We want to ensure that we meet the aims and commitment set out in our equality policy. This includes not discriminating under the Equality Act 2010, and ensuring that our lay partners reflect the diverse communities that we serve. We monitor our success in working with people from different backgrounds. Your information will be treated confidentially in line with data protection laws. It has no effect on your application to get involved.
We’re really excited and very grateful you’re willing to give us your time and energy to improve our work. As part of your induction, you will be given a detailed role profile to explain what being a lay partner involves. Any feedback you have on the communications and materials to become a lay partner so we can improve our induction process is very welcomed.
After completing this form, we will have a short telephone interview with you and if we all see this as an appropriate way to get involved, you can attend an induction meeting. You will meet Trust staff and the chair of our strategic lay forum and hear more information about projects and ways of working. This is also give you a chance to ask any questions. Please bring some photo identification with you to this meeting.
In addition to following the role, there are three key areas that we need to lay partners to follow immediately:
1. Being a lay partner involves operating at a strategic level and being a ‘critical friend’ to the Trust to assure we have listened to, understood and responded to what patients and the community want, need and prefer. The foundation of this is a relationship based on everyone being collaborative, kind and solution-focused. As part of this, the project group you join will brief you on the background and challenges.
2. While a lot of the information you may hear is accessible under the Freedom of Information Act, we ask that information is not shared. In some instances, the information may be very sensitive, for example early versions of reports that are not yet published. In this instance, we ask that lay partners are very mindful not to share this information. Lay partners will not have access to any confidential or patient-identifiable information as part of their collaboration.
3. Lay partners declare any of their conflicts of interest. If the lay partner is employed by a business, they should not have any direct links with the Trust as part of their role, for example as a supplier to the Trust. If the organisation has any links with the NHS, clinical commissioning groups or government healthcare establishments in general, these should be declared. They are not usually considered a conflict of interest.
By signing the below, you confirm that you agree to follow these principles.
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