Complaints Lead

NHS; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Lancashire is seeking an experienced complaints lead to manage patient feedback and complaints. The role involves overseeing the complaints process in accordance with NHS standards and ensuring high-quality patient care. Candidates should have significant experience in complaints management and excellent communication skills. The position is fixed-term until August 2026, offering a competitive salary depending on experience.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in managing and responding to complaints.
• Familiarity with the Data Protection Act 2018 principles.
• Understanding of the NHS Complaints Regulations 2009.

Responsibilities

• Act as the central point of contact for all complaints.
• Oversee the full complaints process from acknowledgment to resolution.
• Collaborate with departments to resolve complaints.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Strong organisational skills

Ability to maintain impartiality

Proactive in identifying learning opportunities

Proficiency in using IT systems

Education

Formal complaints handling training

Job description

We are seeking an experienced, confident and highly organised complaints lead to join our GP practice team on a fixed term basis until the 28th of August 2026.

This is a key role focused on ensuring that all patient feedback and complaints are managed in line with NHS standards, statutory requirements, and our practices commitment to delivering high-quality patient care.

Main duties of the job

As the complaints lead, you will act as the central point of contact for all formal and informal complaints, concerns and feedback. You will oversee the full complaints process from initital acknowledgement through to investigation, response, and learning dissemination. Working closely with clinical and administrative teams, you will ensure that all concerns are handled professionally, sensitively, and within required timeframes

About us

Highfield surgery is a well established NHS general practice located on the first and second floor of the purpose built south shore primary care centre in Blackpool. Serving around 13,500 registered patients.

Our team is both extensive and highly skilled. We have 8 GP partners, 2 salaried GPs, a full nursing team (including nurse practitioners, practice nurses, nurse associate and healthcare assistants), clinical pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and a robust administrative staff structure.

As a forward thinking, innovative practice, we embrace modern primary care approaches. We are a recognised training practice, welcoming GP registrars and medical students, which supports the next generation of clinicians.

Job responsibilities

• Maintain the practices database on complaints and monitoring and reporting on complaint trends
• Coordinate investigations and ensure all complaints are handled within stipulated timescales, including acknowledging complaints within 3 working days.
• Review complaint details, assess complexity, and identify required expertise for investigations.
• Draft comprehensive responses to complainants, ensuring all points raised are addressed, including apologies where appropriate, and detailing actions taken or planned to address issues.
• Collaborate with other departments to resolve complaints and implement improvements.
• To deputise for the practice manager regarding complaints in their absence when required.
• Participate in training and development activities to stay informed about best practices in complaints handling.
• Ensure that the partnership GPs are kept informed of any patterns and significant events are completed if required.
• Take responsibility for liaison with and resolution of communication received from the Ombudsman or NHS England to minimise any distress to staff or complainants, or any reputational damage to the surgery.
• Ensure that correspondence from the Ombudsman or NHS England is appropriately dealt with, that documentation provided is relevant, appropriate and of a high quality and that responses are made within the required time frames.
• Ensure that any recommendations from the Ombudsman are communicated to the practice manager.
• To undertake any other duties as agreed with the Practice Manager and/or Lead GP
• Be responsible for complaints that are assessed as urgent, complex or contentious, are from serial complainants or because of previous unsatisfactory efforts to resolve.
• Ensure that requests from complainants and recommendations for financial redress are flagged to the practice manager.
• Communicate complex, sensitive and contentious information regarding complaints, including where there are significant barriers to understanding and acceptance, and in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere.
• Maintain confidentiality throughout the complaints process, adhering to Data Protection Act 2018 principles.
• Ensure the practice's complaints process adheres to the NHS Complaints Regulations 2009, CQC Regulation 16 (receiving and acting on complaints), and CQC Regulation 17 (good governance and learning from feedback).

Person Specification

Skills and abilities

• - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear, comprehensive, and empathetic responses.
• - Strong organisational skills and meticulous attention to detail, particularly in document management and adherence to timescales.
• - Ability to maintain impartiality and objectivity throughout the complaints process.
• - A proactive approach to identifying learning opportunities and implementing improvements.
• - Proficiency in using IT systems for logging and managing complaints.

Experience

• - Completion of formal complaints handling training or significant experience in managing and responding to complaints.
• - Demonstrable understanding of the NHS Complaints Regulations 2009.
• - Familiarity with the Data Protection Act 2018 principles, particularly regarding confidentiality in complaint handling.
• - Experience in managing and coordinating complex administrative processes.
• - Ability to assess and scope investigations effectively.
• - Experience with PHSO escalation procedures.
• - Understanding of relevant clinical and operational areas within general practice.

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.

£25,000 to £35,000 a yearDependent on experience