Family and Carer Ambassador

Job overview

*****Previous applicants need not apply*****

PLEASE READ: As a Family and Carer Ambassador, you will need to have lived experience of caring for a relative/friend/partner who has a mental illness. This will ensure insight and experience of looking after the person and liaising/ working with professionals and agencies.

As part of the role you will provide practical and emotional support to families and carers of those with complex mental health needs. You will also offer advocacy to ensure that the families / carers and patients’ needs and views are heard and acted on, whatever their communication needs are. You will identify and address cross organisational challenges. You will work closely with key agencies across the health, education, social care and voluntary sector; this will also include links with adult services where either there are requirements for transition planning to adult services or where the families / carers are receiving adult service support.

To be successful in this role, you must be proactive and compassionate, have a great eye for detail, excellent organisational skills and strong communication skills. You must be passionate and sensitive about effecting change, and empowering patients, families and carers. This is a new post; therefore, although having clear parameters and expectations, there will be opportunities to shape and influence the role and build and develop important relationships with stakeholders and partners.

Main duties of the job

This is a patient-facing role based within the Forensic units. he Family and Carer Ambassador will work directly with patients, their families, and carers, providing a visible and approachable presence on the ward. The role focuses on supporting meaningful engagement, promoting collaborative relationships, and ensuring that the voices of families and carers are heard and included in care discussions and recovery planning.

The post holder will be a core member of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT), working closely alongside nurses, doctors, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, peer support workers, and other ward staff. They will contribute to daily discussions, care planning, and discharge processes, ensuring that the experiences, views, and needs of families and carers are represented and integrated into care delivery.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Work with carers and families from admission to the unit to discharge.
• Help carers / families understand the inpatient system and processes and be a source for high quality information that is easy to understand.
• To work proactively with the allocated inpatient units. Supporting communication processes between the clinical unit and carers/families; enabling units to create a compassionate and responsive approach to families and carers.
• Empower families / carers to access information and to be part of planning (with CYP consent).
• Have knowledge and networks of the local area to support carers and families with information and signposting.
• To be a point of liaison with the Unit on family and carer matters, specifically quality improvement initiatives to enable more robust and inclusive engagement / involvement.
• Help families / carers raise concerns where necessary and take action to escalate those concerns if necessary.
• Champion the role of “families / carers as partners” within units, supporting the families and carers to ensure their voice is heard and they are seen as equals in patients’ inpatient care pathway.
• Maintain accurate records and comply with local procedures for record keeping, confidentiality and security.
• To act as a champion for families, carers, patients and their interests and involve the public and patients in the policy development and decision-making. Please see attached Job Description & Person Specification for further details on the role requirements and responsibilities.