Healthwatch Intelligence Network
Overview
Being part of the Healthwatch Intelligence Network you are our eyes and ears on the ground, in the community sharing what we do as well as sharing back information collected within our communities.
Why should you be part of the Healthwatch Intelligence Network?
If you have a passion for your local community and making services better for people in those areas and beyond, then this is the right role for you. You will be the ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ of what is happening within the community. We have a vital role to play in ensuring people in Staffordshire are engaged, listened to and provided with an avenue to tell us their views and opinions about health and social care services.
What will the role involve?
- Being a link person between Healthwatch Staffordshire and other organisations; members of the public and community groups
- Be a positive ambassador for and uphold its reputation and values
- Help us gather people’s experiences of using health and social care services from all communities
- Receive and cascade information that Healthwatch Staffordshire sends out
- Refer people to Healthwatch Staffordshire to have their voices heard or to be signposted to the correct place
- Distributing leaflets to locations or groups near you e.g. GP surgeries, shops, churches or social groups
- Support engagement work in communities by being active in your own local area, representing and channelling the views of local people.
- Engaging people using online platforms e.g. Zoom, Teams
- As a Healthwatch Champion/Ambassador volunteer you will be committed to improving health and social care services alongside other volunteers and the Healthwatch team
Personal specification/requirements
- Able to work as a team with other volunteers and staff
- Experience of using Microsoft Office, including Word
- Access to the internet/email
- Be comfortable volunteering from home and using online meeting platforms e.g. Zoom or Microsoft Teams (training can be provided in the latter)
- Respectful of confidentiality
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check
Some volunteer roles with Healthwatch Staffordshire will require a DBS check.
How we will support you?
You will have regular contact with a member of the Healthwatch team to provide you with support and guidance throughout. You’ll receive full training including induction to Healthwatch and Support Staffordshire and be part of a team who’ll make sure your volunteering experience is positive.
How much time is involved?
We ask that all volunteers commit to attending an induction and any suitable training/events for them. Other than that, the role is flexible, and the time commitment will be agreed by you and your Volunteer Supporter.
How to apply
You can apply for this role either by filling out our online application form, please use Support Staffordshire link website https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/volunteering/i-want-volunteer.
If you have any questions or you would like to find out more, please call us on 07563397799 or email christine.sherwood@healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk.
Please outline any accessibility requirements that you may have in the application form.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Enter and View Volunteer
Overview
An Enter and View Volunteer listens to people’s experiences of health and care services, including people living in residential homes to understand what is working well and what can be improved.
Why should you be a Enter and View Volunteer?
You’ll be helping to make life better for people by using the insight to make tangible differences to health and care services. You’ll meet a wide range of people who rely on health and care services. You’ll gain valuable experience which may support your job aspirations. You’ll meet new people, be part of the Healthwatch team who act as the public champion for health and care and make a difference for your local community.
What will the role involve?
- You’ll be part of a team which plans Enter and View visits, including speaking to service managers.
- You’ll talk to people, including family members, carers and staff to get a full picture about how services are working
- You’ll record these experiences and with your team write a report on what’s working well and areas for improvement
- You’ll support the Healthwatch staff who talk to service managers about the changes needed
- As part of a team, you’ll check back to make sure the changes are making a difference
Personal specification/requirements
- Comfortable talking to people from a range of backgrounds, including about sensitive
- Balancing being warm and approachable with maintaining impartiality
- Ability to analyse information to find out what’s working well or needs improvement
- Enjoyment and ability to work in a team
- Computer skills, including Microsoft Word
COVID-19 vaccination status
- Since 11 November 2021, people visiting adult care homes in a professional capacity will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. From 1 April 2022, this legal requirement will be extended to cover visits to NHS services.
- This legal requirement includes local Healthwatch representatives, therefore, if you’d like to volunteer for this role with us you would need to prove that you have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check
Some volunteer roles with Healthwatch Staffordshire will require a DBS check.
How we will support you?
You will have regular contact with a member of the Healthwatch team to provide you with support and guidance throughout. You’ll receive full training including induction to Healthwatch and Support Staffordshire and be part of a team who’ll make sure your volunteering experience is positive.
