South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
STSFT Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership Lead
The closing date is 03 September 2025
This post is a voluntaryrole. The post holder is expected to commit to 4 days per month over a 2 yeartenure. Remuneration is paid at a rate of £150 per day via an expenses processfrom by LMNS funding. In addition, any travel and other associated expensesincurred can also be claimed for reimbursement.
Are you passionate about shaping the future of maternity andneonatal care for mothers, babies, and families in South Tyneside & Sunderland?
South Tyneside and Sunderland Maternity and Neonatal VoicesPartnership (MNVP) is seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Lead. This role isideal for someone committed to improving maternity and neonatal services andengaging with women, birthing people and families from the diverse communitiesin our area.
An essential requirement is that you can demonstrate that you haveused Maternity and/or Neonatal Services as a service user or have experience ofworking regularly with pregnant or new parents and are not employed by SouthTyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.
What is an MNVP?
An MNVP listens to the experiences of women, birthing people andfamilies, and brings together service users, staff and other stakeholders toplan, review and improve maternity and neonatal care.
Main duties of the job
What is an MNVP?
An MNVP listens to the experiences of women, birthing people and families, and brings together service users, staff and other stakeholders to plan, review and improve maternity and neonatal care.
MNVPs ensure that service users voices are at the heart of decision-making in maternity and neonatal services by being embedded within the leadership of provider trusts and feeding into the Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS).
This influences improvements in safety, quality, and experience of maternity and neonatal care.
About us
Please add your telephone number to your application form so we can contact you quickly if required.
One Team One Trust - There are many reasons to work at our Trust. From our commitment to putting people first to our accessible services and award winning teams. We have a passion for research, innovation and tackling inequalities. We are committed to respect, fairness and civility and promote a compassionate, caring and positive culture / working environment.
We welcome all applications irrespective of peoples race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups. Looking after our workforces health and wellbeing is a priority for us. We also provide access to high quality education, training, career progression and support. Flexible working is supported via our Flexible Working Policy.
The Trust employs around 8,600 people and provides a range of hospital services to a local community of around 430,000 residents. We also provide a range of more specialised services outside this area. We offer our staff outstanding benefits - Fitness Centre (SRH), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a Care Co-ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements.If you use AI,and it poses a risk to the integrity of your individual recruitment process, wemay withdraw your application at any stage of the process.
Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job Description for full details
* Engage and listen to families in the community about their experiences of maternity and neonatal care.
* Ensure accessible engagement for all service users and communities particularly for those most at risk of experiencing health inequalities, parents with experience of neonatal care, and bereaved families.
* The MNVP Lead is responsible for co-producing and delivering the agreed objectives of the MNVP as set out in the annual workplan and is expected to use their influence to drive the delivery of effective and visible outcomes.
* The lead will ensure that the MNVP is represented at local, regional and national maternity and neonatal meetings and events and provide independent challenge and scrutiny based on evidence gathered from parents/carers.
* Attend and chair formal MNVP meetings. Ensure all stakeholders are able to contribute to meetings. Actively encourage underrepresented voices to be involved.
* Represent and promote service user voice at Trust meetings.
* Offer ongoing support to service user representatives, meeting regularly throughout the year in an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued.
* Build strong influential relationships with providers, commissioners and local system partners at all levels including senior leaders in maternity and neonatal services to facilitate the co-production of work, delivery of transformation and safety agendas and decision making.
* Lead on 15 steps approach to improve quality and safety of maternity and neonatal services from service user perspective.
Family Care is an exciting place to work that will provide you with an opportunity to grow and develop. Many of our staff work flexibly, including part-time and we are committed to supporting flexible approaches to work wherever possible for our people. Please enquire to see how we might work flexibly with you in this role.
If you are interested in becoming part of our fantastic team then we would welcome your application.
Person Specification
Personal Attributes
* A genuine desire to improve maternity outcomes for all service users.
* Clear communicator with writing and presentation skills.
* Capable of constructing and delivering clear information/instructions to service users/providers.
* The ability to listen and keep meetings on track.
* Have an approachable, measured, calm and efficient manner.
* Ability to share information and communicate digitally.
* Ability to listen to others and express own view clearly and succinctly.
* Have empathy for others.
* Ability to articulate a patient experience beyond personal experience where necessary.
* Positive and flexible approach to work.
* Commitment to (and understanding of) equality and diversity related to opportunities and good relationships.
* Full driving license.
Experience
* Ability to work independently, prioritise workloads and meet deadlines.
* Ability to show leadership and manage and coordinate service users.
* Able to demonstrate that you have used Maternity and/or Neonatal Services as a service user or have experience of working regularly with pregnant or new parents and are not employed by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.
* Experience of working in teams, in partnership with and supporting others.
knowledge & Skills
* Knowledge and good use of IT systems and software programs such as Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Microsoft Teams.
* Understanding, (and/or a willingness to learn/undertake training) of Confidentiality and Data Protection Act.
* Having knowledge and understanding of local women and birthing people's diverse needs.
* Skills and enthusiasm in networking, connecting and building relationships to work in partnership with service users and professionals.
* Ability to review feedback and identify key themes and issues in written or verbal form as appropriate.
* Strong organisational skills
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.
Employer name
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Depending on experience£150 per day expenses only
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