Job summary
We are recruiting for a Complaints Case Handler who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.
You will be responsible for managing a caseload of complaints following local and national policy and within the principles of effective complaints handling, as outlined by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO).
Our Values are Include, Respect and Improve. It is important that you understand and refer to our values during your recruitment process and beyond!
Main duties of the job
Manage a caseload of complaints ranging from the straightforward to the extremely complex and distressing.
Work autonomously, with minimal supervision, prioritising your workload, including recommending, suggesting, and implementing changes to the process if required to ensure continuing efficient service development. Work to strict deadlines and the ability to work in a pressurised and fast-paced environment.
Handle distressed, emotional, or angry individuals politely and effectively both in person and on the telephone by showing empathy, patience, and understanding
Act as the point of contact for complainants throughout the investigation process and for complainants who remain dissatisfied following the final response from the Chief Executive.
Work closely with senior members of the Divisions and across the board and it will be necessary to develop and maintain effective communication skills in dealing with Trust staff at all levels.
Speak to complainants informing them of their rights to local resolution and/or independent review, following NHS guidelines for complaints handling.
Arrange and chair local resolution meetings.
About us
At East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
- The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
- New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
- Hertford County, Hertford
- Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood
We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification information pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification information pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications / Training
Essential
- Graduate level of education and/or professional qualifications, or equivalent experience working in a relevant specialist area
Desirable
- Relevant training e.g. counselling skills
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a pressured service delivery environment
- Previous NHS complaints experience
- Experience of producing written material to a high standard
- Experience with the complaints module of the ENHance risk management database and the exporting and analysis of data
- Experience of building & maintaining effective professional relationships across all levels of an organisation and across professional boundaries
Desirable
- Experience of handling and resolving complex complaints
Skills
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to work with people in stressful situations
- Ability to analyse and interpret data, reports and relevant legislation
- Excellent skills in analysing data, identifying trends and compiling reports
- Ability to communicate complex and/or contentious information clearly, accurately and accessibly both orally and in writing
- Excellent communication skills including letter drafting, report writing, presentation skills and chairing meetings
- Able to plan, facilitate and manage meetings between clinical staff and complainants in highly sensitive and contentious situations
- Good organisational skills and the ability to meet deadlines
- Able to work independently using own initiatives
- Able to prepare and deliver high quality work
- Able to use own judgement based on information available and to seek advice when unsure
Other requirements
Essential
- Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
- Role model our Trust values every day
Person Specification
Qualifications / Training
Essential
- Graduate level of education and/or professional qualifications, or equivalent experience working in a relevant specialist area
Desirable
- Relevant training e.g. counselling skills
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a pressured service delivery environment
- Previous NHS complaints experience
- Experience of producing written material to a high standard
- Experience with the complaints module of the ENHance risk management database and the exporting and analysis of data
- Experience of building & maintaining effective professional relationships across all levels of an organisation and across professional boundaries
Desirable
- Experience of handling and resolving complex complaints
Skills
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to work with people in stressful situations
- Ability to analyse and interpret data, reports and relevant legislation
- Excellent skills in analysing data, identifying trends and compiling reports
- Ability to communicate complex and/or contentious information clearly, accurately and accessibly both orally and in writing
- Excellent communication skills including letter drafting, report writing, presentation skills and chairing meetings
- Able to plan, facilitate and manage meetings between clinical staff and complainants in highly sensitive and contentious situations
- Good organisational skills and the ability to meet deadlines
- Able to work independently using own initiatives
- Able to prepare and deliver high quality work
- Able to use own judgement based on information available and to seek advice when unsure
Other requirements
Essential
- Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
- Role model our Trust values every day
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).
