Job summary
The Complaints Team operates in a very busy working environment, and is a key part of the Trust's wider Patient Experience Team. The views of people who use our services are important to us. We want to know when things have gone well, but also when we don't get things right, so we can learn from our mistakes.
The Trust currently receives around 600 formal complaints a year, which in line with the NHS Complaints Procedure, are managed by the Complaints Team in partnership with staff in the Divisions and Community, so that all complainants receive a timely, meaningful and compassionate response.
The Senior Complaints officer is a key part of the Patient Experience management team, with responsibility for supporting the Complaints manager to ensure effective operational delivery of the Complaints Service and supporting the Trust's proactive approach to listening and responding to patient and carer feedback.Working with staff across the organisation as well as a range of external partners and stakeholders, the post-holder is responsible for ensuring the Trust meets all statutory and Trust requirements in relation to Complaints, and that a professional, reliable and accessible service is provided consistently across the organization and community services partnerships.
Main duties of the job
The Senior Complaints officer will work closely with the Complaints Manager and Deputy Head of Patient Experience to identify opportunities to learn from and implement change and improvements in response to patient and carer feedback. The post is suitable for someone with extensive experience in customer relations and concerns/complaint resolution, ideally in the NHS or similar setting. An experienced team manager, they must be able to work effectively with people at all professional levels, both internally and externally, and be confident in providing leadership across the Trust.
The post of Senior Complaints officer is suitable for someone with extensive experience in customer relations and concerns/complaint resolution, ideally in the NHS or similar setting.
The post-holder will possess excellent written and oral communication skills and able to work in a high-pressure environment. A keen and capable team player, the post-holder must also be able to work autonomously, providing a high quality service to our patients and service users.
Including a caseload of their own, a proportion of the work will focus on facilitating the receipt of information from the relevant staff, reviewing this to ensure it addresses all of the concerns raised in a complaint, and drafting an appropriate response for senior sign off and approval.
The post-holder will manage a team of staff and deputise for the Complaint Manager as required
About us
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust provides a range of medical services to approximately 490,000 people living across southwest London and northeast Surrey. In addition, we provide more specialist services, in particular renal and neonatal intensive care, to a wider area, covering parts of Sussex and Hampshire.We serve an area that is rich in diversity, with a mix of urban and rural areas, and differing levels of quality of life. We cover some of the most prosperous postcodes in the country, as well as some poorer areas. Together with our colleagues at NHS Surrey and NHS Sutton and Merton, we work to make sure that we deliver the best possible care to the communities we serve.The Trust employs approximately 5,000 staff across its hospitals and is supported by over 500 volunteers.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached supporting job description and person specification document which contains more information about the role and requirements. Please ensure your application refers to the job description and person specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached supporting job description and person specification document which contains more information about the role and requirements. Please ensure your application refers to the job description and person specification.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of managing teams in a patient or customer relations role.
- A full understanding of the NHS complaints procedure
- Significant experience of working in a complaints environment
- Proven ability in proactively solving complex problems.
- Ability to analyse data and feedback, identifying trends and disseminating information in an easily accessible way.
- Experience of producing information for a wide range of audiences, including patients.
Desirable
- A clear understanding of topical NHS issues
- Experience of using an integrated risk management system
- Experience of advocacy work
- Experience of managing contracted services, ensuring acceptable level of service and return on investment.
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level.
- Customer service qualification or equivalent experience
Desirable
- Management Qualification
- Customer service qualification
skills and knowledge
Essential
- A knowledge of how the NHS operates and an awareness of political issues/ sensitivities
- A working knowledge of: consent, Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information Act, Access to Deceased Records Act, and Mental Capacity Act
- Advanced skills in the use of all Microsoft Office products
- Excellent letter writing skills and the ability to formulate responses/ correspondence on a wide range of complex issue
- Conflict resolution.
- Knowledge of complaint management, being open, and Duty of Candour.
- Effective interpersonal skills, both written verbal communication skills.
- Ability to demonstrate effective organisational skills
- Resilience - working with people who may be distressed; discuss experiences of a sensitive nature; and cope with a demanding workload.
- Ability to relate to people at all levels, and to deal with senior colleagues and a range of external stakeholders with confidence
Desirable
- Awareness and good understanding of the Accessible Information Standard.
- Experience of medical terminology
Other
Essential
- Work as part of a team, and independently.
- Proactive, takes own initiative Kind and caring.
- Ability to prioritise workload independently to meet critical deadlines.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of managing teams in a patient or customer relations role.
- A full understanding of the NHS complaints procedure
- Significant experience of working in a complaints environment
- Proven ability in proactively solving complex problems.
- Ability to analyse data and feedback, identifying trends and disseminating information in an easily accessible way.
- Experience of producing information for a wide range of audiences, including patients.
Desirable
- A clear understanding of topical NHS issues
- Experience of using an integrated risk management system
- Experience of advocacy work
- Experience of managing contracted services, ensuring acceptable level of service and return on investment.
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level.
- Customer service qualification or equivalent experience
Desirable
- Management Qualification
- Customer service qualification
skills and knowledge
Essential
- A knowledge of how the NHS operates and an awareness of political issues/ sensitivities
- A working knowledge of: consent, Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information Act, Access to Deceased Records Act, and Mental Capacity Act
- Advanced skills in the use of all Microsoft Office products
- Excellent letter writing skills and the ability to formulate responses/ correspondence on a wide range of complex issue
- Conflict resolution.
- Knowledge of complaint management, being open, and Duty of Candour.
- Effective interpersonal skills, both written verbal communication skills.
- Ability to demonstrate effective organisational skills
- Resilience - working with people who may be distressed; discuss experiences of a sensitive nature; and cope with a demanding workload.
- Ability to relate to people at all levels, and to deal with senior colleagues and a range of external stakeholders with confidence
Desirable
- Awareness and good understanding of the Accessible Information Standard.
- Experience of medical terminology
Other
Essential
- Work as part of a team, and independently.
- Proactive, takes own initiative Kind and caring.
- Ability to prioritise workload independently to meet critical deadlines.
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.
