Prison Engagement Lead

Job summary
The Prison Engagement Lead will provide a vital role ensuring that those in custody are able to influence decisions made about the healthcare services and service delivery in their establishments.

The post holder will be working directly with vulnerable and seldom heard groups of prisoners getting their feedback on the healthcare that they receive. This includes the care they receive from doctors and nurses, the dentist, mental health services, sexual health services and much more.

The role will require you to develop and maintain relationships with prisons and other key stakeholders, such as health and justice commissioners, prison governors, healthcare managers and the prisoners themselves.

Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will work closely with prison staff to organise and facilitate quarterly patient engagement activities across the prison estate, including face-to-face focus groups, one-to-one and telephone interviews, and written communication with prisoners and detainees. The role will also support additional projects relating to specific healthcare topics, including prison healthcare procurements, and provide balanced, insightful reports following prison visits. You will develop and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders, including prison and healthcare managers, while supporting the Business Development team with new opportunities. Where required, you will attend networking events, deliver presentations, broaden your knowledge of the sector, support business development opportunities, and promote the ethos and vision of ABL Health. The role will also involve attending prison-specific training and other relevant training to maintain a strong understanding of establishment processes, security measures, criminal justice, and healthcare.

About us
ABL is an exciting fast-paced, growing community health organisation. As an experienced, CQC registered, provider of community health services, we are passionate about delivering evidence based, innovative, effective and relevant health care services in partnership with individuals, communities and stakeholders.

We are a values driven organisation, dedicated to reducing health inequalities and improving peoples lives. We would love to hear from you if you would like the opportunity to work with in a close team of committed professionals and you share our values of designing and delivering health services.

Job responsibilities
The role will require you to develop and maintain relationships with prisons and other key stakeholders, such as health and justice commissioners, prison governors, healthcare managers and the prisoners themselves.

The post holder will need to be a motivated to, and passionate about working with those in custody, have a knowledge of custodial settings and the client groups in these settings and the challenges that they face, and have the ability to work independently and as part of a wider team.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Working closely with prison staff to organise and facilitate quarterly patient engagement activities in the form of face-to-face focus groups, 1-1 interviews, telephone interviews and written communication methods with prisoners/detainees across the prison estate.
• Support with additional projects as requested with specific healthcare topics including procurements of prison healthcare.
• Provide feedback from prison visits in the form of balanced reports
• Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders including prison and healthcare managers across the estate.
• Support the business development team with new opportunities.
• Where directed attend networking events to deliver presentations, broaden knowledge, support business opportunities and promote the ethos and vision of ABL Health.
• Attending prison training as requested to ensure knowledge and understanding of processes and security measures within each establishment.
• Attend training as required to maintain a good understanding of criminal justice and health.

What kind of person are we looking for?

• Someone who is passionate about reducing health inequalities.
• Someone who is hard working, proactive and can solve problems.
• Someone who is confident to work in a variety of challenging and complex locations.
• Someone who is driven by seeing real change and supporting people with lived experience!
• Someone who can live and breathe the ABL values!

Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role

Person Specification
Qualifications
Desirable

• Health and Social Care qualification or equivalent experience
• Groupwork/Core skills training.
• Motivational interviewing training.

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working within the criminal justice system.
• Experience of working with people with lived experience (PwLE).
• Experience of facilitating groupwork and or 1-1 with service users.
• Experience of report writing.

Desirable

• Health and Social Care qualification or equivalent experience
• Having lived experience of the criminal justice system.
• Experience of working within prisons.
• Experience of working within a healthcare setting.
• Experience of using translation services.
• Experience of overcoming language barriers.

Skills and Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of working with and around the prison regime and how healthcare works within a custodial setting.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing at all levels, with individuals, groups, organisations and the public.
• Ability to provide good quality reports.
• Group facilitation skills.
• 1-1 interviewing skills.
• Ability to collate and analyse data.
• Ability to deal calmly and effectively with conflict.
• Ability to work with groups from different backgrounds and cultures.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise tasks effectively and meet deadlines amid a range of competing demands.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work flexibly to overcome challenges.
• IT skills.

Desirable

• Report writing training

Job Specific Requirements
Essential

• The ability to travel independently considerable distances.
• Self-reflection and awareness.
• Ability to work within a team and independently.
• Willingness to work within ABLs core values.
• Work flexibly and adapt to suit service need.
• The ability to travel independently across the organisational footprint

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.

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.