Thank you for your interest in becoming a Patient and Public Voice (PPV) Partner on one of NHS England’s Specialised Commissioning national Programmes of Care (PoCs).

NHS England is committed to ensuring that public and patient voices are at the centre of shaping our healthcare services. Every level of our commissioning system needs to be informed by insight from those who use and care about our services. Our commitment to supporting our PPV Partners is set out in our PPV Partners Policy.

Please read this application pack before completing an application form, to ensure you fully understand the application process and to determine whether you have the skills and time to become a PPV Partner on a Programme of Care (PoC).

PPV Partners are Level 4 PPV roles which attract an involvement payment or honorarium. Involvement payments may be classed as earnings or income by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs service (HMRC) or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). PPV Partners are paid their involvement payments through the NHS England payroll system.

NHS England will also reimburse any reasonable expenses in line with the PPV Partner Expenses and Involvement Payments Policy. Payments are subject to statutory deductions including tax and national insurance (NI), dependent on earnings and tax code.

If you are in receipt of state benefits, you should seek advice from the relevant agency, for example Jobcentre Plus, even if you do not intend to claim the honorarium payment.

Correspondence is primarily via email. If you do not have access to email and prefer to be contacted via telephone, please state this on your application form.

Diversity and equality of opportunity

NHS England values and promotes diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity for all. To help us understand if we are achieving this, we ask you to fill out an equal opportunity monitoring form as part of the application process.

How to apply

Please complete the following:

• Application form and return by email to england.voice-crg@nhs.net
• Submit an Equal Opportunities monitoring form for PPV recruitment

If you would like support to enable you to apply for this role or information in another format, please email england.voice-crg@nhs.net

We rely on the information you provide in the application form to assess whether you have the skills and experience required for this role.

Once we receive your application

• We will acknowledge receipt of your application form via email 
• Applications will be shortlisted by a panel
• Applications will be assessed against the skills and experience required, outlined in this application pack
• Selection will be made based on the content of your application form.
• Interviews will take place via Microsoft (MS)Teams

Please note that two references will be taken up if you are successful. All applicants will receive a successful or unsuccessful notification.

This role does not require Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance (formerly known as a ‘Criminal Records Bureau’ (CRB) check’).

To hear about future involvement opportunities with NHS England, please sign up to NHS England » In touch bulletin and sign up to our stakeholder lists via CRG Stakeholder Registration.

If you have any queries about the application process, please contact england.voice-crg@nhs.net.

Role of programmes of care

The specialised services commissioned by NHS England have been grouped into six national programmes of care (PoC) Programmes of Care. These are: Mental Health, Cancer and Acute, which covers four separate PoCs (Trauma, Women’s and Children, Internal Medicine and Blood and Infection).

All the PoCs have been structured to both maximise meaningful PPV and clinical input and minimise duplication. Please visit the web page of the Programmes of Care you are interested in applying for to understand more about the group, its remit and the associated Clinical Reference Groups (CRGs).

PoCs deliver their responsibilities by:

• Observing the highest standards of impartiality, integrity and objectivity in relation to the advice they provide.
• Abiding by the principle of collective responsibility, standing by the recommendations of the Group and not speak against them in public.
• Being accountable for their activities and for the standard of advice they provide to NHS England.
• To provide leadership and oversight of the development and delivery of a comprehensive and prioritised work programme for the Programme of Care that achieves demonstrable improvements in the quality, equity, value and outcomes of commissioned specialised services.

What is the role of PPV partners on the group?

PPV Partners use their skills and experience as patients, carers, members of the public or organisational representatives to:

• Assist the PoC in understanding the diverse perspectives of patients, carers and the public relevant to the work of the group and provide a consumer viewpoint in all group activities.
• Provide ‘critical friend’ challenge into the group rather than represent a particular condition or interest.
• Provide strategic assurance that the views of patients and the public have been sought and considered in the work of the PoC and its constituent CRGs.
• Champion and advocate for increasing patient and public awareness of the programme’s outcomes and achievements.
• Liaise with PPV representatives in the Clinical Reference Groups (CRGs) covered by that POC; and to communicate to and from these groups in consultation with the PoC leads.

Skills and experience required for this role

• Constructively challenge, influence and help the Programme of Care develop strategies in respect of its work programme.
• To regularly participate meetings of the Programme of Care.
• To prepare for the meetings by reading and reviewing programme plans, papers, proposals and their associated documentation.
• Where appropriate, communicate with, and seek feedback from, wider patient networks on plans and proposals, drawing on the support of relevant patient groups. However, communicating with wider patient networks is not the sole responsibility of the post holder and they will be supported in this.

Public interest, accountability and knowledge

• Strong commitment to maintaining a patient focus in the commissioning of health services
• Understanding of the legal framework and relevant guidance relating to specialised health commissioning
• Good understanding of public service values and accountability
• Understanding and interest in specialised health services issues, NHS England and the wider environment in which it operates
• A commitment to the principles of public life.

Sound judgement, motivation and flexibility

• Able to absorb complex information and situations before reaching a recommendation
• Able to display sound judgement and objectivity and understand the need for confidentiality.
• Open minded and willing to modify thinking in view of new information/discussion
• Tests and probes constructively to achieve the best outcome for patients
• Sees the bigger picture and can think and act strategically
• Able to think clearly and objectively when dealing with emotive issues.

Effective communication

• Able to communicate and debate with others at all levels
• Ability to give and receive advice
• Good interpersonal skills and open to change.

Personal qualities

• High level of organisation, self-motivation and drive for performance
• Emotional intelligence and resilience
• Ability to challenge constructively
• Personal integrity and commitment to openness, inclusiveness and high standards
• Independence of mind
• Ability to work effectively, constructively with senior multi stakeholder colleagues
• Experience of working in a Committee setting, and prepared to contribute actively to the discussions and work of POC
• Able to maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Understanding of the needs of the patient communities related to the remit of the group and commitment to improving outcomes and experiences of care.

Time commitment

• Membership of the group/committee is for 12 months initially, at which point membership will be reviewed to agree a full term of three years in total.
• Meetings are mostly online and take place during working hours
• Any in-person meetings are most likely to be in London
• There are three online mandatory training courses which attract the honorarium and can be done in your own time

Support for PPV Partners

• New PPV Partners are invited to an online Welcome meeting with the Specialised Commissioning Engagement Team.
• New PPV members are briefed ahead of their first PoC meeting by the PoC leads
• There are a range of learning and development opportunities available to PPV Partners

Honorarium and expenses

• Please contact england.voice-crg@nhs.net to discuss any support needs that you have.
• You can claim an honorarium of £75 per half day and £150 per full day (unless you are attending in paid work time). The honorarium covers your travel time if required, pre-reading and meeting time.

Advice if you receive state benefits

If you have any queries or concerns about whether reimbursement of expenses and involvement payments for public involvement might affect your state benefits, please contact the free and confidential service provided through Bedford Citizens Advice Bureau. 

Specially trained staff, with knowledge of how involvement fee payments or expenses might affect state benefits, can give you personal advice. Contact the Benefits Advice Service by emailing involve@bedfordcab.org.uk or call 01234 330604.