County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Patient Safety and Experience Partner

The closing date is 07 January 2026

Job summary

In June 2021, the new Framework for Involving Patients in Patient Safety was published by NHS England. This framework sets out approaches and standards that help to make a positive difference to how patient safety is viewed and managed in the NHS. All NHS Trusts have a responsibility to make sure that patients, families, and carers are full and equal participants in strengthening patient safety governance and management processes.

Patient Safety Partners (PSPs) are patients, carers and family members who are recruited to work in partnership with staff to influence and improve governance and leadership in the provision of health care. As an advocate of patient safety and experience, Patient Safety Partners must have the confidence to communicate effectively with senior leaders over strategic issues, to lead change within patient safety and have the confidence to challenge existing practices and structures, and provide a patient, carer or lay perspective. The Patient Safety and Experience Partner will also liaise with patients, carers, and families in the pursuit of improving and embedding safe standards of care and service delivery.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible, for managing for ensuring the patient voice is consistent within the complaint and incident management and review process and providing advice and support for identified issues.. The post holder will be responsible for the effective management of patient complaints and incidents, within the required timescale.

The post holder will support the Organisation a designated Care Group in ensuring the patient safety and experience is central to their core business and that learning from concerns, complaints and patient safety incidents is a priority.

To support the patient safety and experience managers who advise on an effective patient safety and experience focus and involvement culture within and across CDDFT. To support with the implementation of systems to ensure lessons are learned and shared from complaint findings and risk management issues and incidents.

About us

If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.

You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.

Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

From April 9th 2025 - Healthcare assistants - You must have been employed for a minimum of two years of as a HCA within the NHS for the Trust to consider sponsorship (we will only consider sponsorship if you meet this criteria and have a current visa expiring within 3 months).

Details

Date posted

24 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum/pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

C9439-2526-1318

Job locations

Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 6HX


Job description

Job responsibilities

To support the development of the pro-active identification of patient safety risks and ongoing risk assessments and risk registers at departmental/directorate level by supporting, advising and facilitating ward managers, matrons, heads of departments, service and general managers in this work.

Actively participate in key conversations and meetings within the Trust that address patient safety and experience by being the lived experience voice/representative of all service users and carers across the partnership.

Challenge us and the way that we work be a critical friend; provide a questioning approach to the information shared at committee meetings; represent the patient / carer / family voice, to ensure our staff are walking in the patients shoes

Lead on the co-design of patient safety and experience initiatives and ensure compliance with relevant policies and maintain confidentiality.

To support patient involvement strategies at corporate and Care Group level, ensuring evidence is available to assure the Board that the Trust is compliant with CQC outcomes, PHSO standards and clinical strategy.

To support the sharing of learning from patient feedback and patient safety incidents, across the designated Care GroupTrust and within Patient forums.

To support the analysis and interpretation of patient feedback and incidents for reporting trends relating to patient experience.

Take the lead in specific areas of work as designated.

To support the development of patient feedback mechanisms and ensuring survey results and actions taken are publicised.

Liaise with wards and departments on training needs relating to patient safety and experience.

Co-ordinateWork with the patient safety and experience team to ensure training programmes relating to patient safety and experience consistently include a patient perspective.

To keep updated as to current local and national policy and strategy as appropriate.

Participate in the annual training needs analysis.

Supporting the patient safety and experience managers in the analysis of incidents and complaints, identifying trends whilst providing reports for both internal and external stakeholders.

Support and develop junior member of staff as required.

Participate in annual appraisal and clinical supervision programmes.

Attend training and education programmes as required to support role.

Ensure confidentiality of information is respected at all times following Information Governance standards.

Share good practice at all opportunities both internally across all areas of the trust and externally to the organisation.

Represent the Trust in a positive manner at all times.

Any other duties commensurate with banding.

Ensure that incidents are reviewed in a timely manner.

Contribute to the day to day line management of admin staff including appraisals, sickness absence monitoring, performance reviews, disciplinary and resolution processes, assessing training requirements and annual leave requests in the absence of the Patient Safety and Experience Managers.

Deputise for the Patient Safety and Experience Manager in their absence.

To ensure effective systems for processing, investigating and responding to complaints and concerns meet the needs and expectations of patients and their families.

