Job summary
Have you been an unpaid carer for a family member who has been in mental health services? Could you use this lived experience to support others in the same situation? We are a busy community team helping people with psychosis recover and get on with their lives and a vital part of this recovery is how we support the family and friends around them.
This unique role is for someone who understands this caring role from their own experience and to use that experience to inform how our team works with family members and carers.
You will be working as part of a team, meeting family members and carers as their loved ones may be experiencing psychosis for the first time and helping these family members to navigate services and supporting them through this difficult time.
At interview we hope to hear from you about your experiences and how this will shape how you help others.
Closing date: 24th November 2025
Shortlisting date: 25th November 2025
Interview date: 11th December 2025
Main duties of the job
Main Role & Responsibilities
- To act in an advisory capacity regarding Carer issues and concerns from an experiential perspective
- To consult Carers individually and as groups in order to ascertain and represent their diverse views and ideas regarding care needs and service development needs
- To promote the rights of Service Users and carers
- Work within and contribute to the formation of service policies, protocols and standards of care
- To contribute to the development of specific service user and carer involvement standards and the development of a user focused needs-led service culture
- To report concerns regarding failings in the achievement of service user and carer involvement standards
- Ensure that the views of under-represented groups, including BME communities, are properly represented
- Support service user empowerment by promoting active and assertive involvement in their own care and by influencing the behaviour of care providers
- To assist in the provision of information necessary for informed choice
- To support equitable access to and engagement and concordance with necessary services/resources for service users
- To provide direct support, empathy, reassurance and advice to individual service users and carers in accordance with care plans and in partnership with multi-disciplinary colleagues and a range of health/social care agencies.
- Be aware of and comply with BDCFT policies and guidelines and deliver care within the Care Trust CPA and risk management structure
About us
Everything we do is underpinned by our core values: -
We Care - We act with respect and empathy, and always value difference
We Listen - We understand people's views and respond to their individual needs
We Deliver - We develop and provide excellent services and support our partners
We will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements to enable staff to balance their work and home lives and support staff by offering a fantastic range of benefits including :
Increase mileage rates for > 3500
A wide range of health and wellbeing support packages
A range of internal and external development and learning opportunities
Plus many more.
We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.
The Trust reserves the right to close this position early if a significant number of applications are received.
This position is not eligible for sponsorship set by the Home Office and the skilled worker visa occupation list.
If you are currently a visa holder and your visa status expires, we may be required to terminate your employment in compliance with immigration regulations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Deliver a flexible and responsive service through working practices that are dictated by service user and carer need and contribute to the provision of service continuity outside of normal working hours when necessar
- To ensure Bradford and Airedale Child Protection Guidelines and procedures are fully understood and to ensure the safety needs of children are met at all times and take appropriate action when a child is felt to be at ris
- Maintain accurate and up to date records utilising electronic media as necessary
- To contribute to the provision of an age, culture and gender sensitive service
- Keep abreast of national and local policy and guidance including evidence based best practic
- Contribute to the training of colleagues and stakeholders as required
- To represent the service user and carer perspective in recruitment processes
- To be involved in data collection for the purposes of audit/research and performance measurement
- To actively participate in supervision, workload management and personal development planning
- Manage own workload to ensure effective and efficient time management to meet priorities within agreed timescales and deadlines
- To recognise own personal limitations and seek help when necessary.
- Participate in networking and practice sharing events with other colleagues working in service user involvement roles across the district, regionally and nationally
Please read the attached Job description and person specification for more details about this role.
Right to Work in the UK
Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.
Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.
Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trusts eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.
As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Deliver a flexible and responsive service through working practices that are dictated by service user and carer need and contribute to the provision of service continuity outside of normal working hours when necessar
- To ensure Bradford and Airedale Child Protection Guidelines and procedures are fully understood and to ensure the safety needs of children are met at all times and take appropriate action when a child is felt to be at ris
- Maintain accurate and up to date records utilising electronic media as necessary
- To contribute to the provision of an age, culture and gender sensitive service
- Keep abreast of national and local policy and guidance including evidence based best practic
- Contribute to the training of colleagues and stakeholders as required
- To represent the service user and carer perspective in recruitment processes
- To be involved in data collection for the purposes of audit/research and performance measurement
- To actively participate in supervision, workload management and personal development planning
- Manage own workload to ensure effective and efficient time management to meet priorities within agreed timescales and deadlines
- To recognise own personal limitations and seek help when necessary.
- Participate in networking and practice sharing events with other colleagues working in service user involvement roles across the district, regionally and nationally
Please read the attached Job description and person specification for more details about this role.
Right to Work in the UK
Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.
Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.
Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trusts eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.
As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Advanced (equivalent to diploma level) knowledge of MH services and their impact through substantial personal experience of nonpaid caring for another with mental health issues (min 2 years) who have accessed specialist mental health services.
- Current UK driving licence
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of the Care Program Approach
- Empathic insight into the needs of adults and young people experiencing psychosis
- Knowledge of current mental health and, in particular, service user & carer issues at a local and national level
- Detailed understanding of the impact of o Knowledge of MH service user groups and networks o Knowledge and understanding of the inequality issues facing people with MH problems.
Desirable
- Knowledge of MH service user groups and networks
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Advanced (equivalent to diploma level) knowledge of MH services and their impact through substantial personal experience of nonpaid caring for another with mental health issues (min 2 years) who have accessed specialist mental health services.
- Current UK driving licence
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of the Care Program Approach
- Empathic insight into the needs of adults and young people experiencing psychosis
- Knowledge of current mental health and, in particular, service user & carer issues at a local and national level
- Detailed understanding of the impact of o Knowledge of MH service user groups and networks o Knowledge and understanding of the inequality issues facing people with MH problems.
Desirable
- Knowledge of MH service user groups and networks
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.
