Clinical Lead: Lived Experience

NHS; Whitehaven; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative community service is seeking a Clinical Lead with lived experience to transform mental health care in Copeland. This role emphasizes a person-centered approach, integrating health and community services to provide 24/7 support. You will lead a multidisciplinary team, ensuring that the voices of those with lived experience are integral to clinical decision-making. If you are passionate about mental health and have the leadership skills to drive change, this is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact in your community.

Qualifications

• 3 years working with services in leadership roles.
• Experience in training and evaluation project work.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership for Peer supporters.
• Implement and monitor systems for effective peer supervision.

Skills

Leadership Skills

Communication Skills

Change Management

Education

Degree or additional training in working with peers

Job description

Job summary

Are you passionate about people's experience of mental health services?

Are you a great leader?

Are you motivated to work in a radically different model of care?

Do you have Lived Experience that drives your core values when working with others?

If yes to all of these, then we have the perfect job for you.

David Storm (Associate Director for Community/Access North Cumbria CBU) says:

"The Clinical Lead Lived Experience post will be a central component of Hope Haven's approach, embedding lived experience as a key element of support and ensuring the voice of lived experience is prominent within clinical decision-making, development, and ensuring services are delivered with a trauma-informed, recovery focus. This ethos supports a radical reimagining of mental health support founded in true person-centred care, supporting co-production, family involvement, and enabling the community to be the vehicle to support mental wellbeing for all, rather than the sometimes confining nature of biomedical approaches. Understanding the person's holistic needs from their perspective and co-producing support plans led by the person, informed by their family, and supported by partnership working around the person's needs, will offer a new and hopeful approach based on choice, ownership, people, and self."

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide clinical leadership and professional management for Peer supporters within the Copeland 24/7 hub. This will include bringing lived experience expertise to the wider Multidisciplinary Team, supporting the voice of lived experience in clinical decision-making, development, and ensuring services are delivered with a trauma-informed, recovery focus—supporting co-production, family involvement, and service user choice, empowerment, ownership, and support.

The post holder will have responsibility for implementing, monitoring, and auditing systems to ensure effective and timely appraisal, peer supervision, and Peer Education Programme, CPD for all Peer supporters within the 24/7 Hub. They will provide line management for Peer and Carer staff within the Copeland Project, including working within the leadership structure and ensuring lived experience culture is upheld at all levels, challenging and resolving where this may fall short. They may also provide lived experience lead supervision to colleagues. The post holder will lead clinical audit, development of professional practice, quality improvement, and service development in their area. Additionally, they will promote a positive image of people with mental health experiences and learning disabilities, supporting education and training around mental wellbeing, recovery, and mental health experiences.

About us

A new community service called Hope Haven will offer round-the-clock mental health support in Whitehaven when it opens later this year. Funded by NHS England, it is a collaboration between local organizations including Cumbria Health, CNTW, Everyturn Mental Health, Home Group, iCan Wellbeing Group CIO, The Well Communities CIC, and Whitehaven Community Trust.

The aim is to transform mental health care in Copeland by integrating health, social care, and community services so people can access the right help at the right time, under one roof. Open 24/7, the Haven will provide specialist support, advice on issues affecting mental health, and support for families, carers, and those in crisis.

Additional details

• Posted on: 01 May 2025
• Pay scheme: Agenda for Change
• Band: Band 7
• Salary: £46,148 to £52,809 per annum
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Job share
• Location: Hope Haven, Kings Street, Whitehaven, CA28 7JH

Application details

See attached Job description for more details. For further information, please contact us. The job was advertised on 1st May 2025, with a closing date of 15th May 2025. We welcome your application.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications (Essential)

• Degree or additional training in working with peers to master level

Desirable

• Coaching/CBT training

Knowledge/Experience (Essential)

• Specialist knowledge of lived experience, 3 years working with services, leadership roles
• Training/evaluation project work, direct supervision of staff

Desirable

• Risk management training, WRAP planning, leading change experience

Skills (Essential)

• Considerable experience of leading change in community, leadership skills, good communication

Other requirements

This post is subject to DBS check and requires a criminal record check. Applications requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome. For more information, visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

Employer details

Employer: CNTW NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Hope Haven, Kings Street, Whitehaven, CA28 7JH

Website: https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/careers/