Job summary
The Patient Advice & Liaison Service is looking for an enthusiastic, self-motivated individual to join the team as a PALS Support Officer. The successful applicant will have experience of working within an administrative role within a patient and carer interface in an NHS, health, or public care setting. Candidates must have an NVQ Level 3 or equivalent knowledge and experience while also possessing excellent communication (written and oral), interpersonal and listening skills. Substantial experience of working in an administrative role would be advantageous.
This is an exciting opportunity to work with a successful team committed to delivering real improvements to the health care services at Epsom St Helier. If you are an experienced team player and have a good understanding of the need for patient focused care, then we would love to hear from you.
Previous experience of working in patient facing service would be ideal.
Main duties of the job
The main tasks include:
- Point of contact for patients and carers
- To support, respect and actively listen to individual patients and carers, to resolve problems and concerns, by being an accessible and visible presence within the Trust
- To be the first point of contact for enquiries, working with staff in divisions and the PALS officers to respond promptly to telephone, email and face-to-face enquiries
- To record the nature of all enquiries to PALS, the action taken and the outcomes onto the Trust Risk Management Database (DATIX)
- To provide administration support for the PALS Team.
About us
George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group is a new hospital group, comprising St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (SGUH) and Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, which includes Sutton Health and Care and Surrey Downs Health and Care. Sharing a single Chairman, Chief Executive and Executive team, the GESH Group is one of the largest healthcare providers in the country, with a combined annual turnover of around £1.5 billion, 16,000 staff, and serving a population of approximately 3.5 million people across South West London, Surrey, Sussex and beyond. The GESH Group provides a full range of local hospital services across its sites at St George's Hospital in Tooting, Queen Mary Hospital in Roehampton, Epsom Hospital and St Helier Hospital, and provides a range of specialist services from St George's.
Working as a hospital group allows for more joined up decision making for local people, a larger and more resilient clinical workforce, reduced variation in care and access to a wider range of services for our patients.
The Group Chief Nurse (GCNO) and Group Chief Medical Officer (CMO) are the Executive Directors jointly accountable to the Trust Boards for the delivery of the quality and safety agenda, including patient experience.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To support, respect and actively listen to individual patients and carers, to resolve problems and concerns, by being an accessible and visible presence within the Trust.
- To record the nature of all enquiries to PALS, the action taken and the outcomes onto the Trust Risk Management Database (DATIX).
- To provide practical advice and support to patients, their carers and families.
- To provide advice and information about the Trusts formal complaint procedure
- To access information for patients on all aspects of the Trusts services.
- To be aware of language, communication and/or special needs and respond appropriately to the specific requirements to access services.
- Provide a safe environment for patients/carers to express their concerns and to register these with the appropriate Trust staff using skills in handling of difficult situations as and when necessary.
- To be the first point of contact for enquiries, working with staff in divisions and the PALS Officers to respond promptly to telephone, email and face-to-face enquiries
- To be responsible for providing a robust and responsive administration service supporting the work of the PALS Officers.
- To manage the PALS inbox and triage and allocate cases to the PALS Advisors, ensuring that any high risk or priority concerns are escalated to the PALS Officers immediately.
- To pick-up and respond to simple enquiries by telephone, email and face-to-face enquiries made to PALS, working with General Managers, Clinicians, Matrons and other staff in divisions to respond promptly to enquiries and concerns which will improve the patient experience.
- To manage their own workload, making sure that cases being dealt with are accurately recorded and ensuring contacts and patients are regularly updated.
- To draft letters and emails in response to enquiries and/or concerns for own workload.
- To contribute to the development of DatixWeb PALS module.
- To collect the Royal Mail post and scan any letters and/or documents before triaging to the PALS Team.
- To raise orders for equipment/supplies using NHS Supply Chain.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To support, respect and actively listen to individual patients and carers, to resolve problems and concerns, by being an accessible and visible presence within the Trust.
- To record the nature of all enquiries to PALS, the action taken and the outcomes onto the Trust Risk Management Database (DATIX).
- To provide practical advice and support to patients, their carers and families.
- To provide advice and information about the Trusts formal complaint procedure
- To access information for patients on all aspects of the Trusts services.
- To be aware of language, communication and/or special needs and respond appropriately to the specific requirements to access services.
- Provide a safe environment for patients/carers to express their concerns and to register these with the appropriate Trust staff using skills in handling of difficult situations as and when necessary.
- To be the first point of contact for enquiries, working with staff in divisions and the PALS Officers to respond promptly to telephone, email and face-to-face enquiries
- To be responsible for providing a robust and responsive administration service supporting the work of the PALS Officers.
- To manage the PALS inbox and triage and allocate cases to the PALS Advisors, ensuring that any high risk or priority concerns are escalated to the PALS Officers immediately.
- To pick-up and respond to simple enquiries by telephone, email and face-to-face enquiries made to PALS, working with General Managers, Clinicians, Matrons and other staff in divisions to respond promptly to enquiries and concerns which will improve the patient experience.
- To manage their own workload, making sure that cases being dealt with are accurately recorded and ensuring contacts and patients are regularly updated.
- To draft letters and emails in response to enquiries and/or concerns for own workload.
- To contribute to the development of DatixWeb PALS module.
- To collect the Royal Mail post and scan any letters and/or documents before triaging to the PALS Team.
- To raise orders for equipment/supplies using NHS Supply Chain.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oNVQ Level 3 or equivalent knowledge and experience.
Desirable
- Clinical/ IT qualification
Experience
Essential
- oExperience of working in an administrative role
- Experience of managing difficult and sensitive situations
Desirable
- Knowledge of the purpose and function of PALS
- Experience of responding to complaints.
Skills
Essential
- Proficient in the use of all Microsoft Office products.
- Ability to cope with emotional, distressing and difficult situations that arise and be able to deal with upset and distressed clients maintaining a professional approach, escalating and seeking support where appropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- oNVQ Level 3 or equivalent knowledge and experience.
Desirable
- Clinical/ IT qualification
Experience
Essential
- oExperience of working in an administrative role
- Experience of managing difficult and sensitive situations
Desirable
- Knowledge of the purpose and function of PALS
- Experience of responding to complaints.
Skills
Essential
- Proficient in the use of all Microsoft Office products.
- Ability to cope with emotional, distressing and difficult situations that arise and be able to deal with upset and distressed clients maintaining a professional approach, escalating and seeking support where appropriate.
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).
