Armed Forces Veteran Community Support Officer

Job responsibilities

To make contact with suitable and appropriate local organisations which represent and support the armed forces and veterans and to establish effective and regular consultation arrangements with those organisations.

To raise the profile of the Armed Forces Covenant & VPPP along side ELHT.

Work with veterans that are accessing treatment within the Community setting to form positive working relationships with local and national charities and welfare organisations, especially RBL, SSAFA, DWMS, Veterans UK and other veteran forums and agencies in their geographical areas

To complement the role of the VCHA & Armed Forces Covenant to ensure that veterans, particularly with Service-related conditions, can access Health Services that they are entitled to.

To visit autonomously patients not only in community hospital sites but in their homes to advocate on behalf of the Patients within the ELHT trust and wider community on behalf of ex-services personnel

Engage in a supportive, meaningful, and empathic manner with all Veterans, building trust, developing relationships and to provide effective support to both patients and staff.

To ensure that the Armed Forces Covenant priorities and campaigns are taken into account when local policies and plans are being developed.

To ensure correct and up to date feedback using the Armed Forces Portal MPTL and updating patients record with actions taken.

To advocate on behalf of ex-services personnel.

• In conjunction with the IHSS, CCM, DN, palliative care, safeguarding, Alcohol & homeless team to name a few assist the administrative processes to ensure that the patients journey is managed smoothly and in accordance with agreed timescales and escalate to team leader any concerns or complex issues.

• Maintain an accurate and up to date filing system, ensuring safe recording of documentation and maintaining confidentiality.
• Assist the wider services in ensuring that information on electronic bed boards is accurate and up to date with Armed Forces information & assist in training and increased awareness across all staff groups within the Trust
• Assist with liaising with surrounding hospital sites to ensure use of icon and recording of statistics for audits are input.
• Deal with requests, concerns and queries promptly from patients and members of the Trust staff and escalate issues to the Veteran Team Manager
• Record and monitor telephone queries on the appropriate documentation and escalate issues as required to the Veteran Team Manager.
• Undertake general administrative duties which facilitate the smooth running of the service such as photocopying, ordering materials and equipment and managing stock.
• Type and process correspondence, reports and other documents as requested on a daily with packages to include Microsoft Office i.e. Word, Excel Outlook, Access and PowerPoint
• Attend and minute Veteran meetings as required.
• Attend and minute staff meetings as required.
• Assisting with collecting and inputting accurate data into electronic reports Organise electronic and paper diaries as requested.
• Meet deadlines and manage time effectively.

Qualifications

Essential

• Good general standard of education 5 GCSE at A - C grades or grade 9-4 including GCSE English or equivalent qualifications.
• Evidence of NVQ level 3 , working towards an NVQ level 3 or equivalent experience
• Participation or willingness to participate in continuing development to improve and update knowledge.
• Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values
• Understanding the impact of providing Support in the home and social impact on the veteran and family.

Desirable

• IT qualification or relevant experience.
• Mental Health first Aid or equivalent.

Experience

Essential

• Ability to formulate reports
• Customer service and negotiation skills. Exposure to verbal complaints. Exposure to highly confidential sensitive and contentious issues and situations.
• Experience of working across professional boundaries
• A good understanding of the specific and holistic needs of the Armed Forces Community
• Able to communicate sensitive information to a range of different agencies, using persuasive and negotiating skills.
• Knowledge of military terminology
• Have an Understanding and application of Armed Forces Bill 2021 and Armed Forces Covenant & public sector duties.
• Experience of working with Armed Forces Personnel
• Experience of administration in a busy office-based environment & community setting
• Experience Working on own initiative and decision making.
• Willingness to develop new skills relevant to the role.
• Extensive experience of using Microsoft Office including Word and Excel.

Desirable

• An understanding and knowledge of Veterans and the barriers they face
• Lived or learned experience of the armed forces family.
• Previous experience of working with senior management
• Previous experience working with eternal agency's :- Armed services, Charities, GPs etc.

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Extensive knowledge of understanding of the health needs of the Armed Forces community.
• Use of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint along with other software packages
• Ability to produce accurately typed documents efficiently and to high standard.
• Ability to work independently and under pressure, prioritising work to meet deadlines
• Ability to deal with non- routine and unpredictable nature of workload and individual patient contact
• Ability to develop effective and appropriate relationships with people their families, carers and colleagues
• Ability to maintain organisational systems
• Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service.
• Problem solving
• Record keeping
• Accepts responsibility for own decisions.

Personal

Essential

• Ability to work as part of a team, communicate well with managers, colleagues and the public particularly in respect of sensitive issues and confidential information
• Ability to adapt to changing environment and changing methods of working using initiative
• Must be able to multitask whilst working in a community environment and dealing with frequent interruptions.
• Motivated and enthusiastic
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Able to deescalate and have an understanding of situations when dealing with sensitive military related conditions
• Ensure that confidentiality is always maintained.
• Access to a Vehicle for work purposes due to some locations not being accessible via public transport

Communication

Essential

• Able to demonstrate and Communicate with a range of people including external agencies on day-to-day basis
• Provide, receive, and develop routine information which requires tact or persuasive skills where there are barriers to understanding
• Provide and receive complex and or sensitive information
• Able to provide advice, instruction, in difficult situations to others.
• Understand the specific needs of veterans with empathy to their situation.

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).