Volunteer - Patient Leader

Posting date:	18 July 2025
Salary:	Not specified
Additional salary information:	Negotiable
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	27 July 2025
Location:	Reading, RG1 5AN
Company:	NHS Jobs
Job type:	Temporary
Job reference:	C9193-25-0598

Summary

Activities Patient Leaders may be asked to participate in: MDT interviews (including interviewing consultants and senior nurses) Policy reviews Quality improvement projects Steering/Working groups Overseas Nurse Training (patient acting) Ward Accreditation Task and Finish Groups Reviews of nursing skill mix/levels Clinical leadership development programmes Regular meetings, including: Clinical Governance Patient Safety Partners Transformation projects Digital Improvements Building Berkshire Together WHO CAN BECOME A PATIENT LEADER? As a Patient Leader you should have a have a willingness to develop an understanding of NHS services; be able to think widely about health and wellbeing; be committed to improving NHS services; and able to provide and be open to constructive challenge. It may be that you have recently accessed NHS services yourself and/or have experience of caring for someone with a health condition. You must be able and willing to reflect the different views and diversity of patients/service users, including those living with different conditions and from different backgrounds. Having an understanding of the different challenges faced by the local community who use the hospital would be considered an advantage. You will need to be able to attend all 5 days of the Patient Leadership Programme (held on one day a week over 5 weeks). The training programme is run twice a year, in April and September. Myers Briggs testing will be undertaken as part of the training process. This will enhance your understanding of yourself, your motivations, your natural strengths and your potential areas for growth and is something all our staff have the opportunity to do.You will need to be able to commit to the role for a minimum of 2 years, after completing the Patient Leadership Programme. After this time you can opt to continue, if you would like to. There is no set requirement for the number of hours you need to commit to on a weekly basis, but we do ask you specify the number of hours you are able to volunteer and confirm that if you join a group, meeting or project that youll be able to continue attending as a regular and sustained commitment. It might be that a department needs a Patient Leader to be on a committee for an hour a week for several weeks, or for two hours a month as an ongoing regular meeting, or a department would like help over several days with interviews for a specific role. Please see attached job description for full details. MAKING YOUR APPLICATION Please describe to us in your application why you are interested in becoming a Patient Leader and how you meet the listed person specification, values and behaviours. You may also wish to: - express any additional qualities you feel you would bring to the role - share your experiences of accessing services at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust - share your experiences of caring for someone with health conditions. * Previous applicants need not apply* EXISTING ROYAL BERKSHIRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST STAFF If you are already an employee of the RBFT you may want to become a Patient Leader when you retire or leave the Trust. You cant be a Patient Leader whilst you are also an employee of RBFT, but there are many other volunteering roles available that you can take part in whilst still employed. As a member of staff, if you carry out voluntary services for the Trust while employed, you would be eligible to be part of the Deliver a Difference scheme. This recognises staff who go that extra mile, by volunteering as well as working for the Trust. If you are interested in Deliver a Difference, contact either the Patient Experience Team or Voluntary Services. Email: patient.experienceteam@royalberkshire.nhs.uk Email: voluntary.services@royalberkshire.nhs.uk