Job Description
About the Role
We are excited to announce a new opportunity for a Patient Leader to join our Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock 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.
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 Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock area or be a carer to someone living within the Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock 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 Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock locality (role is place‑based at NELFT services within the area)
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 Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock 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 Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock area or be a carer to someone living within the Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock 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.
Application Requirements
- Please only apply for this role is you live in or care for someone who lives within the Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock location.
- Please only apply for this role if you have lived or care for someone who has lived experience of using NELFT Services withing the Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock locality.
- When completing your personal statement please outline your current / past lived experience of NELFT Services and why you feel this role would be suitable for you.
- If you do not do this, then we will be unable to support your application.
EDIT THE BELOW AND ADD JOB DESCRIPTION
Our Values 2025 - 2030
Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.
They are:
- We are kind.
- We are respectful.
- We work together with our communities.
These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by
the best people.
Starting with NELFT (delete for internal only)
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 Goodmayes Hospital.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period.
High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of
5% of the basic salary (minimum payment of £1,346 and a
maximum payment of £2,270 per annum, pro rata for part time)
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable
to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility
under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic
salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not
included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.
.
We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the
criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as
possible as some posts close early to limit the number of
applications.
CONTACT DETAILS FOR INFORMAL CHATS OR VISITS
NAME: Carmel Micheals
JOB TITLE: Assistant Director
CONTACT NUMBER
EMAIL: carmel.micheals@nelft.nhs.uk
