Job summary
We look forward to welcoming an enthusiastic, resourceful and motivated individual to join our Assistance and Complaintsteam. Working as part of the quality governance team, you will be responsible for handling formal complaints, working closely with the Divisional leadership and Governance teams and our Executive Directors. The successful applicant will also engage with complainants to understand their concerns and discuss and agree timescales the complainant can expect to receive a response.
You will need excellent communication, organisational and IT skills as well as the ability to work as part of a large multidisciplinary team. Experience of working with DATIX would also be useful
Main duties of the job
- Maintain electronic record keeping systems
- Input data and information on the Datix database system, ensuring that it is accurate, easily retrieved and can be used to support production of the Assistance and Complaint's teams reports and publications
- To ensure that complaints received are acknowledged and actioned in a timely way
- Ensure that all levels of formal complaints and other contacts with the service are dealt with efficiently, and in accordance with the Trust's Complaints, Concerns, Comments & Compliments (The 4 Cs) policy
- To work predominantly with the link division, ensuring that we comply with national guidance relating to complaints handling and the 4 Cs policy - with the aim of achieving satisfactory resolution and improving patient experience
- To produce reports and data as requested using the Datix database system
- To participate in the delivery of training programmes across the Trust, so that all staff are aware of how to respond to complaints effectively, and that staff involved in the formal complaint process have a working understanding of the legislation and the Trust's 4 Cs policy
About us
The successful candidate will work closely with a further two complaint handlers as you will be respectfully asked to support other Divisions and complaint cases in the event of another complaint handler being on leave. The team also has two members of administration staff who also support the complaint handlers as part of their role.
The Assistance and Complaints team report to the Patient Safety and Complaints Manager and accountable to the Patient Safety Specialist, who both support the team.
The Assistance and Complaints team is part of the central quality governance team. We expect our staff to maintain excellent professional standards of communication whilst ensuring they are empathetic towards complainants. The whole of the central quality governance team are a supportive team to the Divisions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Along with other staff in the Assistance & Complaints Service, act as a point of contact for patients and other users of the Trusts services, taking details of all levels of formal complaints and concerns and ensuring that these are dealt with in accordance with the Trusts 4 Cs policy.
- Work with other complaint handlers and the administration staff to ensure that all complaints are recorded, acknowledged, and dealt with in accordance with national legislation and the Trusts 4 Cs policy.
- To obtain detailed information from service users about the nature of their concerns, paying due care and attention to the sensitivity of these issues. This may mean (with the complainants consent), liaising with external bodies as necessary in to resolve complaints e.g. Adult care, NHS England, other NHS providers.
- To explain the NHS complaints procedure to complainants via various methods of communication, discussing timescales and the options open to them to secure satisfactory resolution. This may mean facilitating and attending a resolution meeting with the divisions, ensuring that key issues of discussion are noted during the meeting. The Complaint Advisor will also explain to complainants when satisfactory resolution cannot be achieved, how they can go forward to progress to a satisfactory resolution using outside organisations e.g. Ombudsman.
- To work with divisional leadership teams (including heads of nursing, senior matrons/matrons, governance teams, general managers, consultants and executive team) to achieve satisfactory resolution of complaints, meeting relevant timescales as appropriate. The Complaints Advisor will work closely with divisional leadership teams and attend regular meetings to receive feedback that complaint investigations and responses are on track to meet policy timescales. The Complaints Advisor will escalate concerns to the Patient Safety and Complaints Manager. Once in receipt of an approved complaint response from the divisions, the Complaints Advisor will quality check the response prior to sending it for sign-off by a member of the executive team.
The Complaint Advisor will liaise with the Parliamentary Ombudsman providing evidence as requested, obtaining information from the divisions as necessary and escalating appropriate communication from the Ombudsman to the divisional
- leadership and executive team by using the agreed standard operating procedure and process mapping flow chart.
- To use information systems including DatixTMto document details of enquiries from service users, and the resulting investigations and outcome
- In addition the Complaints Advisor will need to communicate with other key staff within the Trust where other linked records within Datix have been identified relating to the complainant or person affected i.e. claims, inquests, access to records, patient safety incidents.
- Undertake regular data quality checks on own work, so that the service can produce robust and detailed reports
- To support senior staff to deliver education and training in respect of complaints and concerns, to key induction and education modules within the Trust
- To provide cover/support for the PALS service when required
- To ensure that issues which may involve a safeguarding concern or potential Police involvement are communicated to the Patient Safety and Complaints Manager and Patient Safety Lead.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Along with other staff in the Assistance & Complaints Service, act as a point of contact for patients and other users of the Trusts services, taking details of all levels of formal complaints and concerns and ensuring that these are dealt with in accordance with the Trusts 4 Cs policy.
