Expert by Experience - Mental Health 16657/3725

As an Expert by Experience this role has both a strategic and operational remit for ensuring that the voices, experiences and perspectives of people who draw on adult social care services, unpaid carers, and local communities are embedded in the design, delivery, commissioning, evaluation and governance of Adult Social Care services. The postholder will provide direction in engagement approaches, championing a strengths-based and person-centred ethos. They will act as a critical friend, adviser and advocate, ensuring that lived experience directly influences decision-making, service improvement and transformation programmes, through a Mental Health lens. Operating from a position of positive, evidence-based challenge, to inform Lincolnshire County Councils approach to delivering responsive, inclusive and person-centered mental health services, where outcomes and quality of life are central.

The Expert by Experience will develop and support meaningful engagement opportunities, build engagement capability across the workforce. The postholder is expected to operate from a perspective ensuring platforms and opportunities are created, enabling people who access services, to directly share their experiences, knowledge and views, to in turn shape continuous improvement across and ongoing development of Adult Social Care Mental Health services.

1.

Operate collaboratively with the Mental Health Team and Strategic Commissioning Co-production team to drive, shape and design engagement and co-production activities to improve services.

2.

Lead forming positive relationships and reducing barriers to collaborate with people who access services, unpaid carers, voluntary sector and community groups, and partner organisations.

3.

Operate as the principal adviser to senior leaders on matters relating to lived experience and community involvement. Provide challenge and constructive feedback to leaders based on lived experience insight.

Head of WAA Mental Health

Mental Health Operations Manager

Expert by Experience Mental Health

4.

Act as an ambassador for the voice of lived experience at internal and external events, forums, and partnership meetings.

5.

Gather views across communities through a range of communication methods, which can in turn be utilised to inform future service design and development.

6.

Promote understanding of wider mental health factors such as stigma, discrimination, exclusion, and inequalities.

7.

Provide constructive feedback based on lived experience to promote person-centred, strengths-based and recovery-focused approaches.

8.

Through analysis of qualitative and quantitative intelligence, produce information to support reports and recommendations for senior leaders, elected members and partnership boards.

9.

Ensure lived experience is embedded within strategic planning, commissioning, transformation programmes and policy development.

10.

Support the organisation in meeting its statutory duties relating to wellbeing, inclusion, equality and engagement.

11.

Ensure people with lived experience are involved at all stages of service design, delivery and evaluation.

12.

Develop mechanisms to engage diverse and seldom-heard groups. Ensure participation activities are accessible, inclusive and culturally appropriate.

13.

Facilitate workshops, focus groups, consultations and engagement activities.

14.

Establish and support lived experience panels, reference groups and advisory forums.

15.

Contribute to service reviews, inspections, quality assurance activities and improvement plans.

16.

Represent the authority at regional and national networks relating to lived experience and citizen engagement.

17.

Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, safeguarding responsibilities, data protection requirements and equality duties.