North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Complaints Manager

The closing date is 01 May 2026

Job summary

The Patient Experience Team is looking for a permanent Complaints Manager 37.5 hours per week. The Complaints Manager is responsible for managing staff within the team, assessing new complaints and patient feedback as they come into the Trust and determining what investigation is required and by whom/which department. There will be engagement with the public to discuss and take learning from both complaints and appreciations. Applicants must be practiced and comfortable dealing with challenging and emotional conversations on the telephone and face-to-face.

Main duties of the job

As well as managing staff and determining the correct route to manage patient feedback (both positive and negative feedback), the role requires use of databases and systems, production of reports, and frequent contact with members of the public.

You must have well-developed communication skills, be empathetic, objective, and able to work within established systems and processes, as well as demonstrating flexibility to changing NHS and departmental requirements.

You must be able to work with other staff across a range of departments and of differing seniority with the utmost respect and professionalism. You will be required to work collaboratively with the public to encourage and support feedback and improvement. You will need to work well with staff under often challenging conditions. Emotional robustness, maturity and resilience are essential due to the demanding and often upsetting work that the role is exposed to.

About us

We employ 3,500 staff in 63 locations and serve a population of 2,600,000 in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, County Durham, and Tees over 3230 square miles.

Many people think the job of the ambulance service is to collect patients and take them to hospital, but we do much more!

Paramedic skills have developed hugely in recent years, meaning we carry out more treatment at the scene and en-route to hospital.

We have a dedicated clinical assessment service that allows us to provide patients with the most appropriate care from the beginning of the patient journey.

We have a specialised branch of the Trust called HART which deal with explosions or terrorist attacks.

Ultimately patients are the heart of everything that we do to support our mission of "safe, effective and responsive care for all".

We value and respect the diversity employees bring to our workplace. We recruit a workforce that reflects the community we serve, and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. To ensure we deliver on our aims in relation to diversity and inclusion we assess ourselves against a range of frameworks. We are ENEI Gold employer, Disability Confident Leader, Dementia Friendly, and part of Mind Blue Light programme and the Race at Work Charter from the Princes Responsible Business Network and are achieving across all objectives in NHS Equality Delivery System.

From 01/04/25 If your role needs a DBS you'll be subject to salary deduction totaling £49.50, spread over first and second pay.

Date posted

20 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

340-CM-04-26

Job locations

North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust HQ

Bernicia House

Newcastle Upon Tyne

NE15 8NY

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the job description and person specification attached to this vacancy for further information about the role and its requirements.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the job description and person specification attached to this vacancy for further information about the role and its requirements.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

Education to degree level Or equivalent professional qualification Or a minimum 4 years' experience working in a complaints role.

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge of National Complaints Policies and procedures.
Knowledge of other current Health Service Issues.
PC Literate / familiar with Microsoft packages.
Evidence of continuing professional development.

Experience

Essential

Evidence of continuing professional development.
A minimum of four years' experience of effectively managing the provision of a Complaints System in a Healthcare setting required.
Demonstrable experience of working to specific time constraints and deadlines.
Work experience involving direct contact with people in a health or social care context.
Experience of contributing to the delivery of training.
Working experience of report writing.
Experience of policy development
Experience of handling complaints and exposure to distressing circumstances.

Key Skills

Essential

Ability to implement organisational strategy.
Good communicator/presenter - will be liaising/consulting with Senior Managers from other Health and Social Care organisations. Attend multi agency meetings (both complainants and network)
Good analytical skills.
Good influencing skills.
Strong negotiating skills.
A wide understanding of the current issues in handling complaints.
Good knowledge of NHS and Trust Systems.
An understanding and acceptance of the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

Education to degree level Or equivalent professional qualification Or a minimum 4 years' experience working in a complaints role.

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge of National Complaints Policies and procedures.
Knowledge of other current Health Service Issues.
PC Literate / familiar with Microsoft packages.
Evidence of continuing professional development.

Experience

Essential

Evidence of continuing professional development.
A minimum of four years' experience of effectively managing the provision of a Complaints System in a Healthcare setting required.
Demonstrable experience of working to specific time constraints and deadlines.
Work experience involving direct contact with people in a health or social care context.
Experience of contributing to the delivery of training.
Working experience of report writing.
Experience of policy development
Experience of handling complaints and exposure to distressing circumstances.

Key Skills

Essential

Ability to implement organisational strategy.
Good communicator/presenter - will be liaising/consulting with Senior Managers from other Health and Social Care organisations. Attend multi agency meetings (both complainants and network)
Good analytical skills.
Good influencing skills.
Strong negotiating skills.
A wide understanding of the current issues in handling complaints.
Good knowledge of NHS and Trust Systems.
An understanding and acceptance of the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Address

North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust HQ

Bernicia House

Newcastle Upon Tyne

NE15 8NY

Employer's website

https://www.neas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Address

North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust HQ

Bernicia House

Newcastle Upon Tyne

NE15 8NY

Employer's website

https://www.neas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)