Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Band 5 PALS & Complaints Officer

Information:

This job is now closed

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

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.

About us

NMUH North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Hospital Trust (NMUH) is one of London's busiest healthcare providers, providing hospital care and community services for the 350,000 people living in Enfield, Haringey and beyond. Our specialist services include HIV, cardiology, blood disorders, diabetes, fertility, sickle cell and thalassemia. In addition to a full range of cancer diagnosis and treatment services, the Helen Rollason Cancer Support Centre is based on-site and provides services to support cancer patients' wellbeing. We also provide community services and have a dedicated 0-19 service for children and young people in Enfield so that they can get the best possible start in life. This includes health visitors and school nurses who are delivering the national Healthy Child Programme, which provides a structured framework for the delivery of key interventions to support the health and wellbeing of children and families from 0 to 5 and school aged children from 5-19. The 0-19 service aims to improve pathways and partnerships with services in the hospital and deliver excellent care for the children and families. For more information, please access the following link: https://www.northmid.nhs.uk/

Details

Date posted

29 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£34,521 to £41,956 a year per annum including HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

391-NMUH-7168392

Job locations

North Middlesex University Hospital NHS

Sterling Way

London

N18 1QX


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

  • Skills & Abilities

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

  • Experience

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

  • Other requirements
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

  • Skills & Abilities

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

  • Experience

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

  • Other requirements

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

North Middlesex University Hospital NHS

Sterling Way

London

N18 1QX


Employer's website

https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

North Middlesex University Hospital NHS

Sterling Way

London

N18 1QX


Employer's website

https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Head of Patient Experience and Patient Engagement

Trudy De Cordova

trudydecordova@nhs.net

02088873716

Details

Date posted

29 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£34,521 to £41,956 a year per annum including HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

391-NMUH-7168392

Job locations

North Middlesex University Hospital NHS

Sterling Way

London

N18 1QX


Supporting documents

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