Disability Forum Internship

Job Description:

Organisation profile: The Scottish Ambulance Service is on the frontline of the NHS, dispatching immediate medical assistance or clinical advice to over 6 million people across Scotland.  Our aim is to offer the highest level of care to our patients as we preserve life and promote recovery, with our skilled workforce bringing care and compassion to those who need it most.  We provide ambulance care to patients who need support to reach their healthcare appointment or for admission to and discharge from hospitals, due to their medical or clinical needs.  We also transfer some of Scotland’s most serious patients who need specialist care.

Website: Scottish Ambulance Service

Internship Overview

This internship offers a practical opportunity to improve how disability, long-term health conditions, and reasonable adjustments are understood and supported across the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).

After induction, the intern will work with HR, Occupational Health, managers, and operational staff to listen to lived experience, understand what currently works (and what doesn’t), and help design practical solutions that work in real operational settings.

This is an active role. The intern will lead the development of two service-wide resources that will directly improve staff experience, confidence, and consistency.

Purpose of the Internship

The internship has two main outcomes:

1. Disability Disclosure Pathway

A clear, step-by-step pathway to help staff understand:

– Who to tell

– What happens next

– How information is recorded and protected

– What reasonable adjustments are possible

– Expected timescales

 The pathway will be clear, consistent, and fair, reducing uncertainty and anxiety for staff.

2. Disability Awareness Resource for Leaders

A short, practical learning resource for Team Leaders and managers, focused on:

– Responding safely and compassionately to disclosure

– Legal duties explained in plain language

– Having supportive conversations

– Knowing when and how to involve HR or Occupational Health

Main Duties

The intern will work across SAS to understand current experiences of disability disclosure and reasonable adjustments and help improve these for both staff and managers.

Key duties include:

– Speaking with operational staff, Team Leaders, managers, HR, and Occupational Health

– Listening to lived experience and identifying common questions, concerns, or barriers

– Mapping existing processes (formal and informal) and identifying gaps or inconsistencies

– Identifying delays or misunderstandings that create anxiety or unfairness

– Using this insight, the intern will co-design practical, easy-to-use resources, including:

– a one-page disclosure flowchart

– plain-language guidance for staff

– clear guidance for managers on roles, responsibilities, and timescales

– a short, practical learning resource for front-line leaders

– The intern will work collaboratively, test ideas where possible, and ensure outputs reflect real operational environments.

Why This Role Matters

– This role will help reduce barriers for disabled staff, improve consistency across SAS, and support fairer, more inclusive systems. Lived experience is valued as expertise and used to drive practical change.

Person Specification

– You do not need formal employment experience to apply. Skills may come from lived experience, education, volunteering, caring roles, advocacy, or informal learning.

– Essential Skills and Attributes

– Communication

– Able to listen carefully and respectfully

– Able to explain complex or sensitive topics in clear, plain language

– Comfortable communicating with staff, managers, and corporate teams

– Lived-experience-informed insight

– Able to use lived experience or understanding of workplace barriers to support learning and improvement

– Able to balance personal experience with wider staff perspectives

– Analytical and practical thinking

– Able to identify patterns, gaps, or issues from conversations and information

– Able to turn insight into clear, practical outputs such as guidance or learning materials

Organisation and reliability

– Able to plan work, manage tasks, and meet agreed deadlines

– Able to work independently with appropriate support

Digital confidence

– Able to use basic digital tools such as Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams

– Able to use assistive technology where required

Values and professionalism

– Strong commitment to equality, dignity, confidentiality, and respectful practice

– Able to handle sensitive information appropriately

Desirable Skills (Not Essential)

– Applicants are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet all of these.

– Experience of co-design or engagement work

– Confidence contributing to group discussions or workshops

– Interest in disability, inclusion, or workplace culture change

– Experience supporting learning or training

– Experience analysing feedback or qualitative information

Adaptability and confidence-building

– Willingness to work across different teams and adapt communication style

– Growing confidence to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and suggest improvements

Reasonable Adjustments
We are committed to making the recruitment process accessible. Please let us know if you need any reasonable adjustments to take part in the application or interview process, or to help you perform well if selected.

We will do our best to meet your needs and we welcome any questions you may have before applying.

Additional Information

If you would like to discuss this opportunity with us prior to submitting your application, please contact:

Chris Purnell

Engagement and Involvement Manager

Chris.purnell@nhs.scot

Go-live date: Monday 5 January 2026

Closing date: Friday 6 February 2026

Mock interviews: Week commencing 16 February 2026

Formal interviews: Week commencing 2 March 2026

In-work support meeting and agreed start date: Mid-March 2026

Full-time or part-time will be considered and discussed at the interview stage.

Please send completed application to interns@inclusionscotland.org  by 12 pm (noon) on Friday 6 February 2026.