Head of Patient Experience

Job summary

Are you an experienced leader who shares our goal to ensure that the patient and carer voice is at the centre of all we do? We are looking to welcome an exceptional leader to join our patient experience and engagement team as Head of Patient Experience.

We can offer you the opportunity to succeed in leading a team providing an exceptional service, whilst developing your own professional career and expanding your leadership potential.

As Head of Patient Experience, you'll provide leadership and development for the patient experience team which includes both the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and formal complaints team. You'll continue to raise the profile of PALS and formal complaints and empower the whole team to understand, resolve and provide feedback appropriately.

The teams work from 2 bases, Yeovil District Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital. We support flexible working with a hybrid model of work, but there is a need to work across both sites to provide leadership presence to the teams.

Main duties of the job

Reporting directly to the Director of Patient Experience and Engagement, you'll oversee a broad portfolio spanning development and implementation of processes, liaising with stakeholders and regulators, and working with other key teams to support quality improvement related to patient experience.

You'll also have the opportunity to deputise for the Director on occasions, providing exposure to board/senior meetings and development for aspiring Directors.

This is arguably the most exciting time to join Somerset Foundation Trust. Following our merge in April 2023 we are the only NHS trust in mainland England to deliver integrated acute, community, mental health and learning disabilities services. This provides a unique opportunity to enhance the offer we provide to our patients, carers and the public of Somerset and actively drive service improvement to continue to meet national standards.

We are looking for a solutions focussed, experienced leader who is passionate about service delivery in this challenging but all-important service.

About us

As an organisation, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust offers employees a wide range of benefits including flexible working, NHS pension scheme, generous annual leave allowance and a commitment to career development.

You will be eligible for our Blue Light Card and a wide range of NHS exclusive shopping & leisure discounts.

We are proud of our skilled, diverse workforce and as an inclusive employer we welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Working in Somerset enables you to enjoy the idyllic countryside, areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.

There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable.

Somerset offers the countryside and the cosmopolitan - there is truly something for everyone!