Quality and Safety Specialists

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Communication

Establish and maintain effective communication with staff at all levels, patients, carers/ relatives and volunteers to ensure timely exchanges of information and appropriate relationships to achieve a culture of continuous improvement.

Communicate and explain complex qualitative and quantitative data from a variety of patient experience sources providing advice on interpretation of the information being presented.

Liaise with NHS England and external contractors on queries, issues and new national guidance

Work alongside the communications team to ensure information and improvements relating to patient experience are shared in line with national guidance including publicising and updating information on the Trust website, intranet and via social media.

Act as an innovative, enthusiastic role model providing leadership and challenging boundaries to enhance and support the patient journey.

Knowledge and analytical skills

Analyse and interpret quantitative and qualitative data, and undertake thematic analysis of comments to identify themes for improvement, notifying committees, Divisions and teams in a timely way, of themes and trends in patient experience feedback.

Use specialist knowledge in patient experience and quality improvement methodologies to engage staff in planning and co-designing improvements in patient experience, providing detailed advice and guidance.

Produce regular patient experience reports, communicating statistical data orally and in writing with a range of committees and stakeholders using a variety of methods.

Work alongside the Interim Head of Clinical Quality and Effectiveness and Head of Patient Experience to triangulate patient data with other sources of data to ensure staff have access to relevant and timely patient experience local and national data.

Clinically, as a health professional the post holder will work clinically and provide frontline care as required in order to directly support, observe, assess and effectively influence clinical practice and its impact on patient and carer experience.

Project and improvement work

Lead and support the implementation of a number of patient improvement projects, effectively engaging, collaborating, and consulting with key stakeholders and service users.

Promote and support quality improvement activity within Divisions and teams increasing the involvement of staff and the public in service developments and improvements.

Support the development and implementation of relevant policy/ guidance relating to patient experience which impacts across the Trust.

Support the Interim Head of Clinical Quality and Effectiveness and Head of Patient Experience in the development of creative approaches to sharing lessons learnt.

Sit on / attend relevant groups undertaking administrative tasks and contributing papers, reports and survey results

Contribute to the population of evidence for Care Quality Commission (CQC) reviews

Coordination and planning

Co-ordinate and further develop the national FFT initiative for the Trust in line with national guidance to ensure the Trust achieves national and local targets and regulatory requirements.

Plan, design, support and implement surveys and clinical audits, monitoring and benchmarking standards of care to identify opportunities for improvement in patient experience.

Support the Interim Head of Clinical Quality and Effectiveness and Head of Patient Experience meet the requirements of the nationally mandated patient survey programme and other national patient experience requirements.

Initiate and develop innovative ways to gain and promote patient and public involvement taking into consideration age, cultural and language differences (including shadowing patients, interviewing, engaging carers etc.)

Support and empower patients, relatives and carers to participate in co-design of patient experience improvements promoting peoples equality, diversity and rights.

Training and presentations

Prepare and present presentations providing expert advice on how to develop and implement appropriate quality, safety and patient experience research methods, interpret survey results and develop action plans to a variety of audiences.

Assist in the planning and facilitation of workshops to support the development and implementation of actions to improve patient safety and experience.

Organise and participate in the delivery of education for staff and facilitate study days as appropriate.

Disseminate good practice by pursuing opportunities to present work at national conferences or via publications.

Staff Management

Provide effective management and leadership including, staff management responsibilities such as appraisals, managing sickness, performance and conduct issues and responsibility for the effective recruitment and deployment of staff.

Experience

Essential

• Knowledge and experience in undertaking systematic approaches to quality improvements.
• Good keyboard and computer skills with ability to use a variety of methods to interrogate both quantitative and qualitative complex information and present this information in a meaningful way.
• Experience of working with groups.
• Professional report writing.
• Experience of delivering education programmes to colleagues.

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience of patient experience feedback methodologies.
• Project management skills.
• Working with managers and teams delivering training and support to groups.
• Experience of leading innovation and change.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registration with the appropriate professional body (NMC/HCPC).
• First degree in health related subject or equivalent.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Desirable

• Post graduate qualification in relevant area of practice/commitment to undertake degree programme.
• Evidence of MSc level study or working towards.
• Recognised Teaching and assessing qualification.
• Quality Improvement training.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Able to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Able to embrace change.
• Ability to manage conflict.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Able to work with both service users and colleagues.

Knowledge and Awareness

Essential

• Understanding of the national quality and patient experience agenda.
• Awareness of own limitations.
• Knowledge of how to maintain confidentiality.

Desirable

• CQC regulatory requirements.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• High level IT skills using Microsoft software including setting up and interrogating databases.
• Analysing and presenting data in a meaningful way.
• Excellent communication skills both verbally and written with the ability to deal with complex queries and complaints.
• Problem solving and decision making, consulting and negotiating skills.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent time management skills, including ability to manage frequent interruptions and changing priorities.
• Ability to work unsupervised and flexibly, being a good team player.

Desirable

• Motivational skills with ability to persuade staff of the benefits of the project.
• Ability to overcome barriers using a range of approaches.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).