Patient Experience & Engagement Lead – Band 7

Location: Croydon
Duration: 6 Months
Start Date: ASAP
Hours: Full-time, Monday to Friday
Band: 7
Rate: £26.16 

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Patient Experience & Engagement Lead to join a busy team on a 6-month contract.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced patient experience, engagement, quality improvement, or NHS professional to play a key role in driving patient-centred care, supporting service improvement, and ensuring the voices of patients, families and carers are embedded across the Trust.

You will work closely with the Head of Patient Experience and Engagement, clinical teams, quality improvement colleagues and communications teams to deliver strategic and operational patient engagement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Support the Head of Patient Experience and Engagement in developing and delivering the Trust's Patient Engagement Programme of Work.
• Ensure patient engagement activity aligns with national policy, CQC requirements, legislation, guidance and NHS best practice.
• Promote a strong culture of patient engagement and co-production across the Trust.
• Lead and coordinate patient engagement campaigns and initiatives.
• Work collaboratively with Patient Experience, Continuous Quality Improvement and Communications teams to raise the profile of patient engagement.
• Provide expert advice and guidance on engagement approaches within improvement projects.
• Support the development and delivery of Trust-wide patient engagement training and development programmes.
• Represent the Trust with external stakeholders and contribute to local, regional and national NHS initiatives.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with external agencies, partners, organisations and community groups.

Operational Responsibilities

• Manage and implement the Patient Engagement Programme, overseeing day-to-day engagement activities.
• Regularly review and update patient engagement policies, strategies and processes.
• Act as a role model for transparent, open and inclusive engagement with patients, families, carers and staff.
• Lead and chair relevant meetings and working groups as required.
• Respond promptly to patient engagement concerns and escalate issues appropriately.
• Liaise with NHS organisations, local authorities and government departments on patient engagement matters.
• Identify and escalate concerns relating to patient safety, quality of care and outcomes arising from patient feedback.
• Analyse qualitative and quantitative data to produce accurate monthly, quarterly and annual reports for Trust Boards, committees and senior leadership.
• Support senior managers, clinical directors and service managers to engage with patients regarding the quality and safety of services.

Patient Feedback & Engagement Mechanisms

• Oversee effective day-to-day systems for managing patient engagement and feedback mechanisms, including Your Care Matters.
• Support the effective collection, analysis and reporting of Friends and Family Test (FFT) data.
• Facilitate use of the Trust's FFT software, including analysis of trends, concerns and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure appropriate ownership of engagement outcomes by clinical directorates.
• Monitor action plans and ensure actions arising from patient feedback are completed and evidenced within agreed timescales.

Quality Improvement & Learning

• Work closely with directorate teams to implement improvement plans and agreed actions.
• Project manage key patient experience, engagement and quality improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate ongoing programmes of quality and patient engagement activity.
• Ensure learning from patient feedback is shared across the organisation and translated into meaningful improvements.
• Undertake audits to ensure patient engagement standards are maintained and continuously improved.
• Support clinicians and teams to reflect on feedback, identify themes and implement improvements to patient care and services.
• Assist management in identifying risks and developing appropriate mitigation and improvement actions.

Reporting & Governance

• Ensure all required patient engagement data is submitted accurately and on time.
• Prepare and present reports to Trust and directorate committees.
• Analyse complex quantitative and qualitative information to identify key themes, trends and emerging concerns.
• Prepare ad-hoc reports and briefings as required.
• Oversee the preparation of reports for Trust meetings and ensure appropriate follow-up actions are completed.
• Deputise for the Head of Patient Experience and Engagement when required.

Staff Management

• Provide supportive line management to direct reports.
• Support staff development, performance management and appraisals in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.
• Contribute to effective recruitment, selection and retention of staff.

Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Communicate complex, sensitive and sometimes challenging information effectively to multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders.
• Develop positive working relationships with patients, families, carers and staff, including in relation to incidents and poor clinical outcomes.
• Use strong influencing, negotiation and motivational skills to develop practical and sustainable solutions.
• Work diplomatically with multidisciplinary teams to obtain sensitive information where required, including in relation to potential legal cases or poor clinical outcomes.