Part 1: introduction
Thank you for your interest in becoming a lived experience partner (LEP) with NHS England.
Working in partnership with people and communities creates a much better chance of ensuring services meet people’s needs, improving their experience and outcomes. Becoming a LEP is one of the important ways that we can hear people’s voices.
Please read this application information pack before completing the application form for this role. It will help you decide if the role is right for you.
If you would like support or this information in another format, please contact Cristina Serrao cristina.serrao@nhs.net
The closing date for applications is 8 December 2024 at 23:59
Please note that correspondence 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.
This post attracts an involvement payment in line with the LEP expenses and involvement payments policy. Please note: Involvement payments are classed as a form of income by HMRC and are subject to deductions including tax and national insurance (depending on individuals’ circumstances).
Involvement Payments are made via payroll for tax purposes only, to ensure that NHS England makes payments in a tax compliant way in line with HMRC guidance. LEPs are not employees, workers or agents of NHS England.
Before accepting an offer of a role with an involvement payment you are advised to get independent advice. You may wish to contact the Job Centre or Citizens Advice.
NHS England is not able to provide benefits advice (or any other financial advice) to LEPs. However, we commission a helpline from Citizens Advice for people who are in receipt of benefits and currently involved, or considering being involved, as a LEP in NHS England work. Please contact england.engagement@nhs.net to access this service.
You can choose to decline an involvement payment if you wish.
Limits and exclusions
To encourage a range of people to become LEPs and to minimise conflicts of interest, there are limits to the number of roles that LEPs can have and certain exclusions. The limits are:
- LEPs can only hold up to 3 paid roles, these are sometimes referred to as patient and public voice (PPV) roles, at any one time
- the maximum length of term for a LEP/PPV role is 4 years (this particular role will be reviewed in March 2025)
LEPs/PPVs are not employees of NHS England. The limit to the number of roles also exists to reduce the possibility that their earning levels could be construed as implying employment. While there are not set limits to the number of hours that LEPs can do per month, a guideline is that that each role should average no more than 2 full days per month (including all preparation and travel time).
To minimise conflicts of interest and to ensure that LEPs bring a public perspective the following people cannot be NHS England LEPs/PPVs:
- a chair or board member of an NHS body – including an NHS trust or NHS foundation trust, an NHS commissioning body, the Independent Regulator of NHS trusts, and some special health authorities
- NHS England employees – including all staff, honorary or unpaid medical or dental posts this applies even where their employed role is in a different area of the business. Non-clinical staff employed by other NHS organisations are usually exempt from this exclusion
- a practising healthcare professional – including practising GPs, general dental practitioners
- a serving MP or local councillor – including candidates for election
How to apply
Please complete the following:
Please send your completed application form by email to england.peopleandcommunities@nhs.net and mark the title “FAO: Listening Culture LEP application”.
We understand that filling in forms is not the most accessible way for some people to apply for roles. We do not want the application process to be a barrier to your involvement. If you would like to apply for the role in a different way, for example by telephone, or by sending a voice recording or if you would like support to apply for this role, and/or information in another format please contact england.peopleandcommunities@nhs.net
We will rely on the information you provide in the application form to assess whether you are a good fit for the 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.
NHS England is a Disability Confident employer. Disability Confident applies to all recruitment opportunities, including LEP recruitment. Applicants who state that they have a disability and successfully evidence the essential criteria will be offered an interview. Please note: in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, disabled candidates who best meet the essential criteria will be interviewed rather than all of those that meet the essential criteria.
Once we receive your application
The steps will be as follows:
- We will acknowledge receipt of your application form via email (unless otherwise specified). If you do not receive an acknowledgement within 5 days, please get in touch.
- Applications will be shortlisted by a panel, including members drawn from: People and Communities Division including the National Lived Experience Ambassador.
- Applications will be assessed against the skills and experience required. Selection will be made based on the content of the application form.
- Interviews will take place via MS Teams on week commencing 16 December 2024.
- Please note that 2 references will be taken up for successful applicants before the role is confirmed.
- All applications will receive a successful or unsuccessful notification. The successful notifications will include information about next steps.
If you have any queries about the application process or would like an informal discussion about the opportunity – please contact Claire Marshall Claire.marshall3@nhs.net
Part 2 – role specific information
The People and Communities Division leads for NHS England on ensuring that people and communities are involved, listened to and their experiences understood in the development of strategy, policy, commissioning and delivery of care.
