Job summary
The
Complaints Manager will support he Head of Patient Safety and Associate
Director of Clinical Governance, Patient Safety and Risk in the strategic
planning of the Complaints service agenda.
As
operational lead to complaints delivery, the post-holder will be responsible
for developing and implementing complaints systems that ensure a responsive
service for patients, families, carrs and members of the public across all
sites.
To
ensure oversight, provide leadership and coordination of timely and effective
complaints processes across the Trust, specifically ensuring that the
structures and processes for the managing and monitoring of response to
complaints are followed across the Trust.
To
ensure the effective management of the complaints service, ensuring it complies
with national and local standards.
To
ensure that learning from complaints is understood and shared within the Trust
and is embedded in practice. This will ensure the views of patients, relatives,
carers and the public are heard and utilised for the purpose of driving
improvements in patient experience.
To
contribute to the triangulation of quality governance information and
intelligence across the Trust in order to promote quality improvement.
The
poster-holder will have line management responsibility for the teams working
under them.
Main duties of the job
Ensuring all investigations of complaints and responses
within the scope of the service are managed in line with national standards of
best practice, utilising established methodologies.
To provide expert advice on highly complex, sensitive
complaints, and on the interpretation and application of Trust policies and
procedures, regulations, and relevant statutory obligations.
To provide regular Trust reports on the complaints
acknowledgement response and the progress
with
investigating and responding to each complaint as required.
To liaise with external bodies as required, including
ensuring that any requests from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
(PHSO) are appropriately responded to in a timely manner.
Identify, highlight and manage any serious complaints or
allegations that are likely to give rise to media attention or damage to the
reputation of the organisation. Manage such complaints effectively to minimise
any adverse impact on the Trust in liaison with the Trusts communications
team.
To promote and champion quality improvement and learning from
complaints reporting, actively leading on the thematic analysis and reporting
on learning from themes and outcomes of complaint investigations.
About us
Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.
The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester
Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.
We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.
Our objectives are simple:
- Best services for local people
- Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients
- Best use of resources
- Best people
Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.
We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To undertake the management of complaints as described in the
Trust policy. Ensuring all investigations of complaints and responses
within the scope of the service are managed in line with national standards of
best practice, utilising established methodologies.
To provide expert advice on highly complex, sensitive
complaints, and on the interpretation and application of Trust policies and
procedures, regulations, and relevant statutory obligations.To provide regular Trust reports on the complaints
acknowledgement response and the progress
with
investigating and responding to each complaint as required.
To liaise with external bodies as required, including
ensuring that any requests from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
(PHSO) are appropriately responded to in a timely manner. To coordinate the process for responding to
concerns/complaints raised via the CQC.
Identify, highlight and manage any serious complaints or
allegations that are likely to give rise to media attention or damage to the
reputation of the organisation. Manage such complaints effectively to minimise
any adverse impact on the Trust in liaison with the Trusts communications
team. To work with the Clinical Governance Systems Manager to
review and upgrade complaints reporting systems to ensure that these facilitate
accurate reporting, both internally and externally.
To promote and champion quality improvement and learning from
complaints reporting, actively leading on the thematic analysis and reporting
on learning from themes and outcomes of complaint investigations. To arrange and attend meetings with divisional leads,
complaint investigators, subject matter experts to support the effective and
timely response to all complaints.
To support complaint investigators in engaging patients and
family or carers in the investigative process, ensuring that their views are
reflected and that they are kept informed/ involved throughout the
investigation process. To arrange and attend meetings with patients and/or carers
who have made complaints, with investigators as required in support of the
resolution process.
Quality assure draft complaint responses to ensure patient
concerns are addressed consistently and to the required standard. Support current work processes by providing an additional
layer of review and advice, so that all responses adequately address the areas
of concern, prior to submission to the executive representative for final
approval.
Planning and Leadership
To develop and maintain systems to ensure that evidence of
progress with action plans in relation to complaints is provided to the
appropriate committees and groups as required. Plan and organise work in a methodical way in order to meet
deadlines.
To support the Head of Patient Safety in the development and
implementation of robust systems to support the reporting and delivery of the
Trusts annual objectives that are related to complaints. To have a good understanding of the Trusts complaints policy
and procedures and national regulations in order to provide appropriate advice.
