Job Description
We are excited to announce a new opportunity for a Patient Leader to join our Barking and Dagenham team. This innovative role is central to ensuring that the voices of service users and carers are embedded in everything we design, develop, and deliver.
As a key member of the Directorate Leadership Team, you will champion co‑production and drive improvements in clinical services by bringing lived experience, insight, and a strong commitment to meaningful participation.
Main duties of the job
What You’ll Do:
- Provide leadership around engagement and participation across the directorate
- Work collaboratively with teams to improve service quality, outcomes, and user experience
- Influence the planning and delivery of services through the lens of lived experience
- Support and embed a culture of inclusivity, diversity, and co‑production
- Build effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders
- Offer practical advice and project support to embed service user and carer involvement
- Promote strong communication channels across services
About You:
We are looking for someone who is passionate, confident, and proactive. You will bring:
- Lived or living experience of accessing NELFT services
- Residency in the Barking and Dagenham area or be a carer to someone living within the Barking and Dagenham area.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively
- A keen interest in service improvement and positive change
- Good organisational skills and the ability to manage a varied workload
- Confidence to contribute at a leadership level
Willingness and ability to travel within the Barking & Dagenham locality (role is place‑based at NELFT services within the area)
* * We are committed to getting the right person to support our B&D residents and ensure that their voice is heard therefore please get in touch with us if you would like an informal chat about what the role entails to see if it is the right fit for you. * *
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to shape the future of services, influence strategic decisions, and ensure that our community’s experience remains at the heart of everything we do. You’ll play a vital role in bringing new perspectives that help drive meaningful, lasting improvements.
We are looking for an individual who is passionate and assertive to join our Barking and Dagenham team in an exciting new role as a Patient Leader. This role will be a key member of the leadership team, who believes the voice of the service user and carer should be at the forefront of everything we do. We are looking for individuals who are committed to improving clinical services involving full co-production processes.
Applicants should have a keen interest in service improvement and in supporting and facilitating positive developments, be an effective communicator and be able to work proactively.
You should have good organisational skills and be able to manage a varying workload efficiently.
Candidates must have lived/living experience of accessing NELFT services and live in the Barking and Dagenham area or be a carer to someone living within the Barking and Dagenham area.
Candidates must be able to work and travel within the directorate they are applying as these roles are directorate & place based.
This new and innovative posts focus on the need to bring strong leadership around the engagement and participation of people who use services and their carers in all aspects of both planning and delivery of services within the directorate.
As a key member of the leadership team, you will work collaboratively to promote improved outcomes for service users and improve service user and carer experience through new insights and perspectives.
They will provide strong leadership, advice and practical project work across the directorate in the development of a culture that is socially inclusive, values participation and diversity. Supporting and maintaining effective communication the post holder will need to develop relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
Starting with NELFT
NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
High Cost Area Supplement – Outer London (B&D, Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest, CEME)
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,714 to a maximum of £5,941 p.a. pro rata for part time).
Working for Us
Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.