- Work with other complaint handlers and the administration staff to ensure that all complaints are recorded, acknowledged, and dealt with in accordance with national legislation and the Trusts 4 Cs policy.
- To obtain detailed information from service users about the nature of their concerns, paying due care and attention to the sensitivity of these issues. This may mean (with the complainants consent), liaising with external bodies as necessary in to resolve complaints e.g. Adult care, NHS England, other NHS providers.
- To explain the NHS complaints procedure to complainants via various methods of communication, discussing timescales and the options open to them to secure satisfactory resolution. This may mean facilitating and attending a resolution meeting with the divisions, ensuring that key issues of discussion are noted during the meeting. The Complaint Advisor will also explain to complainants when satisfactory resolution cannot be achieved, how they can go forward to progress to a satisfactory resolution using outside organisations e.g. Ombudsman.
- To work with divisional leadership teams (including heads of nursing, senior matrons/matrons, governance teams, general managers, consultants and executive team) to achieve satisfactory resolution of complaints, meeting relevant timescales as appropriate. The Complaints Advisor will work closely with divisional leadership teams and attend regular meetings to receive feedback that complaint investigations and responses are on track to meet policy timescales. The Complaints Advisor will escalate concerns to the Patient Safety and Complaints Manager. Once in receipt of an approved complaint response from the divisions, the Complaints Advisor will quality check the response prior to sending it for sign-off by a member of the executive team.
The Complaint Advisor will liaise with the Parliamentary Ombudsman providing evidence as requested, obtaining information from the divisions as necessary and escalating appropriate communication from the Ombudsman to the divisional
- leadership and executive team by using the agreed standard operating procedure and process mapping flow chart.
- To use information systems including DatixTMto document details of enquiries from service users, and the resulting investigations and outcome
- In addition the Complaints Advisor will need to communicate with other key staff within the Trust where other linked records within Datix have been identified relating to the complainant or person affected i.e. claims, inquests, access to records, patient safety incidents.
- Undertake regular data quality checks on own work, so that the service can produce robust and detailed reports
- To support senior staff to deliver education and training in respect of complaints and concerns, to key induction and education modules within the Trust
- To provide cover/support for the PALS service when required
- To ensure that issues which may involve a safeguarding concern or potential Police involvement are communicated to the Patient Safety and Complaints Manager and Patient Safety Lead.
Person Specification
essential
Essential
- GSCE (or equivalent) in English and Maths o RSA III Word processing/ (or equivalent standard of word processing skills) o NVQ III in Business Administration or Customer Care (or equivalent experience) o At least one year's recent experience of working with the public o Excellent verbal and written communication skills o Good organisation skills - must be able to prioritise workload and consistently meet deadlines o Competent in the use of computer packages (Databases, word processing) o Excellent telephone manner o Ability to record and pass on information accurately o Problem solving skills o Customer care skills o Outstanding interpersonal skills o Professional appearance o Adaptable to meet service needs o Confident and out going personality o Ability to communicate with staff at all levels o Ability to work as part of a team as well as using own initiative o Polite and calm under pressure
Desirable
- o European Computer Driving Licence or similar o NHS Experience o Good understanding of the NHS o Basic understanding of the NHS complaints procedure o Negotiation and/or mediation skills o Presenting skills
Person Specification
essential
Essential
- GSCE (or equivalent) in English and Maths o RSA III Word processing/ (or equivalent standard of word processing skills) o NVQ III in Business Administration or Customer Care (or equivalent experience) o At least one year's recent experience of working with the public o Excellent verbal and written communication skills o Good organisation skills - must be able to prioritise workload and consistently meet deadlines o Competent in the use of computer packages (Databases, word processing) o Excellent telephone manner o Ability to record and pass on information accurately o Problem solving skills o Customer care skills o Outstanding interpersonal skills o Professional appearance o Adaptable to meet service needs o Confident and out going personality o Ability to communicate with staff at all levels o Ability to work as part of a team as well as using own initiative o Polite and calm under pressure
Desirable
- o European Computer Driving Licence or similar o NHS Experience o Good understanding of the NHS o Basic understanding of the NHS complaints procedure o Negotiation and/or mediation skills o Presenting skills
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).
