Day Services Improvement, Service User Co-ordinator

POST TITLE: Day Services Improvement, Service User Co-ordinator (Temporary for 1 year)

GRADE: Scale 2

LOCATION: Learning Disabilities

ORGANISATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

• The post holder will be accountable to the Project Manager Day Services Improvement

DESCRIPTION OF ROLE

• To work as part of a team in the delivery of Day Services improvement, providing a service user perspective on all matters involved in this significant change programme.

CONTEXT OF THE POST

• The Day Services Improvement team will support the post holder in the delivery of the duties of the post, ensuring they are in line with the day services improvement project plan.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES SPECIFIC TO THIS POST

• To assist with the consultation / communication activities involved with these developments.
• To participate in relevant meetings about day services improvement.
• To support colleagues understand the impact of change for people with a leaning disability.
• To support people with a learning disability understand the changes taking place in service provision.
• To help build working relationships and support the development of new partnerships.
• To act as a role model for people with a learning disability.
• To be involved in day services improvement development activities.
• The post-holder is expected to work flexibly and efficiently and in full cooperation with all staff to keep up the highest possible standards.

COMMON DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Quality AssuranceAll staff are accountable for the quality of their own work and for the operation of the relevant parts of the quality systems. This will involve operating within the appropriate quality procedures applicable to the post to ensure that all users of services have their needs and expectations identified and fulfilled.
• Communication To be personally aware of how the teams communications systems operate and to be fully conversant with the Social Care and Health procedures, policies, strategies and objectives and to participate in effective liaison within the Team.
• Professional Practice To ensure that individual professional practices developed in line with Social Care and Health’s stated objective of continual improvement in the quality of it’s service to internal and external customers.
• Health Safety All staff are will comply with the Social Care and Health and Safety Policy, organisation arrangements and procedures and have a responsibility to advise the Social Care and Health through their line manager of where they consider the Service has not met its obligation to provide a safe and healthy place to work.
• Supervision and Appraisal All members of staff will receive supervision and appraisal and it is the responsibility of each member of staff to follow the Social Care and Health procedure in respect of supervision and appraisal.
• Equality and Diversity As an organisation we are committed to promoting a just society that gives everyone an equal chance to learn, work and live free from discrimination and prejudice. To ensure our commitment is put into practice we are developing policies, which will seek to remove any barriers to equality of opportunity and to eliminate unfair and unlawful discrimination.
  
  These policies apply to all employees of Durham County Council.
• Confidentiality All members of staff are required to undertake that they will not divulge to anyone personal and/or confidential information to which they may have access during the course of their work.
• Induction Social Care and Health has in place an induction programme designed to help new employees to become effective in their roles and to find their way in the organisation.

Conditions of Service

The terms and conditions of service are embodied in the National Agreement on Pay and Conditions of Service (commonly known as the Green Book) and supplemented by local collective agreements reached with Trade Unions recognised by the Council and by the regulations and policies of the Council:

1. The grade of the post is Scale 2 and salary is paid monthly by bank credit transfer.
2. The appointment will be subject to:
   • Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure check.
   • Satisfactory medical clearance. The successful candidate will be required to satisfy the Occupational Physician as to his/her fitness to perform the duties of the post.
   • Satisfactory references. References will be sought from your current or most recent employer and additional references may be requested.
   • Successful completion of a 6 month probationary period with the exception of staff transferring from another Authority.
3. The successful applicants may be entitled to relocation expenses in accordance with the Authority’s relocation expenses scheme.
4. The post holder will be entitled to join the local government pension scheme and contributions are 6% of salary.
5. Leave entitlement is a minimum of 22 days rising to 27 days following the completion of 5 years continuous local government service. In addition the post holder is entitled to 8 bank holidays. The above entitlements are reduced proportionately for employees working fewer than 37 hours per week.
6. Durham County Council operates a no smoking policy. Smoking is not allowed in Council offices or establishments.
7. This authority, as your employer, firmly supports the principles of collective bargaining in every way and believes in the principles of solving industrial relations problems by discussion and agreement. For practical purposes, this can only be conducted by representatives of the employers and of the employees. If collective bargaining of this kind is to continue and improve for the benefit of both it is essential that the employees’ organisations should be fully representative. Your Authority is associated with other local authorities represented on the national and provincial councils dealing with local authorities services. It is equally sensible for you, too, to be in membership of a trade union representing you on the appropriate negotiating body, and you are strongly encouraged to do so.
   
   You have the right to join a trade union and to take part in its activities. Details of the specified trade unions on the appropriate negotiating body are available for you to refer to.
8. The County Council is an Equal Opportunities employer and welcomes applications, irrespective of race, sex, marital status, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation or political belief.
9. The County Council requires one month’s notice in writing to the post holder’s intention to terminate employment.

NOTES

1. Candidates related to any member of the County Council or to the holder of any senior post must make a declaration to that effect.
2. Canvassing directly or indirectly will disqualify.
3. Please note that receipt of your completed application form will not be acknowledged, unless you provide a stamped addressed envelope for the purpose.
4. If you are not invited for interviews within 30 days of the closing date for receipt of applications, you may assume that you have been unsuccessful and that the post has been filled.
5. Please do not send testimonials or references as these will not be returned.

PERSON SPECIFICATION
POST: DAY SERVICE IMPROVEMENT, SERVICE USER CO-ORDINATOR

LONGLISTING - PHASE ONE - Examination of application form and any required work

PHASE TWO - As above plus inter-personal assessments