To work as an effective member of the patient safety and experience team to ensure the patient experience is used to inform quality improvement.

Support and contribute to the improvement of communication and relationship building with community groups, patients, carers and members of the public.

Support the development of high-quality, patient and carer non-clinical information specific to patient experience.

Participate in relevant teaching and presentations as required. To support the development of E Learning packages in relation to patient safety and experience.

To liaise with potential volunteers and Care Group representatives to support the introduction of volunteers to the organisation.develop, embed and chair the CDDFT patient

Job description

Job responsibilities

To support the development of the pro-active identification of patient safety risks and ongoing risk assessments and risk registers at departmental/directorate level by supporting, advising and facilitating ward managers, matrons, heads of departments, service and general managers in this work.

Actively participate in key conversations and meetings within the Trust that address patient safety and experience by being the lived experience voice/representative of all service users and carers across the partnership.

Challenge us and the way that we work be a critical friend; provide a questioning approach to the information shared at committee meetings; represent the patient / carer / family voice, to ensure our staff are walking in the patients shoes

Lead on the co-design of patient safety and experience initiatives and ensure compliance with relevant policies and maintain confidentiality.

To support patient involvement strategies at corporate and Care Group level, ensuring evidence is available to assure the Board that the Trust is compliant with CQC outcomes, PHSO standards and clinical strategy.

To support the sharing of learning from patient feedback and patient safety incidents, across the designated Care GroupTrust and within Patient forums.

To support the analysis and interpretation of patient feedback and incidents for reporting trends relating to patient experience.

Take the lead in specific areas of work as designated.

To support the development of patient feedback mechanisms and ensuring survey results and actions taken are publicised.

Liaise with wards and departments on training needs relating to patient safety and experience.

Co-ordinateWork with the patient safety and experience team to ensure training programmes relating to patient safety and experience consistently include a patient perspective.

To keep updated as to current local and national policy and strategy as appropriate.

Participate in the annual training needs analysis.

Supporting the patient safety and experience managers in the analysis of incidents and complaints, identifying trends whilst providing reports for both internal and external stakeholders.

Support and develop junior member of staff as required.

Participate in annual appraisal and clinical supervision programmes.

Attend training and education programmes as required to support role.

Ensure confidentiality of information is respected at all times following Information Governance standards.

Share good practice at all opportunities both internally across all areas of the trust and externally to the organisation.

Represent the Trust in a positive manner at all times.

Any other duties commensurate with banding.

Ensure that incidents are reviewed in a timely manner.

Contribute to the day to day line management of admin staff including appraisals, sickness absence monitoring, performance reviews, disciplinary and resolution processes, assessing training requirements and annual leave requests in the absence of the Patient Safety and Experience Managers.

Deputise for the Patient Safety and Experience Manager in their absence.

To ensure effective systems for processing, investigating and responding to complaints and concerns meet the needs and expectations of patients and their families.

To work as an effective member of the patient safety and experience team to ensure the patient experience is used to inform quality improvement.

Support and contribute to the improvement of communication and relationship building with community groups, patients, carers and members of the public.

Support the development of high-quality, patient and carer non-clinical information specific to patient experience.

Participate in relevant teaching and presentations as required. To support the development of E Learning packages in relation to patient safety and experience.

To liaise with potential volunteers and Care Group representatives to support the introduction of volunteers to the organisation.develop, embed and chair the CDDFT patient

Person Specification

Special Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Shares the Trusts Values and model this in their attitude and behaviour.
  • Ensure they are demonstrated by
  • self and others every day and that any matters of concern are addressed in a timely way, either directly; or raised with the relevant Line Manager; or
  • through the relevant processes within the Trust as appropriate.
  • Credibility and enthusiasm for
  • patient safety and experience
  • Values diversity and difference;
  • operate with integrity and openness
  • Exhibits and promotes respect for
  • service users, families and carers, individual staff and teams.
  • Expresses and articulates ideas
  • in a manner that is appropriate,
  • accurate and understood.
  • Seeks to ensure the provision of
  • a high-quality and safe service to
  • service users, families and carers.
  • Ensures coproduction of patient
  • safety initiatives with service
  • users, families and their carers

Special Requirements

Essential

  • Ability to travel/work across all Trust sites to meet the requirements of the post

