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Job Description

As a PSP, you will join one or more safety-related groups that meet to review and discuss patient safety, risk, and quality. Your role in these will be to:
 
  • Bring the voice and needs of patients, families, carers and the public into formal meetings in a way that provides appropriate challenge and fosters learning and change.
  • Consider complex issues affecting patient safety across the Trust which we will use to inform Trust strategy and policies.
  • Interact with other patient representatives and staff in large multi-professional meetings.
  • Be prepared to put forward ideas of how PSPs can support the improvement of patient safety across the organisation.

As the role develops there will be opportunities to get involved in other activities to support patient safety. This could include supporting Trust staff with investigating incidents or working on quality improvement projects to improve and change service design.
 
Our PSPs will bring with them a wealth of understanding and empathy that allows them to consider issues from a wide variety of perspectives, including those that may be different to their own. If you have a broad interest in patient safety or you have experience of safety issues in the NHS and want to be part of our journey to improve care for our patients, we would love to hear from you.

We ask for commitment for a minimum of 24 months and that you are able to commit a minimum of eight hours per month including time to prepare in advance for meetings and groups. Successful candidates will be required to undertake mandatory training and any training that is relevant to the role. Although the role is not salaried, remuneration for this role will be in line with involvement payments according to national guidance.

Skills and Experience

We want our PSPs to have a broad interest in patient safety and a commitment to helping us improve our services. As well as this, the ideal Partner should be able to communicate and liaise effectively putting across the patient or carer’s perspective.
 
We would like you to use your skills and experience to:
 
  • Advocate for patient safety and experience and represent all patients as part of a wider community, being able to articulate the perspective of a patient/carer or lay person.
  • Provide challenge and help us develop a safer, more patient-centred, organisation.
  • Be open and honest to help drive the Trust’s patient safety culture.
  • Have an active interest in improving safety systems in the NHS.
  • Offer sound and reasonable judgments and share objective views.
  • Be willing to champion quality improvements.
  • Adhere to patient confidentiality.
  • Show personal integrity and commitment
 
Due to the Trust’s commitment to safety and continuous improvement, it is likely that the role will evolve over time. These duties will be subject to review; any amendments will be made in consultation and agreement with the PSP.

Support

We recognise that this is a very new role, not only at Whittington Health but across the NHS, but our commitment to supporting and developing the successful candidate means that:
 
  • We will provide you with training and an induction to the Trust, and ongoing development and training appropriate to the responsibilities of this role.
  • We will provide you with management and support through the Trust’s Patient Safety Specialist who will meet regularly with PSPs to discuss the role and any successes and challenges that may occur.
  • We will explain the standards we expect for our services and encourage and support you to help in achieving and maintaining them.
  • Although the role is not salaried, remuneration for this role will be in line with involvement payments that according to national guidance.
Please click here to download the job description. 
Last updated05 Apr 2023
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