Job summary
We're looking for someone to join our Patient Relations Team as a Complaints Officer on a 12-month fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave. This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience in a key service that supports patients and their families by ensuring their concerns are heard and addressed. The role sits within a supportive and experienced team that handles both PALS and formal complaints, aiming to resolve issues quickly and improve the quality of care. You'll be helping people at difficult times while also working with staff to learn from what went wrong. If you're organised, approachable, and able to handle sensitive situations with professionalism and empathy, this could be the right fit. With a strong team ethos and a focus on doing the right thing, this is an opportunity to develop your skills and make a meaningful difference.
Main duties of the job
This 12-month maternity cover role involves managing complaints from start to finish, engaging with patients and families, coordinating investigations, and assisting teams in providing clear and timely responses. You'll be writing formal letters, facilitating meetings, and supporting staff to respond effectively to concerns. The role requires strong communication skills, empathy, and the ability to stay calm and professional when dealing with sensitive or complex issues. You'll work closely with PALS to resolve concerns as early as possible, ensuring that learning is captured to improve services. You'll need to be confident using systems like Datix and MS Office, and be able to manage a varied workload. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who's organised, understands the importance of patient experience, and wants to contribute to a responsive and respectful complaints service.
About us
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Degree level or substantial experience at a comparable level
- Minimum English qualification -- GCSE grade A-C
Desirable
- To have an understanding of the NHS national complaints regulations.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with patients and families, including handling complex issues and behaviours.
- Experience of working as part of a team.
- Experience of producing reports.
- Experience of negotiating with staff of all grades/ professional groups and members of the public.
- Experience of using Datix Web or similar database.
- Experience of structured letter writing in a professional style.
- Proven working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications: e.g. Outlook/Word/Excel.
- Experience of managing own workload.
- Experience of facilitating meetings.
- Experience of interrogating patient record systems.
- Specialist knowledge of PALS and complaints practice, policies and compliance requirements.
- Knowledge of the NHS Complaints Regulations.
- Knowledge of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO).
- Understanding of the issues and policies around equality.
- Knowledge relating to GDPR, duty of confidentiality, safeguarding and consent.
Desirable
- Experience of managing a complaints caseload or equivalent case handling.
- Experience/knowledge of using and developing Datix.
- Experience/knowledge of mediation.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
- Ability to plan, prioritise and manage workload on a day-to-day basis, responding to changes requiring adjustment of plans at short notice.
- Able to identify problems and propose solutions or improvements.
- Ability to understand, manage and resolve complex, sensitive or contentious issues.
- Ability to manage conflict and diffuse difficult situations.
- Ability to mediate, negotiate with and influence others.
- Ability to write a professional letter.
- Excellent organisation skills, written and verbal communication.
- Proficient in the use of MS Office.
- Excellent standard of written English, including the correct use of grammar.
- Able to use own initiative.
- Ability to complete accurate data entry in a timely manner.
- Empathic and caring attitude.
- Interpersonal skills required include listening skills, persuading, influencing, advising, negotiating, motivating, training, reassurance.
- Ability to produce and deliver written and verbal reports.
- Able to work and travel across all UHB sites as required by the role.
- Able to work without supervision in a challenging and busy environment while meeting tight deadlines.
- Able to think clearly under pressure, reach decisions and take appropriate actions.
- Ability to work with and engage staff at all levels.
- Empathetic, caring attitude towards patients and their carers, relatives and representatives.
- Proactive and innovative approach.
- Self-motivated.
Desirable
- Able to chair and facilitate meetings.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Degree level or substantial experience at a comparable level
- Minimum English qualification -- GCSE grade A-C
Desirable
- To have an understanding of the NHS national complaints regulations.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with patients and families, including handling complex issues and behaviours.
- Experience of working as part of a team.
- Experience of producing reports.
- Experience of negotiating with staff of all grades/ professional groups and members of the public.
- Experience of using Datix Web or similar database.
- Experience of structured letter writing in a professional style.
- Proven working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications: e.g. Outlook/Word/Excel.
- Experience of managing own workload.
- Experience of facilitating meetings.
- Experience of interrogating patient record systems.
- Specialist knowledge of PALS and complaints practice, policies and compliance requirements.
- Knowledge of the NHS Complaints Regulations.
- Knowledge of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO).
- Understanding of the issues and policies around equality.
- Knowledge relating to GDPR, duty of confidentiality, safeguarding and consent.
Desirable
- Experience of managing a complaints caseload or equivalent case handling.
- Experience/knowledge of using and developing Datix.
- Experience/knowledge of mediation.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
- Ability to plan, prioritise and manage workload on a day-to-day basis, responding to changes requiring adjustment of plans at short notice.
- Able to identify problems and propose solutions or improvements.
- Ability to understand, manage and resolve complex, sensitive or contentious issues.
- Ability to manage conflict and diffuse difficult situations.
- Ability to mediate, negotiate with and influence others.
- Ability to write a professional letter.
- Excellent organisation skills, written and verbal communication.
- Proficient in the use of MS Office.
- Excellent standard of written English, including the correct use of grammar.
- Able to use own initiative.
- Ability to complete accurate data entry in a timely manner.
- Empathic and caring attitude.
- Interpersonal skills required include listening skills, persuading, influencing, advising, negotiating, motivating, training, reassurance.
- Ability to produce and deliver written and verbal reports.
- Able to work and travel across all UHB sites as required by the role.
- Able to work without supervision in a challenging and busy environment while meeting tight deadlines.
- Able to think clearly under pressure, reach decisions and take appropriate actions.
- Ability to work with and engage staff at all levels.
- Empathetic, caring attitude towards patients and their carers, relatives and representatives.
- Proactive and innovative approach.
- Self-motivated.
Desirable
- Able to chair and facilitate meetings.
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.
