Introduction
Thank you for your interest in becoming a PPV Partner with NHS England as an Independent Member of the Gender Dysphoria Services (Adults) Clinical Reference Group for NHS England.
NHS England is committed to ensuring that public and patient voices are at the centre of shaping our healthcare services. Every level of our commissioning system needs to be informed by insightful methods of listening to those who use and care about our services. Their views should inform service development and improvement. Our commitment to supporting our PPV Partners is set out in our PPV Partners Policy.
Please read this application information pack before completing the application form for this role, to ensure you fully understand the application process, and to determine whether you have the skills and time to become a PPV Partner.
The deadline for applications is 22 October.
Involvement payments may be classed as earnings or income by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs service (HMRC) or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Role 4 PPV Partners will be paid their involvement payments through the NHS England payroll system. The payment will go directly to their bank account. Payments will be subject to statutory deductions including tax and national insurance (NI), although this will be dependent on individuals’ earnings and tax code. If you are in receipt of state benefits, you should seek advice from the relevant agency, for example JobCentre Plus, ideally in advance of applying and certainly before accepting an offer of a role which attracts an involvement payment, even if you intend to decline the payment.
For further information see the PPV Partners Expenses and Involvement Payments Policy or the PPV Partners Policy.
Correspondence relating to this application will be primarily via email, unless otherwise requested. If you do not have access to email and would like to be contacted via telephone or post, please state this on your application form.
How to apply
Please complete and return the following accompanying documents:
You can return these documents by email to england.voice-crg@nhs.net.
If you would like support to enable you to apply for this role, and/or information in another format please contact england.voice-crg@nhs.net.
The closing date for applications is 22 October.
We will rely on the information you provide in the application form to assess whether you have the skills and experience required for this role.
Diversity and equality of opportunity
NHS England values and promotes diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity for all. To help us understand if we are achieving this, we ask you to fill out an Equal Opportunity Monitoring Form as part of the application process.
Please let us know if you have support needs so that we can understand how we can support you to participate fully.
Once we receive your application
The steps will be as follows:
- We will acknowledge receipt of your application form via
- Applications will be shortlisted by a panel drawn from the Clinical Reference Group and NHS England.
- Applications will be assessed against the skills and experience required, outlined in this application pack. Selection will be made on the basis of the content of the application form.
- Interviews will take place via video conference.
- Please note that two references will be taken up for successful applicants before involvement can commence.
- This role does not require Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance (formerly known as a ‘Criminal Records Bureau’ (CRB) check’).
- All applications will receive a successful or unsuccessful notification. The successful notifications will include information about next steps.
If you wish to be informed about future involvement opportunities with NHS England, please sign up to NHS England In Touch newsletter, which includes details of current opportunities.
If you have any queries about the application process or would like an informal discussion about the opportunity – please contact england.voice-crg@nhs.net.
Role and membership of the Clinical Reference Group
Current terms of reference may be provided on request.
The Clinical Reference Group’s role is to:
- Provide multi-disciplinary clinical and patient and public voice advice, support and leadership to enable the delivery of an agreed programme of work. Provide expert clinical advice to support national, regional, and ICS commissioning teams.
- Provide advice, via the NHS England Specialised Commissioning team reporting to the National Medical Director of Specialised Services, that enables NHS England to respond to official questions and requests for information and advice.
- The group will provide guidance and support to enable the development of evidence based national standards and commissioning products for NHS England (including service specifications, quality/outcome metrics and access policies).
- To perform its role, the group will consider the impact of its advice and decision making across the whole pathway of care and seek involvement from a broad network of clinical professionals involved in delivery of care across the whole pathway.
- In undertaking its role, the group may undertake horizon scanning of new evidence on optimal interventions in the treatment of gender dysphoria in adults, enabling optimal adoption and implementation of interventions with patient benefit.
- The group will offer bespoke advice to NHS England to enable value improvement, identification and tackling of health inequalities and advising on relevant clinical datasets.
- Inform the consideration by the Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group (PSSAG) (and subsequently, Ministers) of services for inclusion / exclusion in the list of those specialised services prescribed for direct commissioning by NHS England.
- At the request of NHSE, engage with a range of external bodies, including government departments, to support the clinical service and/or agreed national policy.
- Escalate any issues and concerns regarding their specific service portfolio that the Clinical Reference Group is made aware of with NHSE. This could include: (i) service delivery issues; (ii) inequalities of experience, access, and outcome; (iii) other clinical issues.
What is the role of PPV Partners on the Clinical Reference Group?
PPV representation brings important views, perspective and challenge into the Clinical Reference Group. This role is essential in championing a service user, patient and/or carer/family viewpoint, ensuring that their needs are met through the outcomes of the programme.
