About this role
Job summary
The PALS & complaints team is the central contact point for complaints, concerns and feedback about services provided by Whittington Health. The team is also responsible for providing information and signposting.
The PALS & Complaints Officer will have an important and challenging role in providing an accessible contact point for patients, their relatives, carers and members of the public using the services of Whittington Health.
The post holder is responsible for addressing concerns highlighted by patients or their advocates. Where immediate resolution is not possible, the post holder will be responsible for progressing concerns through the NHS Complaints procedure and in accordance with the Trust's complaints pathway.
Main duties of the job
Respond to requests for and provide appropriate advice for patients and users, including concerns, compliments and complaints related to services which the Trust provides or signposting to external agencies.
Assist and respond appropriately to complainants, both on the telephone and those the PALS office, in a friendly, tactful, compassionate and discreet manner. Advise patients on the various options available for addressing their complaint.
Encourage resolution at local level and remedial action resulting from the raising of concerns. This includes facilitating an opportunity for the concerned party to speak to the relevant manager
To respond when required with patients/carers in distress, or with any unpredictable aggressive behaviour displayed by enquirers unhappy about some aspect of their care or service provided by Whittington Health.
Ensure all correspondence or client contact is acknowledged within three working days and patients or their advocates are kept informed on developments in their case.
Ensure that queries/complaints are passed to the service/practice promptly on receipt.
Ensure that statutory and locally agreed procedures for the progression of comments, concerns, compliments and complaints about NHS treatment are observed.
Utilise the Datix database to comprehensively document concerns and complaints ensuring this record is kept up to date
To assist in the production of reports for the Divisions as and when required.
About us
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Job description Job responsibilities
Dealing with patients, staff and the general public
Promote the Whittington Health promise of improving patient experience.
To work in an open and transparent way, always treating patients, their families and carers with respect and dignity.
Be committed to helping service users, their families and carers access the services they need.
Communicate effectively with the public and staff at all levels to immediately resolve issues where possible and formalise into complaints where necessary.
Provide front line advice and support, meeting people face to face and discussing their concerns and finding solutions wherever possible including fulfilling reception duties.
Respond to requests for and provide good quality, accurate information and advice for patients and users. This includes feeding back about comments, concerns, compliments and complaints related to services which the Trust provides or signposting to external agencies.
Act as a facilitator in relation to the concerns of patients, their carers and families and to negotiate a resolution of issues as speedily as possible.
Assist and respond appropriately to complainants, both on the telephone and those visiting the PALS, in a friendly, tactful, compassionate and discreet manner.
Advise patients on the various options available for addressing their complaint.
Encourage resolution at local level and remedial action resulting from the raising of complaints, comments, concerns and compliments. This may include facilitating an opportunity for the concerned party to speak to the relevant manager or clinical lead as part of a meeting or informal conversation.
To respond appropriately to the emotionally demanding aspects of dealing with patients/carers in distress, or with any unpredictable aggressive behaviour displayed by patients/carers/relatives unhappy about some aspect of their care or service provided by Whittington Health.
Ensure that services within the Trust receive clear and timely feedback to maximise learning and improve the quality of the patient experience.
To provide a drop in services and other outreach work, e.g. holding regular site surgeries or visiting clinics, wards, and practices across Trust sites.
Any other duties, appropriate to the band, as required by the PALS & Complaints Manager.
Management of PALS and Complaints
Ensure all correspondence or client contact is acknowledged within three working days and patients or their advocates are kept informed on developments in their case.
Ensure that queries/complaints are passed to the service/practice promptly on receipt.
Ensure that statutory and locally agreed procedures for the progression of comments, concerns, compliments and complaints about NHS treatment are observed.
Ensure all written responses to complaints and related and subsequent correspondence to patients, their families, carers or representatives meet the Trust standard before being sent for sign off by the appropriate Director.
Ensure actions identified are recorded, completed and where appropriate, communicated to complainants and other relevant parties.
Actively seek, build and maintain good relationships within staff within the divisions, key stakeholders, service user groups and the local community.
Dealing with information and data
Utilise the Datix database to comprehensively document concerns and complaints ensuring this record is kept up to date throughout the handling of the case and that outcomes are clearly recorded.
To maintain filing/indexing systems for the department (both paper and electronic), including confidential files, as required, in accordance with Trust records management policy and practice.
Collate compliments about the services provided as directed by the PALS and Complaints Manager to ensure this feedback is captured and disseminated.
To assist in the production of reports for the ICSUs, Patient Experience Committee, Patient Safety & Quality Committee and other reports as and when required.
To work with other DATIX users in the Trust to ensure consistency of information coding and collation of information.
Person Specification
Education Essential
Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
Skills & Abilities Essential
Excellent interaction and social communication skills Ability to handle difficult enquiries from patient and/or relatives whilst remaining calm and professional . Ability to organise work load & adapt to changing demands of the role Ability to work with staff in a professional manner
Personal Qualities Essential
Excellent customer care skills & manner Team player Solution focused
Knowledge & Experience Essential
Experience of working with the general public in a customer service/care capacity Good working knowledge of NHS Complaints Regulations & the function of the PALS service Experience of de-escalating complaints through negotiation & problem solving
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).
Employer details Employer name Whittington Hospital NHS Trust
Address Whittington Health NHS Trust
Magdala Avenue
London
N19 5NF
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.whittington.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)