Lived Experience Quality Assurance Lead

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust; Whittingham; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A mental health care provider in Whittingham seeks a Lived Experience Quality Assurance Lead to integrate insights from individuals with learning disabilities into quality assurance processes. This role emphasizes co-production, inclusion, and improvement for direct care. Ideal candidates will have relevant lived experience, a degree, and knowledge of quality assurance in mental health settings. The role offers a competitive salary between £47,810 to £54,710 per annum.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Supportive environment for diversity and inclusion

Qualifications

• Direct lived experience of learning disability (service user, family member, or staff).
• Experience of supporting individuals in accessing health services.
• Ability to co-produce services with users and staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead quality assurance processes incorporating lived experiences.
• Advocate for individuals with learning disabilities.
• Conduct quality assurance activities like audits and evaluations.

Skills

Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion

Understanding of quality assurance principles

Facilitation of group discussions

Empathy and advocacy for user-led improvements

Education

Degree or equivalent level qualification

Leadership qualification

Continuous Improvement/Quality Improvement qualification

Tools

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Teams

Job description

Go back Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Lived Experience Quality Assurance Lead

The closing date is 04 December 2025

This advert may close earlier than date published due to the high volume of applications.

Water Meadow View is a new mental health inpatient unit for adults who have learning disabilities, which is due to open in Winter 2025 on our site in Whittingham, Preston. As we prepare to open this unit, we have a brand new and exciting opportunity for a Lived Experience Quality Assurance Lead to join us and support the Multi‑Disciplinary Team to deliver outstanding person‑centred care. This role will play a vital part in ensuring that the voices of people who use our service are embedded in everything we do.

For this role it is essential that the applicant has lived experience of learning disability (as a service user, family member, direct support staff (PA)) with up‑to‑date knowledge of health policy and legislation applicable for learning disabilities and mental health inpatient services and experience of working together with the learning disability community and/or providers to reduce barriers to healthcare.

Main duties of the job

One of the Trust's aims is to deliver the best possible care to our patients, and this new inpatient unit will do just that. Water Meadow View will offer clinical excellence, support, and safety, with patient‑centred care at its heart.

The Lived Experience Quality Assurance Lead will be responsible for incorporating the insights and perspectives of individuals with lived experience into quality assurance (QA) processes.

This role focuses on ensuring that Water Meadow View is developed and improved through the direct input of people who have first‑hand experience of using the service. The role requires a deep commitment to co‑production, inclusion, and continual improvement.

About us

LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under‑represented groups. If you'd like to discuss your application, please ask. We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services. LSCFT support flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi‑time.

Job responsibilities

The post holder will be responsible for the leadership of co‑produced quality improvement projects to ensure delivery of a high‑quality specialist inpatient mental health service, meeting the complex and diverse needs of the learning disability population. Opportunities for line management support will be met by the service; however, the leadership of quality improvement projects will be the responsibility of this post‑holder. The key responsibilities of this role are:

• To lead quality assurance processes by integrating feedback and insights from individuals with lived experience.
• Act as a voice for individuals with Learning Disabilities, ensuring their perspectives shape service development and improvement.
• Promote a culture that values lived experience as a critical component of service improvement.
• Conduct quality assurance activities, including audits, service evaluations, observations and feedback collection.
• Work collaboratively with service users, families, and staff to co‑produce improvements.
• Advocate for service users rights, dignity and high‑quality care within Water Meadow View.
• Support training and awareness initiatives to enhance staff understanding of lived experience.
• To be an expert role model and provide leadership within Water meadow View by ensuring systems are in place to share knowledge, expertise and examples of good practice.
• Support the governance and duty of care to safeguarding others by acting in accordance with Trust policy and procedures.
• Provide leadership to Peer facilitators working on the unit

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification

Person Specification

Education/Qualification

• Degree or equivalent level of qualification.
• Leadership Qualification
• Continuous Improvement/Quality Improvement/Project Management qualification

Knowledge

• Committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring the voices of people with lived experience are heard.
• Knowledge of co‑production approaches and principles
• Strong understanding of quality assurance principles and practices
• Knowledge of the needs of people with learning disabilities and mental health problems, including those detained under the Mental Health Act
• Knowledge of policies, legislation, and best practices related to learning disability inpatient care

Experience

• This role requires a person with direct lived experience of learning disability (as a service user, family member, direct support staff (PA))
• Experience of supporting individuals access to health services or using mental health services
• Experience of working collaboratively with staff, and others with lived experience and partnership working across a range of agencies
• Ability to facilitate group discussions, develop and lead workshops, co‑production sessions and focus groups.
• Experience of using co‑production methodologies to improve services

Personal

• Passionate about improving outcomes for people with learning disabilities
• Empathetic, open minded and a strong advocate for user‑led service improvements
• Resilient and adaptable, able to work both independently and collaboratively
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work with people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences
• Willingness to share with own judgement, personal experiences and insights in a balanced and reflective way.
• Good level of computer literacy, the role will include frequent use of Microsoft Word, Outlook and Teams.

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.

Employer name

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

£47,810 to £54,710 a yearPer Annum (subject to confirmation) pro‑pro rata