About this role
Job summary
Staffa Health is looking for a Patient Liaison officer to join our busy practice team. The post is for 20 hours per week.
Join our team in a rewarding role at the heart of patient experience. As the first point of contact for concerns, complaints and feedback, you will help ensure every patient feels heard, supported and treated with respect. You will also use feedback and survey insights to drive service improvements, recognise excellent care and support key patient administration processes. This is an excellent opportunity for a confident, compassionate and organised individual to make a meaningful difference within a supportive primary care team.
WE NO LONGER ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO BE PATIENTS AT STAFFA HEALTH. IF APPLICANTS ARE PATIENTS, THEY WILL BE ASKED TO REGISTER AT ANOTHER GP SURGERY IN THE LOCAL AREA ONCE APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be required to work independently and be the first point of contact for patients, families and carers who have a concern or would like to make a complaint, whether it be formal or informal. They will take personal responsibility for ensuring that every patient receives a positive experience to the handling of their concern.
The Postholder will also collate all positive feedback received from patients, reporting these to the individuals to whom the praise related and summarising the feedback for dissemination to the wider team.
The postholder will lead on other patient feedback activities, including developing and coordinating surveys and collecting and analysing the results.
The postholder will lead on the management of the processes followed for patients who do not attend appointments and move out of the practice area and support the senior management team with other general administrative tasks.
About us
Situated in a semi-rural community, close to the Peak District we have 17,026 patients, we provide services over 3 sites and utilise the clinical system SystmOne. We are a training practice for Trainee GPs, medical students and student nurses. We are a pro-active and innovative practice and this role provides a great opportunity for you to make a difference through the support you provide to the team.
You will join a friendly, experienced and collaborative multidisciplinary team that takes pride in delivering high-quality patient care across our three sites. We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment where colleagues are encouraged to share ideas, develop their skills and contribute to meaningful service improvements. With a strong team ethic, a commitment to innovation and opportunities to learn within an established training practice, Staffa Health is an excellent place to build your career while making a positive difference to our patients and local community.
Job description Job responsibilities
Provide support to patients, families and carers in the complaint's procedure, receiving verbal and written complaints from patients, conducting investigations, and providing responses to complainants either verbally, face to face or in writing, depending on the patients preference. Contact complainants by telephone to discuss correspondence and agree actions for resolution where appropriate. Acknowledge all complaints in a timely manner. Work with relevant people to resolve issues for patients where prompt action may negate the need for a full complaint's response. Lead on the investigation of complaints, ensuring investigations are completed appropriately and within a strict timeframe. Cross reference between statements, clinical correspondence, medical records, call recordings and other sources of information to ensure accurate and complete responses to patient complaints. Compile written responses, ensuring that these address the issues raised in the complaint and ensuring a written response is signed off by the relevant clinical or non-clinical lead. Ensure that complaint response letters are of the highest quality and translate complex medical terminology and principles into clear explanations, adapting tone and language as appropriate to the recipient. Ensure that complaints responses adhere to best practice guidance in terms of duty of candour, clear decision as to outcome of investigation, all adhering to NHS Guidelines. Complete complaints outcomes and summarise details on the complaints log ensuring that these are kept up to date and readily available to summarise for analysis and reporting. Analyse complaints data and provide reports and summaries to senior members of the team. Present an annual report to the practice team on complaints, highlighting trends and actions taken as a result of complaints. Lead on identifying issues that can be improved upon, instigating measurable action plans in direct response to complaints and ensuring that these are fed back to the relevant areas for action. Support the implementation of any actions or lessons learned from complaints with the relevant team leader or manager. Log actions taken and their completion. Support other actions or activities arising from a complaint as required. Identify trends and themes arising from concerns and patient feedback ensuring lessons are learned. Support patients with signposting and further information to help them discuss concerns or complaints with other organisations or the patient advocacy service. Arrange independent complaints reviews where required, and to be the main point of contact with the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) and NHSE. Ensure that all patients/relatives can access the complaints procedures by updating patient information leaflets and posters that are displayed in all of practice sites and website. Monitor and record all positive feedback from patients, improving staff moral by publicising a selection of complimentary comments via practice communications. Complete Significant Event Analyses and lead on the coordination and management of the Significant Event Analysis Multi-disciplinary team meetings, preparing papers and producing minutes. Monitor patient DNA reports, issue letters reminding patients of the Practices DNA policy, and follow the policy when patients repeatedly fail to attend appointments. Lead the Staffa Health Staff Awards scheme by coordinating the nomination process, collating submissions, reviewing all nominations fairly and objectively and organising the presentation of the awards.
Act as the lead contact for patients who have moved outside the Practice catchment area, following the relevant policy and issuing correspondence to advise them that they will need to register with a GP practice closer to their new address. Undertake other ad hoc duties as requested by the senior management team to support the Practices governance arrangements.
Person Specification
Skills Essential
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills Good listening skills. An empathetic and supportive approach to people. Ability to manage situations with sensitivity and deal with challenging situations with patients and families. Well-developed word processing/data collection/IT skills. Ability to establish data bases. Ability to analyse data and information, drawing out points for discussion. Time management and ability to prioritise workload. Ability to remain calm under pressure and present a bright and professional image to patients and staff. Ability to work independently and resourcefully. Excellent attention to detail and accuracy in recording information. Able to establish and maintain effective communication pathways within the organisation and with external stakeholders. Self motivation. Flexible approach to work. Mobile and able to travel between sites.
Desirable
Proven record of effective use of networking and influencing skills. Experience of presenting information to wider audience.
Qualifications Essential
English and maths GCSE at level C/4 or above or the equivalent.
Desirable
NVQ in customer service or business administration . Training in Microsoft office packages. Medical terminology training certificate . Evidence of other further training and personal development undertaken.
Knowledge Essential
Understanding of Primary Care Understanding of equal opportunity and diversity issues. Demonstrable knowledge of patient liaison and the NHS complaints procedure. Understanding of statutory requirements for general practice .
Desirable
Willingness to participate in relevant training programmes to develop knowledge and skill in customer care and managing concerns. Understanding of medical terminology. Awareness of data security requirements.
Experience Essential
Customer care or work with patients in a healthcare environment. Office and administration work. Working with computer systems. Dealing with complaints from customers / patients.
Desirable
Work in a Primary Care organisation. Complaints management, patient liaison or patient advocacy. Working with confidential information. Familiar with all functions of the clinical system (SystmOne) and their application.
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 Staffa Health
Address Stonebroom Surgery
189 Birkinstyle Lane
Stonebroom
ALFRETON
Derbyshire
DE55 6LD
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.staffahealth.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)