Project And Membership Assistant

Healthwatch Kingston upon Thames

Projects Officer, Enter & View (Enter & View training provided during induction)

Job Description

Salary:                   £30,430 pro rata (£12,172 gross annual salary for 16 hours work per week).

Contract terms:     Fixed term to 31 March 2025 (anticipated start date beginning of April 2024).

Hours of work:       Part-time,16 hours per week.

Core work hours are usually 9am-5pm.

Some flexible working necessary due to timing of Enter & View visits.       

Occasional early morning and / or early evening work may be required to observe end of day services.

Benefits:                10 days pro rata annual leave days, plus bank holidays.

Location:               Hybrid working between our office based at Siddeley House with travel throughout the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames and working from home.

Reports to:             Chief Executive Officer

Overview

Are you passionate about improving health and care services for Kingston’s residents? Are you skilled at engaging with people to ensure everyone’s voice is heard? Do you have experience of managing volunteers?

Healthwatch Kingston upon Thames is the local health and social care champion covering GPs and hospitals, dentists, pharmacies, care homes and other support services in our area, and we want to hear about resident experiences. We are independent and have the power to make sure NHS and social care leaders and other decision makers listen to local feedback and improve standards of care. We can also help residents to find reliable and trustworthy information and advice. Last year, the Healthwatch England network of over 150 local Healthwatch organisations helped nearly a million people to have their say and get the support they need.

Healthwatch Kingston is contracted to provide a local statutory service and has powers to Enter & View local health and care services.

Key function: 

Are you what we are looking for?

We are seeking a graduate or current professional or volunteer in health and/or social care, to project lead a series of Healthwatch Kingston Enter and View visits of care homes within the Royal Borough of Kingston (Enter & View training provided during induction).

You will have strong observational skills coupled with a desire to raise the quality of services, and excellent oral communication and report writing skills. As part of the Healthwatch Kingston team you will gather views and experiences of local people and share our work with a variety of stakeholders and the Healthwatch England network.

Key function: 

The Project Officer, Enter & View will work closely with our Authorised Representative Enter & View volunteers and other members of our team to plan, deliver, and report the findings of a programme of Healthwatch Kingston Enter and View projects.

Key responsibilities:

• Rigorously analyse and interpret pre-visit data and information gathered from Enter & View visits, including both qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• Collect and process personal data in line with General Data Protection Regulation to support Healthwatch community engagement research.
• Network efficiently, using excellent interpersonal skills to build trust and develop relationships with a diverse range of health and social care providers, local residents, patients, and service users.
• Contribute to the communications of the organisation by providing content for print and online newsletters and bulletins, website, print and social media enabling accessible information for people with learning disabilities and other local residents.
• Raise the profile of Healthwatch Kingston as the local health and social care champion via Enter & View activities, bi-monthly Open Meetings, quarterly public Board reports and at other relevant stakeholder meetings.

Other:

• Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, and all staff are required to act in such a way that at all times safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults. Familiarisation with, and adherence to, our organisational Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, and any associated guidance is an essential requirement of all Healthwatch representatives.
• Work in support of other colleagues in the organisation, as particular needs arise, as directed by the Chief Executive Officer / Deputy Chief Officer,
• Undertake additional duties as requested by the Chief Executive Officer / Deputy Chief Officer which further the aims and objectives of Healthwatch Kingston. 

Projects Officer, Enter & View

Person Specification

This person specification seeks to define a person most likely to be suited to the job of Project Officer, Enter & View. Candidates are required to meet all the essential criteria listed. E = essential criteria; D = desired criteria.

Requirements

Qualifications and experience:

1.   A degree level qualification or equivalent professional or volunteering experience in health and / or social care (E)

2.   Experience of analysing data, writing reports and recommendations, editing and proof reading for a range of audiences (E)

3.   Experience engaging with people to gather their experiences and insights (E)

4.   Experience working within and/or supporting a staff and/or volunteer team (E)

5.   Experience of delivering projects to deadlines and responding to changing priorities in an agile work environment (E).

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

6.   A high standard of oral and written English (E)

7.   Ability to be self-motivated and work proactively, independently and as part of a team (E)

8.   Hard working, enthusiastic and creative; able to operate with a ‘can-do’ attitude based on a desire to provide people with help, support, and solutions to problems (E)

9.   Ability to prioritise and plan work to short and competing deadlines while under pressure (E)

10. Knowledge of the NHS and / or social care (E)

11. Ability to network and build sustainable working partnerships with other agencies (E)

12. Awareness of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ability to maintain confidentiality in line with policies and procedures (D)

13. Understanding of equality and diversity principles (D)

14. Understanding of safeguarding principles for vulnerable adults and vulnerable children (D).