NELFT are pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Jaye Charles as our very first Board Advisor and Patient and Carer Advocacy & Co-production Lead.

This is the first appointment of its kind across the NHS in England and Julie’s role will work closely with the Patient Experience team to build upon the newly developed patient and carer strategy. This will support the transformation work across the localities and help to strengthen or engagement with service users.

Co-production is key to unlocking in depth knowledge, quality, the capacity of the voices and views of our communities, including and embedding those voices across and at the centre of all the work we do within NELFT. Advocacy is three-fold and Julie Jaye’s role will be the driving force of advocating for patient’s and carers, whilst supporting inclusion and decision making. Julie Jaye will be developing an advocacy strategy which will enable and enhance community involvement through peer-to-peer support.  Julie Jaye has over 30 years’ experience in community cohesion and development, and we are pleased she has joined us at NELFT. Her beloved motto is that of Nelson Mandela ‘It always seems impossible until it is done’.

If you would like further information, please contact Julie Jaye, Julie.Charles@nelft.nhs.uk.