or skills will not only strengthen our knowledge base, but also bring additional much needed specialist support in the following areas:
- Adult Social Care – we are looking to recruit someone who has knowledge of adult domiciliary or residential/nursing care, in all settings. This could be through their previous (current employees are not eligible) work for Local Authority Adult Social Care, involvement in Private Care, as a recipient, or family member of someone who has received a range of Adult Social Care support services and understands how the system operates.
- Community Health Services – we are looking to recruit someone who has either previous knowledge of working in community health (current employees are not eligible) or they or a family member has received Community Health Services. These could include areas such as community nursing; adult therapy; community hospitals (Gainsborough, Louth, Skegness & Spalding); transitional care; health visitors, sexual health; urgent care or specialist services e.g., Parkinson, Diabetes, cardiac rehabilitation, respiratory, palliative & end of life.
- Women, Children and Young People – we are looking to recruit someone who has knowledge of women, children and young people services either through previous work in this area (current employees are not eligible) or through personal experience of accessing the services due to family health or care requirements.
What is an individual’s commitment to HSG?
- HSG meets 8 – 10 times per year, usually on a Monday morning.
- Prior to each meeting there will be some background reading of papers, this is an important part of the work to ensure meaningful contribution by all HSG members during our meetings.
- Anyone who provides a formal designated representative role within HSG will be required to submit a very brief written report prior to HSG meetings. Please note, in this context a designated representative is someone who HSG has identified, approved to attend meetings on behalf of Healthwatch Lincolnshire, they will also be required to complete HWLincs representative and mandatory training.
- Anyone with specialist knowledge may be asked to contribute to or even provide some level of support or lead to relevant specific pieces of work. This may include the need for a limited number of meetings outside of HSG.
I am interested what should I do next?
Joining the Healthwatch Steering Group offers an exciting opportunity to be involved in helping to champion improvements to our health and care services but with this opportunity comes some responsibility so what next:
- In the first instance, anyone interested in any of the 3 roles should read the Healthwatch Lincolnshire Terms of Reference document (available to download from our website or on request by emailing dean@healthwatchlincolnshire.co.uk). Following this we would then ask you to contact Dean Odell, Healthwatch Lincolnshire Contract Co-ordinator to have an informal chat about the role.
What happens next?
- The next step will be to complete a simple application form (Dean will forward this to you) which will tell us a bit more about you and your specific area of knowledge or skill.
- This will then be followed up by a short meeting with Liz Ball our Healthwatch Steering Group Chair and Dean Odell. Liz and Dean will be discussing with you your application in more detail, along with giving you plenty of time to ask any questions.
- You will be informed as soon as possible after the meeting in point number 3 as to the success of your application to join HSG and will be given an opportunity to discuss the outcome.
- If your application has been approved, you will agree a start date.
- All new appointed HSG members are required to complete HWLincs and Healthwatch induction training within the first 8 weeks of joining.
- Appointments will initially be on a 3-month probationary basis and will be reviewed annually in line with HSG requirements.
Who is HWLincs?
Applicants will be applying for this role via our charity HWLincs hwlincs.co.uk. HWLincs is the contract holder for Healthwatch Lincolnshire, a contract that is awarded by Lincolnshire County Council on behalf of Lincolnshire people.
What is Healthwatch
Healthwatch is a governmental statutory mechanism intended to strengthen the collective voice of users of health and social care services and members of the public, both nationally and locally. Healthwatch powers were set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
For more information, please visit www.healthwatchlincolnshire.co.uk and www.healthwatch.co.uk , telephone Dean Odell on 07485 338440 or email dean@healthwatchlincolnshire.co.uk
