Job summary
The overall purpose of the job is to provide lead advice and expertise across the Trust of the formal complaints and PALS functions, where patients or relatives have concerns around the clinical care provided. The job supports effective identification and integration of lessons learned from trends within complaints. In addition the focus within the role supports positive change for users of mental health services, reflecting the values of the wider portfolio and seeking opportunities for the experience of users and carers to be sought, understood and acted upon, in a recovery focused approach.
The job entails bringing together the management of the complaints and PALS services, whilst recognising the requirement for two separate pathways through which service users and carers can seek assistance with issues of concern but delivers benefits through shared management of services.
Key to the role is an ability to innovate, challenge and think differently about an area of service that is widely agreed to require positive change to support users and carers. The post holder therefore must be able to promote these values and actively redesign services to fully partnership working with users and carers around resolution in care where things go wrong.
The post is responsible for delivering effective, timely and high-quality responses to service users and carers raising issues of concern.
Main duties of the job
- To investigate the care, treatment and support in place when complaints have been made in order to inform improvement in the safety and quality of services provided by the Trust.
- To facilitate timely and inclusive case specific investigations; highlight resultant learning, consider improvements required and recommendations from the reviews undertaken.
- To undertake complaints investigations as set out in the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009.
- Liaise with those affected by complaints and their carers (meeting with managers/practitioners/clinicians/relatives following complaints).
- To coordinate the Trusts response in relation to complaints, ensuring that final response letters are produced to a high standard and in the agreed timescales.
- To maintain an effective system for recording and reporting activity through complaints and PALS so that robust feedback and action cycle is established, assisting organisational learning.
- To ensure that the Patient Experience Team is reflective of best practise producing high quality complaint responses closed in a timely manner.
- To govern implementation of the complaints policy providing expert advice to the operational teams.
- To proactively engage service users and carers in improving systems and overall quality of service.
About us
About Devon Partnership Trust
We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.
We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.
We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.
Person Specification
Planning and Organisational Skills
Essential
- Able to work in a high-pressured environment and prioritise work load to ensure service needs are met.
- Ability to plan, implement and monitor own workload
- Proactive and able to work under own initiative without direct supervision
- Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines as required
- Evidence of planning and delivering programmes and projects and services on time.
- Excellent organisational and planning skills.
- Ability to lead teams and projects as well as work as a part of the same.
- Ability to conceive, develop and implement strategies whilst engaging and involving a wide range of stakeholders.
- Ability to organise and project manage a wide variety of events including engagement events, workshops, conferences, consultation meetings, briefing sessions etc.
Qualifications
Essential
- Post Graduate Diploma in risk management procedures or equivalent level experience
- Specialist knowledge of Health and Social Care regulations, policies and procedures gained through knowledge or relevant experience.
- Risk Management and Complaints Handling qualification or equivalent gained through experience in a similar role.
- Completed the trust complaints investigating officer training.
- Highly developed specialist knowledge underpinned by theory and experience in Health and/or Social Care.
- Advanced skills in IT packages; specifically Word, Excel and PowerPoint for the development, management, analysis and presentation of key corporate and strategic information.
- Project management / service improvement qualification or equivalent experience.
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist knowledge of NHS Complaints Procedure and organisational policy and procedures in relation to the management of complaints and other frameworks for the investigation of complaints
- Detailed working knowledge of risk management policies and regulations pertaining to experience, safety and risk
- Awareness of Mental Health and Mental Capacity Acts, Health and Safety legislation, Information Governance requirements, Data Protection Act, Human Rights Act and Equality and Diversity Issues
- Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy in risk management, patient safety and patient experience.
- Should have an appreciation of the relationship between the Department of Health, the Health Authority and individual provider and commissioning organisations
- Excellent working knowledge of Risk Management Systems
- Able to demonstrate forward planning and responsive action
- Able to convert complex and sensitive information into easily understood form
- Able to be flexible to meet deadlines in the context of competing demands
- Ability to present complex information through various media to mixed audiences
- Ability to engage staff and others with complex and challenging concepts and plans
- Able to demonstrate a good understanding of the current political climate / context
- Excellent project management and leadership skills.
Desirable
- Detailed working knowledge of best practice relating to mental health services
Communication and Working Relationship Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication skills, including an approach which is supportive, sensitive and empathic with those involved in, or affected by, complaints, incidents and near misses.
- Able to communicate highly complex, sensitive or contentious information clearly and confidently to range of staff and audiences.
- Excellent communication skills with all levels of staff across professions and with partner agencies.
- Confident and effective when dealing with difficult issues with staff in a group setting.
- Able to influence key stakeholders within complex organisational structures.
- Able to present information logically and concisely both verbally and in writing.
- Able to grasp complex and sensitive issues quickly and to communicate the key messages accurately and succinctly and with tact, diplomacy and discretion in order to appropriately handle sensitive or contentious issues.
- Able to challenge senior staff as part of the investigative process to ensure appointment of investigators, suitably skilled and independent in nature.
- Able to act as an interface between service users, carers and relatives and Trust staff to resolve concerns and complaints often dealing with complainants who are distressed, angry and frustrated.
- Able to lead a team to work towards key KPIs, identify any risks of breaching KPIs, and ensure systems are in place to address them.
- Able to actively engage users, carers and staff in shared objectives.
Physical Skills
Essential
- Good working and technical knowledge of IT software packages which includes word, excel, PowerPoint etc.
- Excellent letter writing and report writing skills.