This work supports the divisional objective “to strengthen the listening culture across the NHS and harness its potential to drive improvement”.
This work aims to support several policy areas including:
- the statutory guidance to Work in partnership with people and communities to work with systems to continuously improve quality of care based on the needs of the population
- our statutory duty to continuously improve the quality of experience as part of the overall duty to improve quality
- the ambition of the National Quality Board for NHS England to Improve experience of care: a shared commitment for those working in health and care systems
We are still in the early stages of development and will continue throughout 2025 to 2026. This would be a paid opportunity in line with NHS England PPV policy. The commitment would include regular monthly online meetings of 1 hour, pre-reading preparation and post meeting actions totalling up to 4 hours (£75 payment) per month.
We are looking for someone who
- has the ability to think and work strategically across the NHS
- has skills in the development of organisation and system cultural change
- works with a curious continuous improvement approach
Role of the informal thinking group
- to provide an informal thinking space for the strategic overview and initial direction of the work
- to make recommendations to the People and Communities Division Senior Leadership team for future development
- to model and advise on best practice, in line with the statutory guidance to Work in partnership with people and communities. To ensure that listening to and meaningfully involving those with lived experience is central to this work.
What is the role of lived experience partners (LEPs) on the group?
We are looking for 2 LEPs to support this evolving and dynamic piece of work.
We are specifically seeking at least 1 LEP from:
a) ethnically diverse groups
b) LGBT+
c) inclusion health demographics (from a community where local people lack access to stable employment, good education, housing, food and amenities)
Lived experience partners bring important views, perspective and challenge into the People and Communities Division. This role is essential in strategic co-production with people with lived experience.
The role of the LEP is to:
- help shape the direction of the work by providing ‘critical friend’ challenge to the group at a strategic level, and seeking to understand the organisational and operational constraints which may limit options
- hold the group to account for ensuring co-production at the heart of the decision making
- where appropriate, represent different views within a community and not just represent their own voice. To consider the impact and perspective of this work for those from diverse communities or those who have protected characteristics
- work in partnership with the group, as an equal voice with equal access to insight and information
- continually consider the impact of the project on people who use our services. Highlighting where this could be improved or has shifted
- review and comment on documentation
- support sharing the outcomes and achievements of the work, speaking at meetings, webinars, etc
- comply with the confidentiality agreement, declaration of interest, statement of values and code of conduct, respecting the confidential nature of some discussions
- network with others across the organisation, eg relevant sounding boards, other teams, LEPs, etc to support the development of this work as required
- to co-produce strategies/approaches to gain insights and knowledge around the listening culture in the NHS
All LEPs will need to comply with the standards of conduct and respect the confidential nature of some discussions. The team will make it clear when a topic is confidential.
Skills and experience for this role
Essential
- recent lived experience as a person using NHS services and/or as a carer of someone who does
- experience of representing people who use our services, carers and their communities
- has previous experience of collaborating strategically across the NHS
- has skills in the development of organisation and system cultural change
- confident and able to actively take part in discussions where there are many different options and directions to explore
- ability to work well with others including various stakeholders and contribute as part of a group
- good understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
- understand confidentiality and ability to maintain this
Desirable
- awareness of continuous improvement approaches
- has previous recent experience of working at a national level in lived experience capacity
Time commitment
- membership of the project is until March 2025 initially, at which point membership will be reviewed
- the commitment would include regular monthly online meetings of 1 hour, pre-reading preparation and post-meeting actions totalling up to 4 hours per month
- meetings will normally last for 1 hour plus preparation time.
Support for lived experience partners (LEPs)
From your team
- you will receive an appropriate induction. All meeting documents, and if necessary, pre-meeting briefings will be provided
- ability to have 1:1 supervision discussions if required
From NHS England
- NHS England is not able to provide benefits advice (or any other financial advice) to LEPs. However, free confidential advice is available for people who are in receipt of benefits and are involved, or considering involvement, with NHS England. Please contact engagement@nhs.net to make use of this service
- we have a digital support offer for LEPs who may need a laptop, internet data, or other IT equipment to do their role. If you will require this support, please contact peopleandcommunites@nhs.net for more details
- there are a range of learning and development opportunities available to LEPs
- we have an online LEP network and regular drop-in session for partners to support one and other, access free training resources and ask questions
- NHS England has an Employee Assistance Programme which is available to anyone who works with or supports NHS England, including contractors and LEPs