Ensure
the Head of Patient Safety has the appropriate information available in order
to allow them to provide strategic leadership in relation to the Complaints
service. Exercise
judgment and analytic skills when scrutinising correspondence for any serious
issues that need to be escalated or reporting in line with the complaints
processes, and advise staff on the same.
Management of planning and prioritisation of the Complaints
Team workloads. Deliver innovative
solutions to drive the continuous improvement of the Complaints service.
Represent the Trust as
the leader for Complaints, e.g. at professional networks for Complaints and
engagement events.
Management
Has line management responsibility for complaints department,
to ensure an efficient, effective and responsive service.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To undertake the management of complaints as described in the
Trust policy. Ensuring all investigations of complaints and responses
within the scope of the service are managed in line with national standards of
best practice, utilising established methodologies.
To provide expert advice on highly complex, sensitive
complaints, and on the interpretation and application of Trust policies and
procedures, regulations, and relevant statutory obligations.To provide regular Trust reports on the complaints
acknowledgement response and the progress
with
investigating and responding to each complaint as required.
To liaise with external bodies as required, including
ensuring that any requests from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
(PHSO) are appropriately responded to in a timely manner. To coordinate the process for responding to
concerns/complaints raised via the CQC.
Identify, highlight and manage any serious complaints or
allegations that are likely to give rise to media attention or damage to the
reputation of the organisation. Manage such complaints effectively to minimise
any adverse impact on the Trust in liaison with the Trusts communications
team. To work with the Clinical Governance Systems Manager to
review and upgrade complaints reporting systems to ensure that these facilitate
accurate reporting, both internally and externally.
To promote and champion quality improvement and learning from
complaints reporting, actively leading on the thematic analysis and reporting
on learning from themes and outcomes of complaint investigations. To arrange and attend meetings with divisional leads,
complaint investigators, subject matter experts to support the effective and
timely response to all complaints.
To support complaint investigators in engaging patients and
family or carers in the investigative process, ensuring that their views are
reflected and that they are kept informed/ involved throughout the
investigation process. To arrange and attend meetings with patients and/or carers
who have made complaints, with investigators as required in support of the
resolution process.
Quality assure draft complaint responses to ensure patient
concerns are addressed consistently and to the required standard. Support current work processes by providing an additional
layer of review and advice, so that all responses adequately address the areas
of concern, prior to submission to the executive representative for final
approval.
Planning and Leadership
To develop and maintain systems to ensure that evidence of
progress with action plans in relation to complaints is provided to the
appropriate committees and groups as required. Plan and organise work in a methodical way in order to meet
deadlines.
To support the Head of Patient Safety in the development and
implementation of robust systems to support the reporting and delivery of the
Trusts annual objectives that are related to complaints. To have a good understanding of the Trusts complaints policy
and procedures and national regulations in order to provide appropriate advice.
Ensure
the Head of Patient Safety has the appropriate information available in order
to allow them to provide strategic leadership in relation to the Complaints
service. Exercise
judgment and analytic skills when scrutinising correspondence for any serious
issues that need to be escalated or reporting in line with the complaints
processes, and advise staff on the same.
Management of planning and prioritisation of the Complaints
Team workloads. Deliver innovative
solutions to drive the continuous improvement of the Complaints service.
Represent the Trust as
the leader for Complaints, e.g. at professional networks for Complaints and
engagement events.
Management
Has line management responsibility for complaints department,
to ensure an efficient, effective and responsive service.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to graduate level degree or equivalent experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development, which demonstrates the theory and practice to operate at a senior level.
- Management training or experience
Desirable
- Evidence of continued professional development
- Evidence of attendance at communications training
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in complaints environment.
- Experience in leading on the development and implementation of complaint policies and procedures and ensuring compliance.
- Evidence of being up to date with current issues related to field of complaints
- Experience of leading and managing staff
- Experienced in preparing cases for the PHSO
- Familiarity with handling Subject Access to Records request, in accordance with the Data Protection Act/GDPR
- Experience of collating, analysing and reporting complex data, and writing high level and operational reports.
- Experience of developing and implementing systems/procedures
- Experience of managing and motivating staff.