- Excellent standard of written plain English
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a Health and/or Social Care setting or equivalent
- Proven track record of management a patient experience / complaints role
- Proven track record of providing high quality reports to commissioners and other forums
- Experience of managing people
- Direct experience of working with Directors, senior staff and clinicians
- Experience of undertaking complaints investigations and the preparation response letters.
- Experience working in mental health/learning disabilities/addictions services
- Quality governance experience in relation to experience, safety and risk (including review of complaints)
Desirable
- Direct experience of managing / leading change management
Analytical and Judgemental Skills
Essential
- Excellent analytical skills required in relation to reviewing assessment, service responses and all aspects relating to complaints, clinical effectiveness and quality governance.
- Ability to understand a broad range of complex information quickly and making decisions where opinions differ/no obvious solution.
- Excellent numeracy as well as organisational and literacy skills.
- Able to analyse, interpret, report and communicate complex information.
- Able to understand and evaluate very complex problems quickly and in consultation with others.
- Able to reach balanced and mature judgements in the face of considerable adversity and complexity.
Desirable
- Innovative and creative thinker
Person Specification
Planning and Organisational Skills
Essential
- Able to work in a high-pressured environment and prioritise work load to ensure service needs are met.
- Ability to plan, implement and monitor own workload
- Proactive and able to work under own initiative without direct supervision
- Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines as required
- Evidence of planning and delivering programmes and projects and services on time.
- Excellent organisational and planning skills.
- Ability to lead teams and projects as well as work as a part of the same.
- Ability to conceive, develop and implement strategies whilst engaging and involving a wide range of stakeholders.
- Ability to organise and project manage a wide variety of events including engagement events, workshops, conferences, consultation meetings, briefing sessions etc.
Qualifications
Essential
- Post Graduate Diploma in risk management procedures or equivalent level experience
- Specialist knowledge of Health and Social Care regulations, policies and procedures gained through knowledge or relevant experience.
- Risk Management and Complaints Handling qualification or equivalent gained through experience in a similar role.
- Completed the trust complaints investigating officer training.
- Highly developed specialist knowledge underpinned by theory and experience in Health and/or Social Care.
- Advanced skills in IT packages; specifically Word, Excel and PowerPoint for the development, management, analysis and presentation of key corporate and strategic information.
- Project management / service improvement qualification or equivalent experience.
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist knowledge of NHS Complaints Procedure and organisational policy and procedures in relation to the management of complaints and other frameworks for the investigation of complaints
- Detailed working knowledge of risk management policies and regulations pertaining to experience, safety and risk
- Awareness of Mental Health and Mental Capacity Acts, Health and Safety legislation, Information Governance requirements, Data Protection Act, Human Rights Act and Equality and Diversity Issues
- Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy in risk management, patient safety and patient experience.
- Should have an appreciation of the relationship between the Department of Health, the Health Authority and individual provider and commissioning organisations
- Excellent working knowledge of Risk Management Systems
- Able to demonstrate forward planning and responsive action
- Able to convert complex and sensitive information into easily understood form
- Able to be flexible to meet deadlines in the context of competing demands
- Ability to present complex information through various media to mixed audiences
- Ability to engage staff and others with complex and challenging concepts and plans
- Able to demonstrate a good understanding of the current political climate / context
- Excellent project management and leadership skills.
Desirable
- Detailed working knowledge of best practice relating to mental health services
Communication and Working Relationship Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication skills, including an approach which is supportive, sensitive and empathic with those involved in, or affected by, complaints, incidents and near misses.
- Able to communicate highly complex, sensitive or contentious information clearly and confidently to range of staff and audiences.
- Excellent communication skills with all levels of staff across professions and with partner agencies.
- Confident and effective when dealing with difficult issues with staff in a group setting.
- Able to influence key stakeholders within complex organisational structures.
- Able to present information logically and concisely both verbally and in writing.
- Able to grasp complex and sensitive issues quickly and to communicate the key messages accurately and succinctly and with tact, diplomacy and discretion in order to appropriately handle sensitive or contentious issues.
- Able to challenge senior staff as part of the investigative process to ensure appointment of investigators, suitably skilled and independent in nature.
- Able to act as an interface between service users, carers and relatives and Trust staff to resolve concerns and complaints often dealing with complainants who are distressed, angry and frustrated.
- Able to lead a team to work towards key KPIs, identify any risks of breaching KPIs, and ensure systems are in place to address them.
- Able to actively engage users, carers and staff in shared objectives.
Physical Skills
Essential
- Good working and technical knowledge of IT software packages which includes word, excel, PowerPoint etc.
- Excellent letter writing and report writing skills.
- Excellent standard of written plain English
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a Health and/or Social Care setting or equivalent
- Proven track record of management a patient experience / complaints role
- Proven track record of providing high quality reports to commissioners and other forums
- Experience of managing people
- Direct experience of working with Directors, senior staff and clinicians
- Experience of undertaking complaints investigations and the preparation response letters.
- Experience working in mental health/learning disabilities/addictions services
- Quality governance experience in relation to experience, safety and risk (including review of complaints)
Desirable
- Direct experience of managing / leading change management
Analytical and Judgemental Skills
Essential
- Excellent analytical skills required in relation to reviewing assessment, service responses and all aspects relating to complaints, clinical effectiveness and quality governance.
- Ability to understand a broad range of complex information quickly and making decisions where opinions differ/no obvious solution.
- Excellent numeracy as well as organisational and literacy skills.
- Able to analyse, interpret, report and communicate complex information.
- Able to understand and evaluate very complex problems quickly and in consultation with others.
- Able to reach balanced and mature judgements in the face of considerable adversity and complexity.
Desirable
- Innovative and creative thinker
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.
