Job summary
The Complaints Officer will support investigation of all formal complaints, ensuring the main focus is the complainants' satisfaction that their concerns have been addressed and to ensure lessons are learnt when things go wrong.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide help and support to complainants and staff and investigate complaints in line with national and local policy. The post holder will support responses to be sent from the Executive Managing Director within the timescales expected.
Acting on their own initiative, but also in conjunction with the Complaints Investigator and the Head of Patient Experience and Engagement, the post holder will monitor the effectiveness of activities, processes and learning, thereby creating an environment of continuous quality improvement and development.
Line management of the PALS and Complaints Team in the absence of the Complaints Investigator
About us
We want to attract the best and brightest people to work with us and that means we will look after you from the moment you apply for a role at the Trust and throughout your career with us. Our staff are central to everything we do, and we believe that investing in you is crucial if we want to enable you to reach your full potential.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key duties and responsibilities
- Support receipt, record and investigate / facilitate investigation of all formal complaints on behalf of the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
- Manage sensitive and confidential information in line with the General Data Protection Regulations (2018)
- To be prepared to deal with difficult situations face to face and by telephone and to deal appropriately with very upset and challenging complainants.
- To prepare the Trusts response to formal complaints. This will include investigating the issue, deciding upon the right response, with guidance and drafting the response on behalf of the Managing Director and meeting with complainants and staff as appropriate. When required to attend and take formal notes of complaint meetings.
- To maintain a data-base of Complaints/PALS
- To support the PALS staff in their roles and responsibilities
- To encourage staff to see the complaints system as part of operational management. To identify faults in the system that may lead to complaints, and encourage managers and clinicians to take action to prevent a recurrence.
- To work collaboratively with colleagues corporately and within the Divisions to embed the recommendations from national and local policy, continuously improving the service provided to complainants.
- To attend Corporate and Divisional Clinical Governance/Complaints meetings, informing the group of new complaints and reporting progress on current complaints; information on trends and horizon scanning.
- To advise and support any referrals to or investigations by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. To ensure recommendations from Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman are responded to within the timescales.
- To assist in the continual development and implementation of associated Trust Policies and Procedures.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key duties and responsibilities
- Support receipt, record and investigate / facilitate investigation of all formal complaints on behalf of the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
- Manage sensitive and confidential information in line with the General Data Protection Regulations (2018)
- To be prepared to deal with difficult situations face to face and by telephone and to deal appropriately with very upset and challenging complainants.
- To prepare the Trusts response to formal complaints. This will include investigating the issue, deciding upon the right response, with guidance and drafting the response on behalf of the Managing Director and meeting with complainants and staff as appropriate. When required to attend and take formal notes of complaint meetings.
- To maintain a data-base of Complaints/PALS
- To support the PALS staff in their roles and responsibilities
- To encourage staff to see the complaints system as part of operational management. To identify faults in the system that may lead to complaints, and encourage managers and clinicians to take action to prevent a recurrence.
- To work collaboratively with colleagues corporately and within the Divisions to embed the recommendations from national and local policy, continuously improving the service provided to complainants.
- To attend Corporate and Divisional Clinical Governance/Complaints meetings, informing the group of new complaints and reporting progress on current complaints; information on trends and horizon scanning.
- To advise and support any referrals to or investigations by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. To ensure recommendations from Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman are responded to within the timescales.
- To assist in the continual development and implementation of associated Trust Policies and Procedures.
Person Specification
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Excellent letter and report writing
- Excellent communication/interpersonal skills
- Analytical, objective, calm and confident
- Good IT skills
- Ability to lead change processes
- Attention to detail
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Four GCSEs grade D or above including Maths and English
- Degree level qualification
- Knowledge of clinical and social care services, legislation, service management acquired through post graduate qualification or equivalent experience
Desirable
- Complaints Handling course
- Healthcare background
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of the NHS Complaints Handling Procedure
- Demonstrable experience of dealing with difficult situations
Desirable
- Knowledge of national reports; Berwick, Keogh, Francis
- Previous complaints/customer service management experience
- Previous experience of responding to formal and informal complaints
- Dealing with complainants face to face and by telephone
Person Specification
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Excellent letter and report writing
- Excellent communication/interpersonal skills
- Analytical, objective, calm and confident
- Good IT skills
- Ability to lead change processes
- Attention to detail
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Four GCSEs grade D or above including Maths and English
- Degree level qualification
- Knowledge of clinical and social care services, legislation, service management acquired through post graduate qualification or equivalent experience
Desirable
- Complaints Handling course
- Healthcare background
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of the NHS Complaints Handling Procedure
- Demonstrable experience of dealing with difficult situations
Desirable
- Knowledge of national reports; Berwick, Keogh, Francis
- Previous complaints/customer service management experience
- Previous experience of responding to formal and informal complaints
- Dealing with complainants face to face and by telephone
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
