Job summary
The PALS & Complaints Officer plays an integral role in delivering an excellent frontline support service by listening, managing and learning from patient experience to improve quality of services we provide at North Middlesex University Hospital. The post holder will perform a range of specific tasks in relation to the administration and coordination of complaints and other feedback, ensuring policies and procedures are followed in accordance with the relevant legislation and associated guidance. The post holder will also be responsible for delivering the Patient Advice and Liaison Service for the Trust by providing high quality, responsive assistance to the general public and external organisations. This will include listening to experiences and, where possible, resolving concerns immediately and providing a signposting service to members of the public.The PALS & Complaints Officer is also key to driving the improvement agenda within the patient experience function - working actively with Divisions, service areas and wards to co-design services and solutions that meet the expectations of our patients and families. Provide relevant PALs (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) and complaints reports for allocated divisions. Ensure timely and accurate reporting to relevant stakeholders and maintain data integrity and compliance with reporting standards.
Main duties of the job
1. COMPLAINTS, CONCERN, COMMENTS AND COMPLIMENTS
1.1 To manage a caseload of enquiries and complaints, ensuring accurate documentation that is kept up to date with progress1.2 To carry out duties in line with the policies for Complaints Management and the policy for PALS. This will include but is not limited to:1.2.1 Ensuring that complaints and concerns raised by patients, relatives, service users and staff are resolved within the statutory timescales and key performance indicators for the service1.2.2 Taking an active role in supporting the investigation process and drafting written complaints responses to ensure they are appropriate, thorough and compliant with Trust policy for Complaints1.2.3 Communicating with complainants, patients, their relatives and representatives either face to face, by phone, email or letter ensuring that all communication is accessible, relevant and timely.1.2.4 Assessing the most appropriate approach to a solution through negotiation with the patient and staff involved using knowledge of the Trust's structures and operational procedures whilst aiming to achieve timely local resolution1.2.5 Working with clinical, nursing, administrative and operational staff, to resolve patient queries and to troubleshoot any issues reported by patients and their relatives
About us
Royal Free London North Mid Health Unit is part of North Central London integrated care system - consisting of the NHS and Local authority organisations in Camden, Islington, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey. As with other ICS's, we are working increasingly closely with partners and indeed many of our financial and performance objectives are measured at this system level. Whilst all organisations remain as standalone, statutory bodies we have an ICS infrastructure for making shared decisions and agreeing shared approaches.
We are proud of our staff and want to ensure their training allows them to provide excellent clinical care. We are also a training unit for medical students from UCL and St George's University Grenada, and for nursing and midwifery students from Middlesex and City Universities.
Take a tour of our hospital here
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person specification for more information on the role requirements and duties
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person specification for more information on the role requirements and duties
Person Specification
Values
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to meet Trust values
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to diploma/ degree level or equivalent experience
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and listening skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and networking skills.
- Ability to work autonomously with the skills to make independent decisions.
- Good organiser with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage own workload to defined deadlines.
- Highly developed IT skills working across a range of Microsoft Office packages and databases (including Outlook and Excel)
- Empathy, ability to deal with distressed patients/ relatives. Good negotiation and conflict resolution skills to manage and deescalate potentially difficult/ contentious situations
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a customer service environment/ role.
- Experience of analysing problems and providing solutions.
- Experience of dealing with distressed angry and unhappy customers/ service users
- Experience of working with professionals from different backgrounds and across a variety of providers to provide outstanding customer care
Desirable
Other Requirements
Essential
- A commitment to Continuous Professional Development
- Knowledge and understanding of NHS complaints process
- Knowledge of rules surrounding confidentiality, information governance and the Data Protection Act
- Understanding of the issues surrounding equality of access for all, data protection and confidentiality as well as the role of clinical governance
- Ability to secure co-operation of colleagues at all levels
- Highly motivated and resourceful
- Knowledge of health related terminology and concepts
- Knowledge of patient record systems
- Understanding of various methods of engaging patients, service users or customers to obtain feedback
- A team player who is prepared to go above and beyond to support others
- Knowledge and understanding of Quality Improvement methodologies
- Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- Ability to maintain high standards of diplomacy and confidentiality
- Ability to convey complex information to anxious and distressed patients
- Ability to deal appropriately with frustrations of patients, service users and the public which may occasionally be manifested as verbal aggression
Desirable
Person Specification
Values
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to meet Trust values
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to diploma/ degree level or equivalent experience
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and listening skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and networking skills.
- Ability to work autonomously with the skills to make independent decisions.
- Good organiser with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage own workload to defined deadlines.
- Highly developed IT skills working across a range of Microsoft Office packages and databases (including Outlook and Excel)
- Empathy, ability to deal with distressed patients/ relatives. Good negotiation and conflict resolution skills to manage and deescalate potentially difficult/ contentious situations
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a customer service environment/ role.
- Experience of analysing problems and providing solutions.
- Experience of dealing with distressed angry and unhappy customers/ service users
- Experience of working with professionals from different backgrounds and across a variety of providers to provide outstanding customer care
Desirable
Other Requirements
Essential
- A commitment to Continuous Professional Development
- Knowledge and understanding of NHS complaints process
- Knowledge of rules surrounding confidentiality, information governance and the Data Protection Act
- Understanding of the issues surrounding equality of access for all, data protection and confidentiality as well as the role of clinical governance
- Ability to secure co-operation of colleagues at all levels
- Highly motivated and resourceful
- Knowledge of health related terminology and concepts
- Knowledge of patient record systems
- Understanding of various methods of engaging patients, service users or customers to obtain feedback
- A team player who is prepared to go above and beyond to support others
- Knowledge and understanding of Quality Improvement methodologies
- Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- Ability to maintain high standards of diplomacy and confidentiality
- Ability to convey complex information to anxious and distressed patients
- Ability to deal appropriately with frustrations of patients, service users and the public which may occasionally be manifested as verbal aggression
Desirable
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.
