PALS Officer

Job responsibilities

Key Result Areas

1. To act as a compassionate point of contact for patients and other users of Trust services.
2. To operate a frontline, patient facing service, taking details of complaints and raising these with relevant staff, to ensure they are dealt with in accordance with Trust Policy.
3. To listen and respond to the concerns of service users relating to their experience of the Trust, explaining the options available for resolution and clarifying the outcomes sought.
4. To obtain detailed information from service users, paying due care and attention to the sensitivity of their concerns, and to undertake investigation and follow-up action on their behalf.
5. To ensure that issues raised with the PALS are responded to promptly and in accordance with timescales set out in Trust Policy.
6. To use the Trusts Risk Management System to record details of enquiries from service users.
7. To liaise with divisions to ensure a timely and appropriate resolution is provided for complainants.
8. To attend meetings as appropriate to the role.
9. To undertake regular data quality checks on own work, so that the service can produce robust and detailed reports.
10. To undertake data analysis and reporting as appropriate to the role, including in relation to overdue responses.
11. To support divisions to review and track complaints as appropriate, including providing tracker reports.
12. To support patients, carers and families access specialist advocacy, other voluntary or support services, including interpreting, as appropriate.
13. To support the Complaints Coordinator with continuous improvement, including review of processes and tasks.
14. To support the Assistance and Complaints Team to deliver education and training to key induction and education modules within the Trust.
15. To actively promote the service to contribute to a learning culture and improve patient experience and safety.
16. To support the Trusts peer review process for complaints.
17. To take comments from service users, ensure that they are acknowledged and recorded appropriately, and relayed to the relevant staff, service or division.
18. To ensure that leaflets and other sources of information regarding sources of advice and support are available across the Trust.
19. To ensure that issues which may involve a safeguarding concern or potential Police involvement are communicated to the Complaints Team Leader and Quality Lead for Patient Experience and Complaints and/or Quality Delivery Manager/Head of Quality Governance.
20. To act as an ambassador for the Trust, maintaining a professional and calm demeanour.

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Educated to GCSE standard (or equivalent) in English Language
• Educated to GCSE standard (or equivalent) in Maths

Desirable

• Microsoft Office training
• Administration Training

Experience

Essential

• Working with the public, including resolving issues and problems
• Experience of working in customer care
• Experience of communicating in sensitive situations
• Experience of working in an office environment
• Experience of working in a fast-paced environment
• Experience of working in a team
• Microsoft Office experience, including Outlook, Word and Excel
• Accurate record keeping

Desirable

• Experience within a healthcare environment
• Experience of using complaints management / record systems
• Experience of using databases
• Experience of using Patient Administration Systems
• Experience of using Microsoft Teams

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Good understanding of the NHS
• Strong interpersonal and active listening skills
• Ability to work as part of a team as well as using own initiative
• Sensitivity towards the needs of others
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent telephone manner
• Ability to communicate with staff at all levels
• Ability to communicate with patients/public from all backgrounds
• Ability to pass on information in a clear and diplomatic way
• Through, with attention to detail
• Customer service skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to deal with a variety of tasks simultaneously
• Able to prioritise workload and consistently meet deadlines
• Good IT skills
• VDU/Keyboard skills
• Presenting skills
• Understands equality, diversity and inclusion

Desirable

• Understanding of the NHS Complaints Procedure and NHS Complaints Regulations (2009)
• Negotiation and mediation skills
• Awareness / understanding of consent processes

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Compassionate
• Polite
• Patient and calm under pressure
• Reliable/trustworthy
• Resilient
• Non-judgemental approach
• Professional appearance
• Flexible to support the needs of the service

Proud to CARE Values

Essential

• Compassion
• Ambition
• Respect
• Encouragement
• Proud to CARE

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).