The role of the PPV partner is to ensure that the independent voice and experience of trans and non-binary people in using specialised gender dysphoria services and other general health services informs the strategic direction of NHS England work and the eventual outcomes, including:
- Provide a “critical friend” challenge into the Clinical Reference Group rather than represent a particular view or interest
- Assist NHS England in identifying the best ways to gain understanding of the diverse perspectives of trans and non-binary people to inform the work of the Clinical Reference Group
- Provide assurance that plans to capture the views of trans and non-binary people are robust and embedded in all relevant aspects of the work of the Clinical Reference Group.
Key responsibilities (not exhaustive)
- To attend 8 online meetings per year and one annual in-person
- To prepare for the meetings by reading and reviewing programme plans, papers, proposals and other associated documentation
- Take part in optional workshops or events where helpful to the work of the Clinical Reference Group
- Comply with NHS England Standards of Conduct, and in accordance with usual governance processes to respect the confidential nature of discussions when it is made clear by the Chair that this is a necessary requirement.
Skills and experience required for this role
Experience
- A strong commitment to helping NHS England commission NHS services with a particular focus on quality, outcomes and the patient experience; and to bring that focus into the work of the Clinical Reference Group
- Current or past experience of using or accessing specialised gender dysphoria services as a service user; and an insight into the challenges that the Clinical Reference Group seeks to address
- A good understanding of the background to the work of the Clinical Reference Group, and the complex wider landscape (social; political; economic) in which the work takes place
- A good understanding of the sustainability challenges to the NHS generally.
Public interest, accountability and knowledge
- Good understanding of public service values and accountability
- Understanding of NHS England and the wider environment in which it operates
- A commitment to the ‘seven principles of public life’ (sometimes known as the ‘Nolan Principles’: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, leadership). Have an awareness of, and commitment to, equality and diversity.
Sound judgement, motivation and flexibility
- Able to display sound judgement and objectivity and understand the need for confidentiality
- Open minded and willing to modify thinking in view of new information/discussion
- Tests and probes constructively to achieve the best outcome
- Sees the bigger picture and can think and act strategically
- Able to think clearly and objectively when dealing with emotive issues.
Effective communication
- Able to communicate and debate with others
- Ability to give and receive advice
- Good interpersonal skills and open to change
- Experience of speaking in large groups (desirable, not essential)
- Interacting with multiple stakeholders at senior management level (desirable, not essential)
- Able to canvas information from wider stakeholder groups and to use that feedback to inform the discussion (an ability to demonstrate links to wider stakeholder groups is desirable, not essential).
Personal qualities
- High level of organisation, self-motivation and drive for performance
- Emotional intelligence and resilience
- Ability to challenge constructively
- Personal integrity and commitment to openness, inclusiveness and high standards
- Able to absorb complex information and situations before reaching a recommendation
- Independence of mind, with an ability to objectively convey information elicited from networks or groups (when relevant)
- Ability to work effectively and constructively with colleagues, in an environment of possibly divergent views
- Able to maintain confidentiality where this is necessary (e.g. commercially sensitive information).
Time commitment
- There will be an initial trial period of 3 months.
- Membership of the Clinical Reference Group is for 12 months initially, at which point membership will be reviewed, to consider a full three-year term.
- Meetings are usually held every 6 weeks and will usually last for up to 3 hours with about 2 hours required to read papers prior to each meeting.
- Meetings will be during working hours. It is expected that most meetings will be held via video conferencing but that there will be meetings in person at least annually.
Support for PPV Partners
- NHS England asks that all new PPV Partners complete an interactive online induction session. This webinar lasts an hour and will provide some background information to NHS England and the work that we do as well as wider support available to PPV Partners.
- You will also receive an induction from the programme leads and Specialised Commissioning Engagement Team.
- Meeting documents, and if necessary, pre-meeting briefings will be provided.
- There are a range of learning and development opportunities available to PPV Partners, details can be found on the Involvement Hub.
Reimbursement and expenses
- Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred in line with NHS England PPV Expenses Policy. Expenses usually cover travel, and/or any subsistence requirements that arise. PPV partners should highlight any barriers to participation – please email voice-crg@nhs.net to discuss any support requirements that you might have.
- There will be an honorarium available to claim of £75 per half day or £150 per day (for those people not representing or supported by an organisation) covering travel time, for an estimated time commitment of up to 12 days per year.
- If you have any queries or concerns about whether reimbursement of expenses and involvement payments for public involvement might affect any state benefits you are receiving, please contact the free and confidential service provided through Bedford Citizens Advice Bureau. Specially trained staff, with knowledge of how payment for involvement/expenses might affect state benefits will be able to give you personal advice eg supporting you should you need to make contact with the Department for Work and Pensions, or other benefits agencies about your involvement. You can contact the Benefits Advice Service by emailing involve@bedfordcab.org.uk with a brief summary of your query in the first instance, or, if you prefer, you can call 01234 330604.