Strategic Health Development Officer

Introduction:

A unique opportunity has arisen to join a small but dedicated team working to bring real change to the lives of people in South Belfast.  Working for the Forward South Partnership Board you will have many opportunities to develop your practice with a wide range of partners in a busy health environment.  As the Health lead you will facilitate and coordinate opportunities to build and shape collaborations which support the delivery of programmes to people across the entire lifecycle from early years through to later years.  This is a strategic post requiring high-level awareness of public policy frameworks and an ability to interpret policy implications for local groups and translate them into practical solutions in an accessible manner.  We aim to recruit a candidate with a comprehensive understanding of the determinants of health and ability to influence decision making processes as they impact on the citizens of South Belfast.  You will be given the opportunity to work collaboratively with key stakeholders from Neighbourhood Renewal, Belfast City council and within the broader health family to tackle health inequalities and contribute to the place making of the city. Much of your work is at a senior level, requires working on your own initiative and relies on possessing excellent communication and people skills.

Purpose:

The Strategic Health Development Officer will be a member of Forward South Partnership Board staff and will work in conjunction with the Chief Executive Officer to support the implementation of a programme to target health inequalities across South Belfast in a strategic way.  The post is supported by the Public Health Agency.

Range of Duties:

The Officer will provide support in the operation of the South Belfast Health Programme, which includes the South Belfast Health and Wellbeing Forum along with the review, codesign and implementation of the South Belfast Health Strategy within an outcomes-based framework.  You will provide strategic leadership and a coordinated response to health issues in South Belfast by representing communities on Integrated Care Partnerships, CYPSP locality planning group, Belfast Strategic Partnership subgroups etc. As well as an ability to use existing public health evidence statistics you will be supported to shape and gather original project specific evidence using a range of tools.  This work will take place within a changing policy environment and the post-holder will help shape and respond to these changes, including Making Life Better Framework, Belfast Agenda, Belfast Strategic Partnership, the Integrated Care Partnership and changes in commissioning through procurement and tendering proposals. The post holder should have demonstrable experience and be able to evidence examples of successful tendering and fundraising

Flowing from this, the Officer will work with a broad range of stakeholders in responding to specific health and wellbeing issues facing residents of South Belfast.  This will include the two Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships and wider community and voluntary sector, statutory health and social care providers, health practitioners and other city-wide partners.

Due commitment to tackle health inequalities is an essential pillar in the regeneration of South Belfast. The post-holder will therefore assist in the broader regeneration and place making remit of the Partnership, including addressing educational underachievement, supporting early intervention programmes, economic development and poverty and social exclusion.

Main Duties:

1. To develop and deliver a strategic and coordinated model, which links local groups, builds relationships,  and is supported by useful data for  the provision of health and wellbeing services to groups and service providers in South Belfast which includes;

•   Ensuring capacity of groups and participants to engage meaningfully in the Codesign of health programmes which identifies and meets their health and wellbeing needs. This is done through Coordination of meetings, events, and conferences, workshops which seeks to support a culture of learning and improvement and builds and skills groups to procure and deliver health services collaboratively.

• Facilitation of the South Belfast Health and Wellbeing Forum to shape the design and delivery of a South Belfast Health Strategy aligned to an outcomes based environment; including the provision of a secretariat to support the Health and Wellbeing Forum, the preparation and distribution of all papers as well as servicing meetings and taking minutes.  To disseminate information regarding health and wellbeing issues to relevant stakeholders and ability to measure the impact of collective practice.

• Co-ordination and implementation of actions in relation to local health and social wellbeing priorities.

• Supporting the broader regeneration programmes and activities, insofar as they impact upon the wider social determinants of health and well-being, including addressing educational underachievement, spatial planning, early intervention programmes, economic development, poverty and social exclusion.

•  Connecting and linking information and support to community and voluntary sector organisations in relation to changes in delivery structures around policies and strategies eg Transforming Your Care, Making Life Better, Integrated Care Partnership and changes in commissioning through procurement and tendering proposals.

• Project and financial management of the South Belfast health development fund across 5 areas of South Belfast including working with partners to identify and analyse gaps and trends within the service delivery and respond as appropriate. To provide monitoring and reporting to funders as required.

2. To work in partnership with statutory agencies ensuring that priorities identified at Partnership Board level are communicated effectively to bodies such as Government Departments, Belfast City Council, the Belfast Strategic Partnership, Local Commissioning Group and others as appropriate to assist in the implementation of resultant plans locally which includes:-

• To undertake of policy and data research as required helping to identify and evidence need
• To initiate, coordinate and support the development of programmes and action plans in response to identified needs

3. To work in Partnership and maintain strong working relationships with statutory agencies relevant to health, such as Public Health Agency, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast City Council, Belfast Health Development Unit, Integrated Care Partnerships, health practitioners, such as GP’s and pharmacists, and Belfast-wide stakeholders, including the Belfast Area Partnership’s Health Network, to ensure effective flow of information and consistency of approach and collective impact

4. Ensure Forward South Partnership Board’s recording, monitoring and evaluation systems are implemented, developed and maintained providing funders and FSP Board with relevant reports in a timely matter.

5. To represent Forward South Partnership as required at various health fora/ discussions

6.To undertake line management responsibilities and any other duties as and if required