Job Title
PR Officer
Accountable To
Group Manager
Hours
20 hours per week (Monday- Friday)
Hourly Rate
£15.38
Our Values- Listen Learn Care
Are you passionate about creating clear and impactful communication which means something to your readers and has a demonstrably positive impact on an organisation’s reputation? You may already be an experienced communications professional who has worked in the healthcare or a related environment, looking for a role with less hours or to fit in with existing commitments. Or you may be newly qualified in the communications/PR field and have obtained experience professionally or personally, in writing and broadcasting communication pieces, and want to apply your creativity and expertise to this role. If you feel you’re the right fit for Forest Health, please apply today.
About Forest Health
Forest Health is a forward-thinking GP practice committed to delivering outstanding patient care through a culture of continual learning and improvement. Our leadership team, partners and senior management actively draws on a wide range of tools and insights to shape and strengthen service delivery: from patient feedback, complaints and survey results to the outputs of our Patient Participation Group (PPG) and social media channels, as well as internal learning event tools.
We believe that listening to our patients and responding meaningfully to what they tell us is not simply good practice it is central to who we are. Our three values Listen, Learn, Care reflect this commitment at every level of the organisation.
Role Overview
As a direct result of our continued investment in patient engagement and our ambition to be genuinely responsive to the communities we serve, Forest Health is pleased to be recruiting a dedicated PR & Patient Engagement Officer. This is a standalone, focused role created specifically to lead and deliver our patient engagement strategy.
The successful candidate will be the practice’s primary voice in communicating with patients ensuring that they are not only informed and engaged, but feel genuinely valued and involved in the journey the practice is making on their behalf. This role will bring clarity, consistency and energy to our communications, and translate the excellent work happening across the practice into messages that resonate with and inspire our patient community.
Key Responsibilities
Patient Communications
- Own and manage the practice’s social media channels, maintaining an active, accurate and engaging online presence that reflects the practice’s values and priorities.
- Keep the practice website up to date with relevant news, health information, service updates and patient-facing content.
- Lead on the production and distribution of patient satisfaction questionnaires (PSQs), coordinating timely analysis and reporting of outputs to the leadership team.
- Develop and manage ‘You Said, We Did’ communications to close the feedback loop with patients, demonstrating clearly how their input has shaped practice decisions and improvements.
- Create patient-facing content across a range of formats digital, print and in-practice that is accessible, inclusive and tailored to our diverse patient population.
Staff Communications
- Produce regular internal newsletters and communications to keep all staff informed, engaged and aligned with practice priorities and achievements.
- Support the leadership team in communicating key messages and updates to the wider workforce in a clear and timely manner.
- Champion a consistent internal communications approach that reflects the practice’s culture of openness and continuous improvement.
Patient Participation Group (PPG)
- Act as a key point of contact for the practice’s PPG, supporting the coordination and facilitation of meetings and engagement activities.
- Work collaboratively with PPG members to develop meaningful engagement initiatives and ensure patient voices are heard and acted upon.
- Promote PPG membership and activities to increase participation and representation across the patient community.
Complaint Trend Identification & Learning
- Regularly review patient complaints and informal feedback to identify emerging themes, patterns and areas for improvement.
- Produce clear summaries and trend analyses to support the leadership team in understanding patient experience and prioritising action.
- Work closely with colleagues to ensure that learning from complaints feeds effectively into the practice’s continual improvement framework.
- Maintain accurate records of feedback and complaints in line with practice policy and information governance requirements.
Person Specification
Essential
- Demonstrable experience in a PR, communications, marketing or public engagement role.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to write compellingly for a range of audiences and formats.
- Proven experience managing social media accounts and digital content platforms.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously and to deadline.
- A confident and empathetic communicator who understands the importance of tone, sensitivity and inclusivity in a healthcare context.
- Experience in analysing feedback data and distilling insights into clear, actionable summaries.
- A genuine commitment to patient-centred care and to the values of Listen, Learn, Care.
Desirable
- Experience working in a primary care, NHS or healthcare setting.
- Familiarity with patient engagement frameworks, including Patient Participation Groups or equivalent.
- Knowledge of information governance and data protection requirements relevant to the NHS.
- Experience of website content management systems (CMS).
- A relevant qualification in communications, public relations, marketing or a related discipline.
What We Offer
- A purposeful, values-led working environment where your work will have a visible and meaningful impact.
- The opportunity to shape and develop a brand-new role within a supportive and forward-thinking practice.
- A collaborative team culture committed to learning, reflection and continuous improvement.
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
Forest Health Listen Learn Care
Pay: £15.38 per hour
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
