Job responsibilities
Main Tasks and Responsibilities Operational
To provide vision and direction to the teams. This includes responsibility for line management, including staff recruitment, appraisals and disciplinary and grievance matters.
To create an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued.
To be able to represent the Trust in patient experience discussions with stakeholders and at system level.
To be able to write and present Board level papers.
To oversee the production of agendas and papers
To have oversight of patient experience information on Trust internet/intranet sites.
Develop and deliver training programs to enhance staff understanding and implementation of patient experience and person-centred care. Foster a culture of continuous improvement and patient-centeredness among staff.
Support staff in addressing patient experience issues and implementing improvements.
Strategic leadership
Develop and implement the Trust's Patient Experience Strategy.
Align patient experience initiatives with the overall goals and objectives of the organisation.
Lead the development of policies and procedures to enhance patient experience.
To provide creative and visible leadership for the patient experience agenda across the organisation.
To be accountable for developing and driving the Trusts patient experience strategy.
To provide expertise to the Trust regarding best practice methodologies, regulatory requirements and national policy imperatives in relation to patient experience.
To provide a stable and coherent platform to develop and strengthen the patient experience agenda and focus across the Trust, ensuring that good clinical governance is embedded.
To develop business plans and provide expert strategic and policy advice.
To advise the Trust on changes to national policy and how they should be interpreted and implemented within the organisation
To formulate and plan Trust-wide programmes of activity in support of the patient experience portfolio.
Communication
Prepare and present high-quality reports on patient experience to Trust boards and committees.
Provide assurance on patient experience metrics and initiatives.
Regularly review and refine reporting processes to maintain high standards.
To act as ambassador for the organisation across the healthcare system
To develop constructive and productive relationships with key external stakeholders, employing highly effective communication, negotiation and influencing skills, working in an environment of differing and sometimes contentious views.
To model a collaborative and influencing style of working, negotiating with others to achieve the best outcomes.
To exercise tact and diplomacy, dealing with senior members of the Trust (including members of the Trust Board and the Council of Governors), patients, members of the public, and line reports frequently in challenging situations.
To exercise highly developed communication skills to be able to articulate complex and sensitive information, tailored to the target audience, overcoming any potential barriers to understanding of the concepts and implications to both the organisation and individuals
Quality
To lead the annual process of determining the Trusts quality objectives for patient experience, ensuring appropriate consultation with Trust staff, partner organisations, Foundation Trust members and the public.
Oversee and manage the collection, analysis, and utilisation of patient feedback from various sources (e.g., surveys, complaints, PALS).
Ensure timely and effective responses to patient concerns and complaints.
Use patient feedback to drive continuous improvement in service delivery.
Lead quality improvement projects focused on enhancing patient experience.
Collaborate with clinical and operational teams to implement best practices in patient care.
Monitor and evaluate the impact of patient experience initiatives.
Patient Experience and Involvement:
To act as a champion for patients and their interests.
To hold an overall lead responsibility for how the Trust gathers, responds to and learns from patient feedback; the methods the Trust employs to consult with and involve people in important decisions about the provision of services; and the ways in which this information is made available to the Board and to the public.
To promote and encourage the principles of co-design and co-production within the Trust.
To line manage, guide and advise the Trusts Patient Experience and Involvement Manager.
To ensure that there is active participation and measurable outcomes from the Trusts Patient Experience Forum
To represent the Trust at national patient experience forums (e.g. NHSI/E) as required
Supporting Inclusion and Diversity:
To actively seek new ways to champion and promote patient inclusion and diversity with the Trust.
To have strategic oversight of the Trusts arrangements for the provision of interpreting services, ensuring that appropriate contractual agreements are in place with external providers to enable the delivery of effective patient support.
To support the Patient Experience team to discharge their lead responsibility within the Trust for implementation of the Accessible Information Standard.
To personally uphold organisational policies and principles on the promotion of equality.
Patient Advisory and Liaison Service and Complaints:
To provide strategic and policy direction to the Trusts Patient Support and Complaints Team (i.e. the Trusts PALS and complaints function), ensuring that this takes account of national guidance and best practice recommendations (for example, publications by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman).
To line manage, guide and advise the Trusts PALS and Complaints Manager on a wide range of operational matters ranging from the effective deployment of the PALS and Complaints Team resources to the resolution of complex complaints.
To develop appropriate methods of reporting complaints data, patient stories and learning to the Trust Board.
To ensure that the Trust meets any statutory and regulatory requirements relating to the management of complaints.
To personally review all complaints prior to sign-off by the CNO
Innovation and Technology:
Leverage digital technologies to enhance communication and patient engagement.
Implement innovative practices to improve patient experience.
Stay updated on emerging trends and technologies in patient experience.
Collaboration and Partnership:
Work closely with clinical and operational leaders to embed patient-centred care practices.
Build and maintain strong relationships with external partners and stakeholders.
Represent the Trust in external forums and networks related to patient experience.
Performance Management:
Set and monitor performance metrics related to patient experience.
Ensure the timely and high-quality delivery of patient experience initiatives.
Drive accountability and excellence in patient experience across the organisation.
Risk Management:
Identify and mitigate risks related to patient experience.
Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards.
Develop and implement risk management strategies to enhance patient safety and experience.
Communication:
Communicate effectively with patients, families, and staff to understand and address their needs.
Promote transparency and openness in all patient experience activities.
Ensure clear and consistent messaging about patient experience initiatives and outcomes.
Other Responsibilities
To manage Trust budgets for the services described above, and to constantly strive for value for money and greater efficiency is the use of these budgets, ensuring they operate in recurrent financial balance year or year.
To motivate, inspire and develop staff within the services described team to give of their best.
To chair regular informal meetings of team managers for the services described above, building a collaborative working culture, enabling shared learning and the effective dissemination of key messages from the Trusts senior team.
To actively seek opportunities to promote/share Trust quality developments with wider audiences, for example through conference presentations.
To design, deliver and participate in quality-related training as necessary for the role.
To proof-read draft committee meetings as a regular responsibility.
To use standard keyboard skills and work for long periods at a computer workstation.
Frequent use of VDU equipment
Good analytical skills and the ability to use data from various sources appropriately.
