Government advertises women’s health ambassador role

The government has issued a job specification for the new women’s health ambassador role, announced in December.

The ambassador’s role will be to advise the government on the development and implementation of the women’ health strategy for England, which will be published in spring 2022.

According to the job spec the ambassador will “work to raise the profile of women’s health” and “to increase awareness of particular conditions and health needs women face, dispel taboos and stigmas, and initiate more open conversations about women’s health.”

The successful applicant will also:

• Meet regularly with ministers and officials throughout their appointment to discuss issues of interest and provide updates on their work
• Provide advice to ministers and officials on the development of the women’s health strategy for England.
• Work alongside ministers and officials to support implementation of the Strategy once published
• Work in partnership with other organisations and stakeholders to bring a range of voices to the forefront, including making sure that under-represented groups and groups that experience health disparities are heard in the development of the strategy
• Work with government and external stakeholders and organisations to raise the wider profile of women’s health, including by educating and informing women and wider society about particular conditions or health needs, to dispel taboos and stigmas, and to initiate more open conversations about women’s health issues
• Advise on other programmes of work relevant to women’s health

Needed: an effective public communicator

The job spec says that the qualities possessed by the successful applicant must include:

• A genuine interest in a range of women’s health issues and health disparities, and have detailed knowledge in one or more specific women’s health condition or thematic area (such as medical education)
• Considerable skills and experience in using their network and influence to raise the profile of women’s health and initiate change
• Considerable skills and experience in understanding and representing a range of different viewpoints in order to reach consensus
• Being an effective public communicator, able to address potentially high-profile, complex, and sensitive women’s health issues in a way that reflects public feeling

The time commitment will be “variable and flexible”, but is likely to be two-to-three days a month over the length of the appointment, which will be up to 18 months.

Greg Allen, CEO of FCC, said: “FCC welcomes the government’s decision to appoint a women’s health ambassador. Women’s health needs have been under-served in the past, and the appointment of an ambassador is an important step to address that issue.”

Remuneration for the role will be £300 to £350 a day plus expenses.

The closing date for applications is 28 January, and the successful applicant will be expected to start work immediately.