Do you have experience of pelvic health problems following pregnancy?
We have an exciting new opportunity for two service users, or lay people to become involved with the LMNS Perinatal Pelvic Health Service (PPHS) Project Team.
This project team is creating a new service to support people experiencing pelvic problems following pregnancy – known as a Perinatal Pelvic Health Service (PPHS). This service will be implemented across the eight hospital trusts in the North East and North Cumbria.
You will be one of two public representatives having accessed and used maternity or physiotherapy services in the North East or the North Cumbria in the last five years with lived experience of Pelvic Health issues. We are looking for public representatives who are there to offer advice and guidance during the development of the PPHS. You will be there to challenge and place the voice of service users at the forefront of decision making for the PPHS.
Patient voices are crucial as part of the overall maternity, neonatal and physiotherapy system and this is a great opportunity to shape the strategy, transformation and service design across our locality.
The LMNS are a partnership of NHS organisations based in the North East and North Cumbria who work with women, their families and healthcare professionals to improve the safety and experience of maternity and neonatal services.
We work on behalf of the North East and North Cumbria to co-ordinate quality and safety initiatives, digital transformation and maternity voice partnerships which together help us to improve how pelvic health services are provided.
The purpose of the PPHS Project Group is to link up as many groups of people, members of the public and professional staff from each of the eight hospital trusts who will offer peer support and share best practice as well as work in co-production with the Local Maternity and Neonatal Systems.
What do we ask for?
The role is for three days per month which will be allocated across the month. This will include the attendance of two PPHS Project Team meetings per month (meetings will be fortnightly on a Wednesday 10:00 to 12:00).
The PPHS Project Team meetings will be held digitally on Microsoft Teams. The role is classed as Service User Voice Representation. This means the post holder demonstrates strategic and accountable leadership and is involved in decision making. Based on NHS England guidance, the fee for the role is £150 per day with additional budget for any travel and childcare if required.
Who would the role suit?
Someone who has experience of using maternity or physiotherapy services at any of the hospitals based in the North East or North Cumbria. We are keen to find people who are passionate about how care is delivered and how it can be improved. Having a range of voices and diversity at the project team meetings is vital to ensure that decision making is fair and considers the impact on service users and others.
The role would suit someone who is passionate, confident and happy to challenge. We need someone who can speak up on behalf of all service users so good organisational and people skills would be of benefit. A lot of communication and meetings are virtual so being able to access and use technology would be a benefit
What does the role include?
Attending the PPHS Project Team meetings and sharing updates and concerns from lived experience and any service user voice groups you may already be a member of. Input will be required on the development of the new PPHS model and as the key service user link between the different groups across the system. As part of the portfolio of the two service user representatives, there will be a focus on diversity, equity and equality and input on the development of relevant training and support for the new service.
Role outline
The PPHS will be coproduced with local services users. The two Service User Voice (SUV) representatives with lived experience of pelvic health problems after pregnancy will be part of the project team and will engage with the local Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MVNP) on a regular basis.
The PPHS will also consult with and listen to a diverse group of service users on the development and continuous improvement of the services. There should be a mechanism(s) in place for women to provide feedback on the care they have received. The post holders will work alongside the Obstetric, Project Team leads, Midwifery and Neonatal Clinical Lead(s).
This role will feed into regular LMNS strategic and other meetings, help to plan future joint work and will make decisions based on what is best for the development and implementation of the new service.
Role specification
- Support the ongoing transformation of maternity services through the development and provision of a thriving, innovative North East and North Cumbria Perinatal Pelvic Health Service.
- To act as a champion for patients and their interests and involve the public and patients in the policy development and decision-making of NENC PPHS.
- Work collaboratively with PPHS Project Team representatives.
- Support in the development and implementation of the NENC PPHS response to the 3 Year Delivery Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services.
- The post holder must be a service users with lived experience.
- To foster a culture of multi-professional engagement in the improvement of PPHS. This will include collaborating and engaging with clinical colleagues to share experiences to support and deliver ambitious programmes of quality improvement.
- To ensure quality improvement programmes benefit from the best evidence available.
- To maintain credibility with all key stakeholders within the NENC PPHS community, fostering a culture of collaboration for the delivery of equitable, high quality care.
- To understand, communicate and support the implementation of new structures and policy.
- To promote a culture of innovation.
- To act as a champion for patients and their interests and involve the public and patients in the strategy development and decision-making NENC PPHS.
- To identify, develop and maintain partnerships, networks and wider relationships that support effective patient and public involvement the NENC PPHS.
- To ensure all public and patient contact is of the highest standard.
- To embed patient and public involvement at all levels of decision making.
- To support all service user involvement in relevant LMNS PPHS groups, working on collaborative and co-productive approaches with family user groups to develop MNVP groups.
- To uphold organisational principles on the promotion of equality.
- To create an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued, everyone can contribute, and everyday action ensure we meet our duty to uphold and promote equality.
If you have any questions about the role, please contact the team mailbox – [email protected]
To apply for the role, complete this short form before Wednesday 31 January 2024.