Desirable
- Experience of project planning and implementation
- Experience of Quality Improvement
- Experience of using and developing Datix
- NHS experience
- Experience of leading/delivering change
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of key national policy drivers for Complaints management
- Able to work to, negotiate & co-ordinate deadlines in a variety of teams to meet local, Trust and National targets
- Able to analyse, interpret and respond to changes in complex legislation
- Time Management skills including the ability to prioritise, plan and manage a large workload
- Ability to work to variable work patterns that require multi-tasking skills.
- Able to demonstrate effective management of, staff experience and performance.
- Ability to manage own workload and supervise that of others
- Advanced IT and keyboard skills
- Advanced communication skills including ability to communicate effectively to staff at all levels and able to communicate complex issues in a clear, concise and compassionate manner
- Ability to identify problems and quickly report/act on them
- Ability to manage and resolve complex, sensitive or contentious issues
- Ability to manage conflict and diffuse difficult situations
- Ability to negotiate and influence others
- Evidence of decision making skills
- Ability to mediate
- Excellent organisational skills
- Excellent presentation skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Working knowledge of relevant National legislation
- Ability to research and keep up to date with current practice and guidelines
- Proficient in the use of MS Office applications.
- Understanding the issues and policies around equality.
- Able to promote equality, diversity and rights.
- Knowledge relating to GDPR, duty of confidentiality and consent.
- Expert knowledge of the NHS Complaints Regulations 2009.
- Proficient in use of information technology.
- Working knowledge of Access to Health Records, the Data Protection Act and Information Governance
Desirable
- Project Management skills
- Able to analyse complex situations and generate solutions.
- Awareness of equality with regards employment and service delivery.
- Understands the roles of advocacy, mediation and conciliation.
- Experience of managing a database.
- Teaching expertise
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to graduate level degree or equivalent experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development, which demonstrates the theory and practice to operate at a senior level.
- Management training or experience
Desirable
- Evidence of continued professional development
- Evidence of attendance at communications training
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in complaints environment.
- Experience in leading on the development and implementation of complaint policies and procedures and ensuring compliance.
- Evidence of being up to date with current issues related to field of complaints
- Experience of leading and managing staff
- Experienced in preparing cases for the PHSO
- Familiarity with handling Subject Access to Records request, in accordance with the Data Protection Act/GDPR
- Experience of collating, analysing and reporting complex data, and writing high level and operational reports.
- Experience of developing and implementing systems/procedures
- Experience of managing and motivating staff.
Desirable
- Experience of project planning and implementation
- Experience of Quality Improvement
- Experience of using and developing Datix
- NHS experience
- Experience of leading/delivering change
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of key national policy drivers for Complaints management
- Able to work to, negotiate & co-ordinate deadlines in a variety of teams to meet local, Trust and National targets
- Able to analyse, interpret and respond to changes in complex legislation
- Time Management skills including the ability to prioritise, plan and manage a large workload
- Ability to work to variable work patterns that require multi-tasking skills.
- Able to demonstrate effective management of, staff experience and performance.
- Ability to manage own workload and supervise that of others
- Advanced IT and keyboard skills
- Advanced communication skills including ability to communicate effectively to staff at all levels and able to communicate complex issues in a clear, concise and compassionate manner
- Ability to identify problems and quickly report/act on them
- Ability to manage and resolve complex, sensitive or contentious issues
- Ability to manage conflict and diffuse difficult situations
- Ability to negotiate and influence others
- Evidence of decision making skills
- Ability to mediate
- Excellent organisational skills
- Excellent presentation skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Working knowledge of relevant National legislation
- Ability to research and keep up to date with current practice and guidelines
- Proficient in the use of MS Office applications.
- Understanding the issues and policies around equality.
- Able to promote equality, diversity and rights.
- Knowledge relating to GDPR, duty of confidentiality and consent.
- Expert knowledge of the NHS Complaints Regulations 2009.
- Proficient in use of information technology.
- Working knowledge of Access to Health Records, the Data Protection Act and Information Governance
Desirable
- Project Management skills
- Able to analyse complex situations and generate solutions.
- Awareness of equality with regards employment and service delivery.
- Understands the roles of advocacy, mediation and conciliation.
- Experience of managing a database.
- Teaching expertise
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.