How much time is involved?
We ask that all volunteers commit to attending an induction and any suitable training/events for them. Other than that, the role is flexible, and the time commitment will be agreed by you and your Volunteer Supporter.
How to apply
You can apply for this role either by filling out our online application form, please use Support Staffordshire link website https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/volunteering/i-want-volunteer.
If you have any questions or you would like to find out more, please call us on 07563397799 or email christine.sherwood@healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk.
Please outline any accessibility requirements that you may have in the application form.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Board Members/Trustees Advisory Group
As a Board member you will play a role in setting the strategic direction of Healthwatch Staffordshire, ensuring that the Healthwatch Staffordshire vision, aims, and values are upheld. Deliver an effective Healthwatch in line with legislation.
Why should you be a Healthwatch Board member?
Healthwatch Staffordshire is the only champion for people who use health and social care services in Staffordshire .
We have a vital role to play in ensuring people in Staffordshire are engaged, listened to and provided with an avenue to tell us their views and opinions. By people sharing their experiences with us we can bring these to health and care providers and decision makers in Staffordshire to influence services to make them better.
You will play a crucial role in making sure the way that Healthwatch Staffordshire is governed. Good governance leads to good delivery. We need your skills, abilities, knowledge and experiences to be the best we can be.
Due to the pandemic Healthwatch Staffordshire have been holding board/advisory group meetings online.
What will the role involve?
- Having a clear understanding of the role of Healthwatch and working with other Healthwatch board/advisory group members and staff team to plan, review, evaluate and oversee Healthwatch Staffordshire
- Promote Healthwatch and our role within the local community
- Being accountable for Healthwatch delivery and ensuring the organisation adheres to its purpose, acts in the best interest of the organisation, manage resources appropriately and comply with the organisation governing document and the law
- Produce Strategy and Business Plan with Healthwatch CEO/Manager
- As an advisory group member be accountable for delegated responsibilities from the Healthwatch contract holding board
- Uphold the Healthwatch brand by adhering to Healthwatch values and behaviour whilst minimising and mitigating risks to delivery and reputation
- Engage with appropriate local people within [insert area name], to understand the strategy for the delivery of health and care services.
- Having a clear understanding of legal responsibilities as a board member and expectations as an individual member and collectively as a board.
- Keep up to date with governance good practice and implement this in Healthwatch Staffordshire
Personal specification/requirements
- Ability to work as a team with other volunteers and staff
- Effective communication skills and ability to ask questions, listen well and provide challenge when needed and appropriate
- Decision making skills
- Experience of using Microsoft Office, including Word
- Access to the internet/email
- Be comfortable volunteering from home and using online meeting platforms e.g. Zoom or Microsoft Teams (training can be provided in the latter)
- Respect and ability to keep confidentiality
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check
Some volunteer roles with Healthwatch Staffordshire will require a DBS check.
How we will support you?
You will have regular contact with a member of the Healthwatch team to provide you with support and guidance throughout. You’ll receive full training including induction to Healthwatch and Support Staffordshire and be part of a team who’ll make sure your volunteering experience is positive.
How much time is involved?
We ask that all volunteers commit to attending an induction and any suitable training/events for them. Other than that, the role is flexible, and the time commitment will be agreed by you and your Volunteer Supporter.
How to apply
You can apply for this role either by filling out our online application form, please use Support Staffordshire link website https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/volunteering/i-want-volunteer.
If you have any questions or you would like to find out more, please call us on 07563397799 or email christine.sherwood@healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk.
Please outline any accessibility requirements that you may have in the application form.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Community Engagement and Outreach Volunteer
As a Community Engagement and Outreach volunteer, you will play an important role in speaking to people in the community about their views on local health and care services. You will speak to with people via hospitals, libraries, shopping centre stalls, Healthwatch and community events. Online engagement via social media and other platforms may also be part of this role.
Why should you be a Healthwatch Community Engagement and Outreach volunteer?
If you like talking and listening to people, this is the right role for you. We have a vital role to play in ensuring people in Staffordshire are engaged, listened to and provided with an avenue to tell us their views and opinions.
