Patient Research Ambassador
At a glance
- Band
- Band 4
- Contract
- Fixed-term
- Pattern
- Part-time
- Posted
- 08/09/2026
- Closes
- 23/09/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
This role involves promoting research, supporting patient and public involvement activities, and encouraging participation in research studies within a mental health trust. The ambassador will work with service users, carers, and researchers to improve the research experience and ensure accessibility. Key duties include acting as the main contact for service user and carer involvement in adult mental health research and chairing a lived experience group. The position aims to increase understanding of mental health research and engage underrepresented groups.
Key responsibilities
- Promote research across the Trust.
- Support patient and public involvement activities.
- Encourage participation in research studies.
- Act as the main point of contact for service user and carer involvement in adult mental health research.
- Chair and manage the Help from Experts by Experience for Researchers (lived experience group).
- Help to promote diversity in research by engaging with underrepresented groups within local communities.
Essential criteria
- Lived experience of mental health services or research as a service user or carer, or as an advocate or representative of service users and carers.
- Excellent non-verbal and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to plan, manage & prioritise workload effectively.
- A good understanding of how service user involvement and co-production works in practice
Desirable criteria
- Tell us about a time when you spotted something small going wrong and did something to stop it becoming a bigger issue.
- Tell us about a time when you realised a colleague or someone you know needed a bit of support and you offered to help.
- Tell us about a time when you showed someone kindness or understanding.
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 4 at £26,530 – £29,114 a year, across England.
This advert: £28,392 – £31,157 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 1d ago · Closes in 15d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Patient Research Ambassador
The closing date is 23 September 2026
Job summary
Are you passionate about improving healthcare through research and ensuring that patients, carers and service users have a voice in shaping research in a mental health trust?
Patient and public involvement in research is an essential part of the research process and is something we value at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. In practice, this means including the voices of service users, carers, staff and members of the community in how research is designed, carried out and shared.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and engaging Patient Research Ambassador to join our Research & Development team. This unique role will help promote research across the Trust, support patient and public involvement activities, and encourage participation in research studies. You will work closely with service users, carers, researchers and staff to improve the research experience and ensure research is accessible and inclusive.
Main duties of the job
The ideal candidate will have lived experience of mental health services or research as a service user, carer, advocate or representative, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to co-production and patient involvement. Experience of participating in research or knowledge of the res
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