Experience

Essential

  • Lived experience of health services, either as a service user, family member or
  • carer of a service user.
  • Proven leadership skills
  • Recognition of how lived experience can influence and drive patient safety and experience
  • Ability to understand and critically evaluate a range of information and evidence.
  • Confidence to communicate effectively with senior leaders about strategic issues, as an advocate for patient safety and experience.
  • Ability to provide a patient, carer,
  • or lay perspective and to put forward views on behalf of the wider community / groups of patients (not own opinion only).
  • Experience of teaching and training or facilitating groupwork
  • Experience of championing health improvements; able to be a critical friend.
  • Ability to interact with multiple
  • stakeholders at senior management level.
  • Sound judgement and an ability
  • to be objective.
  • Understanding of the issues and
  • concerns of individuals with health concerns and of their carers/families.
  • Ability to take part in activities for
  • improving quality.
  • Ability to manage own workload,
  • prioritise and seek creative solutions.
  • Understanding of the importance
  • of equality and diversity.
  • Excellent communication skills
  • (verbal and written)
  • Excellent interpersonal skills.
  • Excellent presentation skill

Desirable

  • Personal integrity and commitment to openness, inclusiveness and
  • high standards.
  • Involvement in service redesign and
  • development.
  • Experience of policy Development
  • Experience of relationship building
  • and partnership working
  • Experience of working in partnership with healthcare
  • organisations or programmes

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree level education or able to demonstrate equivalent skills & experience
  • Evidence of Continuous Professional Development
Person Specification

Special Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Shares the Trusts Values and model this in their attitude and behaviour.
  • Ensure they are demonstrated by
  • self and others every day and that any matters of concern are addressed in a timely way, either directly; or raised with the relevant Line Manager; or
  • through the relevant processes within the Trust as appropriate.
  • Credibility and enthusiasm for
  • patient safety and experience
  • Values diversity and difference;
  • operate with integrity and openness
  • Exhibits and promotes respect for
  • service users, families and carers, individual staff and teams.
  • Expresses and articulates ideas
  • in a manner that is appropriate,
  • accurate and understood.
  • Seeks to ensure the provision of
  • a high-quality and safe service to
  • service users, families and carers.
  • Ensures coproduction of patient
  • safety initiatives with service
  • users, families and their carers

Special Requirements

Essential

  • Ability to travel/work across all Trust sites to meet the requirements of the post

Experience

Essential

  • Lived experience of health services, either as a service user, family member or
  • carer of a service user.
  • Proven leadership skills
  • Recognition of how lived experience can influence and drive patient safety and experience
  • Ability to understand and critically evaluate a range of information and evidence.
  • Confidence to communicate effectively with senior leaders about strategic issues, as an advocate for patient safety and experience.
  • Ability to provide a patient, carer,
  • or lay perspective and to put forward views on behalf of the wider community / groups of patients (not own opinion only).
  • Experience of teaching and training or facilitating groupwork
  • Experience of championing health improvements; able to be a critical friend.
  • Ability to interact with multiple
  • stakeholders at senior management level.
  • Sound judgement and an ability
  • to be objective.
  • Understanding of the issues and
  • concerns of individuals with health concerns and of their carers/families.
  • Ability to take part in activities for
  • improving quality.
  • Ability to manage own workload,
  • prioritise and seek creative solutions.
  • Understanding of the importance
  • of equality and diversity.
  • Excellent communication skills
  • (verbal and written)
  • Excellent interpersonal skills.
  • Excellent presentation skill

Desirable

  • Personal integrity and commitment to openness, inclusiveness and
  • high standards.
  • Involvement in service redesign and
  • development.
  • Experience of policy Development
  • Experience of relationship building
  • and partnership working
  • Experience of working in partnership with healthcare
  • organisations or programmes

Qualifications

Essential

  • Degree level education or able to demonstrate equivalent skills & experience
  • Evidence of Continuous Professional Development

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 6HX


Employer's website

https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 6HX


Employer's website

https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Associate Director of Nursing

Lisa Ward

Lisa.ward13@nhs.net

07825522921

Details

Date posted

24 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum/pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

C9439-2526-1318

Job locations

Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 6HX


Supporting documents

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