By people sharing their experiences with us we can bring these to health and care providers and decision makers in Staffordshire to influence services to make them better. You will be an essential part of our team in ensuring people’s voices are collected and heard in the right places. We need you to be the best that we can be.
What will the role involve?
- Working with Healthwatch volunteers and staff team to reach out into different communities to get people’s views on health and social care services
- Planning engagement activities with other volunteers and staff members
- Engaging people using online platforms e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams and/or via phone
- Keeping a record of people’s experiences and give these to Healthwatch staff members
- Holding engagement and information stands in community areas such as hospitals, GP Surgeries and dentists
- Talking to and gathering views of the public and reporting this back to us
- Helping us conduct surveys and consultations with local people
Personal specification/requirements
- Effective communication skills and ability to ask questions and listen well to engage with people
- Enjoys meeting with and talking to members of the public
- Empathy towards people
- Passionate about improving local health and social care services
- Able to separate own experiences from other people’s issues and to faithfully present the views of the people they represent
- Able to work as a team with other volunteers and staff
- Experience of using Microsoft Office, including Word
- Access to the internet/email
- Be comfortable volunteering from home and using online meeting platforms e.g. Zoom or Microsoft Teams (training can be provided in the latter)
- Respectful of confidentiality
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check
Some volunteer roles with Healthwatch Staffordshire will require a DBS check.
How we will support you?
You will have regular contact with a member of the Healthwatch team to provide you with support and guidance throughout. You’ll receive full training including induction to Healthwatch and Support Staffordshire and be part of a team who’ll make sure your volunteering experience is positive.
How much time is involved?
We ask that all volunteers commit to attending an induction and any suitable training/events for them. Other than that, the role is flexible, and the time commitment will be agreed by you and your Volunteer Supporter.
How to apply
You can apply for this role either by filling out our online application form, please use Support Staffordshire link website https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/volunteering/i-want-volunteer.
If you have any questions or you would like to find out more, please call us on 07563397799 or email christine.sherwood@healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk.
Please outline any accessibility requirements that you may have in the application form.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Research Volunteer
Overview
You will work with staff to support the research function of Healthwatch Staffordshire as we gather people’s views and experiences of using different health and social care services.
Why should you be a Healthwatch Research volunteer?
If you like exploring and getting to the heart of issues that affect people, this is the right role for you. We have a vital role to play in ensuring people in Staffordshire are engaged, listened to and provided with an avenue to tell us their views and opinions about health and social care services. By people sharing their experiences with us we can bring these to health and care providers and decision makers in Staffordshire to influence services to make them better. We need you to be the best that we can be.
What will the role involve?
- Working with Healthwatch volunteers and staff team to plan and deliver research activities with other volunteers and staff members
- Assisting in the production and implementation of surveys, focus groups and other research methods
- Recording and analysing data
- Assisting in the production of research reports
- Engaging people using online platforms e.g. Zoom, Teams
Personal specification/requirements
- Effective planning and analytical skills and ability to ask questions and listen well to engage with people
- Able to work as a team with other volunteers and staff
- Experience of using Microsoft Office, including Word
- Access to the internet/email
- Be comfortable volunteering from home and using online meeting platforms e.g. Zoom or Microsoft Teams (training can be provided in the latter)
- Respectful of confidentiality
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check
Some volunteer roles with Healthwatch Staffordshire will require a DBS check.
How we will support you?
You will have regular contact with a member of the Healthwatch team to provide you with support and guidance throughout. You’ll receive full training including induction to Healthwatch and Support Staffordshire and be part of a team who’ll make sure your volunteering experience is positive.
How much time is involved?
We ask that all volunteers commit to attending an induction and any suitable training/events for them. Other than that, the role is flexible, and the time commitment will be agreed by you and your Volunteer Supporter.
How to apply
You can apply for this role either by filling out our online application form, please use Support Staffordshire link website https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/volunteering/i-want-volunteer.
If you have any questions or you would like to find out more, please call us on 07563397799 or email christine.sherwood@healthwatchstaffordshire.co.uk.
Please outline any accessibility requirements that you may have in the application form.
We look forward to hearing from you.
