Job summary
The
Communication Lead role will be the main architect of the networks patient outreach
and communication strategy. This will
involve designing and maintaining a PCN-level website that connects to the
websites of the practices within the network.
While the post holder will not be required to undertake website coding,
they should be comfortable with website design.
Main duties of the job
The
post-holder will also work collaboratively with practices to ensure that all
relevant communications are done in a consistent way throughout the network
across the various channels available to the surgeries. This will include practice websites, social
media channels, waiting room media screens, patient text-messaging and written
communications.
Supporting
the networks patient outreach campaigns, the postholder will design marketing
strategies designed to promote health and wellbeing in the patient
population. This will include a wide
range of initiatives, such as flu and COVID vaccination campaigns, childhood
immunisations, cancer screening and diabetes and cardiovascular risk
prevention.
The
post-holder will work with surgery and PCN Patient Participation Groups to
understand what is important to our patients in terms of their health care
needs and will feed this information back to the PCN Board in order to inform
the work of the network.
As
part of the Governments campaign for Modern General Practice, the post-holder
will support practices to ensure that patients increase their use of the NHS
app, while also making sure that all services remain accessible for those
patients who are not digitally enabled.
The postholder will also work with surgeries to ensure that telephone
systems are designed to support patients to access the right care at the right
time and to monitor and track the networks success at care delivery.
About us
South
& West Herefordshire PCN is made up of six practices centred around the
market town of Ross-on-Wye: Alton Street
Surgery, Pendeen Surgery, Fownhope Surgery, Much Birch Surgery, Golden Valley Practice
and The Surgery Kingstone. The network
covers a wide geographic area offering traditional General Practice support to
our patients centred around the communities they live in. The position will be hosted by Alton Street
Surgery as employer.
Alton Street Surgery is well established and has a very good reputation for patient care and accessibility. In 2018 the surgery received a rating of Outstanding from the CQC. The practice provides care to approximately 11,600 patients in Ross-on-Wye and surrounding rural areas.
While
the role will be flexible in terms of how and where the hours are worked, there
will be an expectation that the post holder will be available to attend
meetings with the PCN and patients as requested during the working day and
occasionally in the evening.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The following are the core responsibilities of the Communications
Lead. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks, as directed
by your line manager. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and
staffing levels.
To work closely with the surgery and PCN Patient Participation
Groups (PPGs) to understand what is important to our patients in terms of their
primary care health provision. To
establish regular PCN PPG meetings and to attend practice-based PPG meetings.
To feed the information from the patients back to the PCN Board and to advise
and develop strategies to address the patient feedback.
To develop the PCN website using the platform purchased by the
network. To review all surgery websites
to ensure consistency of messaging across the network and accuracy of
information being shared. To develop
content for the PCN website that can be pushed to the practice websites.
To support practices as requested to ensure that all practice
communication channels are up-to-date and supportive of the initiatives being
undertaken by the network. This could
include social media sites, practice waiting room media screens, text messaging
and written communications.
To lead the PCN in executing on the Governments campaign for
Modern General Practice. This will
include promoting the use of the NHS app amongst patients, ensuring that
surgery phone systems are set up to support patient triage effectively and to
use data collected to inform service design.
To design marketing campaigns at the direction of the PCN to
support outreach initiatives. This will
include flu and COVID vaccination campaigns, childhood immunisations, cancer
screening and diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevention.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The following are the core responsibilities of the Communications
Lead. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks, as directed
by your line manager. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and
staffing levels.
To work closely with the surgery and PCN Patient Participation
Groups (PPGs) to understand what is important to our patients in terms of their
primary care health provision. To
establish regular PCN PPG meetings and to attend practice-based PPG meetings.
To feed the information from the patients back to the PCN Board and to advise
and develop strategies to address the patient feedback.
To develop the PCN website using the platform purchased by the
network. To review all surgery websites
to ensure consistency of messaging across the network and accuracy of
information being shared. To develop
content for the PCN website that can be pushed to the practice websites.
To support practices as requested to ensure that all practice
communication channels are up-to-date and supportive of the initiatives being
undertaken by the network. This could
include social media sites, practice waiting room media screens, text messaging
and written communications.
To lead the PCN in executing on the Governments campaign for
Modern General Practice. This will
include promoting the use of the NHS app amongst patients, ensuring that
surgery phone systems are set up to support patient triage effectively and to
use data collected to inform service design.
To design marketing campaigns at the direction of the PCN to
support outreach initiatives. This will
include flu and COVID vaccination campaigns, childhood immunisations, cancer
screening and diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevention.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Working knowledge of Microsoft office Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint and using video calling software e.g. Microsoft teams.
- Experience of using web and social media platforms to communicate key information effectively
- Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations
Desirable
- Experience of using GP Surgery IT systems such as EMIS
- Experience of working in a health or social care setting
Skills
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills, both written and verbal with patients, colleagues, family members and partner agencies
- Effective questioning, ability to build trust and rapport with patients and colleagues
- Ability to manage and prioritise own work to meet deadlines.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- Good level of accuracy and attention to detail.
Desirable
- Use of health literate communication techniques
Personal Qualities or Attributes
Essential
- Reliable, conscientious and flexible approach to work.
- Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from diverse communities
- To be able to work independently on own initiative but aware of own limitations within the scope of the role
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE English or equivalent level.
- GCSE Mathematics or equivalent level.
Desirable
- A-Level Communication Studies or equivalent
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Working knowledge of Microsoft office Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint and using video calling software e.g. Microsoft teams.
- Experience of using web and social media platforms to communicate key information effectively
- Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations
Desirable
- Experience of using GP Surgery IT systems such as EMIS
- Experience of working in a health or social care setting
Skills
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills, both written and verbal with patients, colleagues, family members and partner agencies
- Effective questioning, ability to build trust and rapport with patients and colleagues
- Ability to manage and prioritise own work to meet deadlines.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- Good level of accuracy and attention to detail.
Desirable
- Use of health literate communication techniques
Personal Qualities or Attributes
Essential
- Reliable, conscientious and flexible approach to work.
- Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from diverse communities
- To be able to work independently on own initiative but aware of own limitations within the scope of the role
- Ability to maintain confidentiality
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE English or equivalent level.
- GCSE Mathematics or equivalent level.
Desirable
- A-Level Communication Studies or equivalent
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.