Introduction
Thank you for your interest in becoming a patient and public voice (PPV) partner with NHS England.
NHS England are 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 PPV partners is set out in the Patient and public voice partners policy.
Please read this application information 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.
Please note the closing date for applications is Wednesday 6 November 2024.
Interviews will be held on MS Teams in November 2024.
NHS England will reimburse reasonable out of pocket expenses in line with the PPV Partners Expenses and Involvement Payments Policy.
This post attracts an involvement payment.
Any involvement payments may be classed as earnings or income by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs service (HMRC) or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). PPV partners are responsible for declaring this income to HMRC, DWP, Job Centre plus or other agencies as appropriate. If you are in receipt of state benefits, you should seek advice from the relevant agency, for example Job Centre 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.
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.
Background, context and aims of the programme
NHS England are looking to recruit an enthusiastic patient and public voice (PPV) partner who will be committed to supporting the implementation and delivery of the second Allied Health Professions (AHPs) Strategy AHPs Deliver, the strategy builds on the achievements and success of the first strategy AHPs into Action and covering the period 2022 to 2027.
213,151 AHPs in 14 professions work across the spectrum of health and care, education (including early years), academia, research, voluntary and private sectors. From prevention to specialist care provision, AHPs deliver care to individuals, groups and in some cases, specific populations of children and older adults. Collectively AHPs are the third largest clinical workforce in the NHS.
The current strategy is a resource to inform, support and inspire AHPs, leaders and decision makers across the health and care system, and enabling AHPs to achieve the requirements set out in the NHS Long Term Plan and NHS People Plan.
The strategy was produced collaboratively using national policy priorities, current evidence, engagement with senior leaders, and crowdsourcing the views of citizens and healthcare professionals. The chief allied health professions officer (CAHPO) is committed to addressing the following five areas of focus identified through the co-production of this strategy:
- people first
- optimising care
- social justice, addressing health and care inequalities
- environmental sustainability. Greener AHP
- The Allied Health Professions (AHP) community
Chaired by the CAHPO, the AHPs Strategy for England Programme Board brings together clinicians, public health experts, professional bodies, patient and public voice partners and clinical education institutions to advise us on the best way of delivering the strategy. The board focuses on programmes of work that take place across NHS England including professional leadership; AHP policy development and delivery; workforce, training and education; and public health to implement the strategy effectively and sustainably at a national and local level.
The role
We are seeking for a Patient and Public Voice (PPV) Partners to join the Programme Board for the second AHP Strategy for England.
PPV members are expected to have lived and recent experience of receiving assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and/or care by at least one of the recognised Allied Health Professions, to aid their understanding and contribution.
Meetings will take place for two hours on a quarterly basis alternating between virtual MS Teams meetings and face to face meetings usually in London.
The role of the PPV partner
The main purpose of the roles is to ensure that patient and public voice is championed and embedded within the Programme. The PPV partners will:
- Bring important views, perspective and challenge. The roles are essential in championing patient and public experience, outcomes, viewpoints and voices, ensuring their needs are met through the Strategy.
- Ensure that the strategy considers and prioritises equalities, health inclusion and patient experience within health services.
- Champion the diversity of the views of diverse communities and reflections of their experiences.
- Provide critical friend challenge and contribute specific subject experiences and/or expertise to the strategy’s goals.
- Champion and advocate for increasing public’s awareness of the strategy’s outcomes and achievements.
- Review and comment on agreed documentation prepared by and/or for the strategy.
- Prepare well for agreed meetings and other events to be able to provide informed input.
- Comply with the confidentiality agreement, declaration of interest, statement of values and code of conduct, respecting the confidential nature of some discussions through debate and discussions on the outcomes and recommendations of the work.
Skills and experience required
This is an exciting opportunity which could appeal to a wide range of people from different backgrounds, work and life experience.
This role will suit someone who is committed to reducing health inequalities, ensuring that all citizens have an opportunity to access health services and can work in partnership across organisational boundaries.
The skills and experience required for this role are:
- have an awareness of, and commitment to, equality and diversity
- ability to work creatively and collaboratively and to offer objective challenge
- ability and experience of listening well to the views of people, giving priority to minority groups, and representing their views
- experience of working in partnership with user led groups and/or with healthcare organisations is desirable
- ability to display sound judgement and objectivity
- understand and respect the need for confidentiality
- a commitment to the ‘seven principles of public life’, known as the ‘Nolan Principles’: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, leadership
Time commitment
The total time commitment for each PPV partner role is expected to be 2 half days per month. The programme is currently funded until March 2027. This includes preparation for and attendance at group meetings. Meetings will take place either face to face and via MS Teams.
How to apply
Please complete and return the following accompanying documents:
Return these documents by email to ragi.rehinsi@nhs.net by Wednesday 6 November 2024.
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.
If you have any queries about the application process, or would like an informal discussion about the opportunity please contact mark_cohen@nhs.net
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.
We particularly welcome applications from:
- People with a Black, Asian or Mixed ethnic background
- People living in the most deprived areas of England
- People with protected characteristics as listed in the Equality Act (2010).
Once we receive your application
- we will acknowledge receipt of your application form via email (unless otherwise specified).
- applications will be shortlisted by a panel.
- applications will be assessed against the skills and experience required. Selection will be made on the basis of the content of the application form.
- interviews will take place via MS Teams in November 2024.
- please note that two references will be taken up for successful applicants before involvement can commence.
- all applications will receive a successful or unsuccessful notification. The successful notifications will include information about next steps.
Support for PPV partners
NHS England ask 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 team leading this work.
Meeting documents, and if necessary, pre-meeting briefings will be provided.
There are a range of learning and development opportunities available to PPV partners.