PALS & Complaints Administrator

Esneft; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 20,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

ESNEFT is seeking an experienced administrator to join the PALS and complaints team to provide flexible, accurate and comprehensive administrative support for patients, relatives and carers.

You will use hospital systems and the Datix database to support the Complaints Coordinators during busy periods, predominantly Monday to Friday 8am–4pm.

The role includes handling enquiries, opening mail, logging requests and producing weekly updates to the team.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE or equivalent in English.
• Grade 4 (C) GCSE or above in English Language.
• Previous office based administrative work.
• Experience working with the public.
• Working as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Dealing with external and internal enquiries which may include providing non clinical information or advice to patients, relatives and carers as well as service users.
• Opening, scanning and distributing incoming post.
• Passing on messages, as appropriate, to the relevant person in a timely way.
• Listening to voicemails and allocating to the appropriate Complaints Co‑Ordinator to action.
• Managing the generic Complaints email account and allocating work to team members.
• Logging straightforward email enquiries on an electronic database (Datix) and ensuring, when appropriate, they are shared with the relevant department to obtain a response.
• Using initiative to deal with routine concerns that may arise and refer more complex issues to the appropriate person.
• Preparing weekly updates to departmental staff regarding open and outstanding Complaint enquiries which require action.
• Sharing positional updates at weekly team meeting, and with Divisional colleagues.
• Managing own workload to ensure a prompt response is provided and shared with the original enquirer

Skills

Microsoft Office

Datix

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

GCSE English

GCSE English Language (Grade 4+)

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Datix

Evolve

Portal

Lorenzo

Job description

We are one of the largest NHS organisation in England. Our scale provides exciting opportunities for development, innovation, research, education and training.

Talk to us about our range of flexible working opportunities, apprenticeships and staff benefits

Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of all we do; and it forms part of ESNEFT’s core activities. The Trust operates and relies on everyone treating each other with dignity and respect, to receive equitable and fair treatment in the implementation of Policies, Procedures and in its Practices, to foster positive work relationships, and finally to act with integrity as a professional within ESNEFT as well as a representative of the NHS as a whole. The EDI Agenda reflects the Trust values such as Optimistic, Appreciative and Kind. In line with the NHS Long Term Plan, People Plan, People Promise and a Model Employer intrinsic in the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Agenda, we consistently strive to improve, to take the learning into Action for a better ESNEFT.

Job overview

The PALS and complaints team at ESNEFT are looking for an experienced administrator to join their team.

The focus of this post is to provide accurate, flexible, comprehensive and consistent administrative support within the existing Complaints team when handling enquiries from patients, relatives and carers as well as other service users.

You will utilise the required technology and hospital systems to support other team members to deliver an efficient administrative service.

Ideally, the position is to cover core office hours, Monday to Friday from 8am - 4pm to support the PALS and Complaints Co‑Ordinators during their busiest times when the telephone lines are open (10am to 2pm).

Please be aware that the post can close earlier if sufficient amount of applications received.

Main duties of the job

• Dealing with external and internal enquiries which may include providing non clinical information or advice to patients, relatives and carers as well as service users
• Opening, scanning and distributing incoming post
• Passing on messages, as appropriate, to the relevant person in a timely way
• Listening to voicemails and allocating to the appropriate Complaints Co‑Ordinator to action
• Managing the generic Complaints email account and allocating work to team members
• Logging straightforward email enquiries on an electronic database (Datix) and ensuring, when appropriate, they are shared with the relevant department to obtain a response
• Using initiative to deal with routine concerns that may arise and refer more complex issues to the appropriate person
• Preparing weekly updates to departmental staff regarding open and outstanding Complaint enquiries which require action.
• Sharing positional updates at weekly team meeting, and with Divisional colleagues.
• Managing own workload to ensure a prompt response is provided and shared with the original enquirer

Working for our organisation

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients’ own homes.

We are the largest NHS organisation in East Anglia, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what’s widely regarded as the world’s best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person specification

Qualification

• Educated to GCSE or equivalent in English
• Grade 4 (C) GCSE or above in English Language

Experience

• Previous office based administrative work
• Working with members of the public
• Working as part of a team

Knowledge and Skills

• Computer literate & knowledge of Microsoft programmes (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and other Trust wide computer programmes (e.g. Evolve, Portal, Lorenzo).
• Using simple statistics, data analysis and interpretation and manipulation of data
• Data entry, text processing, storage of data and updating databases
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Knowledge of Datix

Please note that where response levels are exceptional we may close the post before the specified date, therefore early application is recommended.

Please make sure that you read the Job Description and Person Specification attached and that your statement in support reflects this as your application will be judged against these criteria.

Secondment - if you are interested in undertaking a role on a secondment basis, please ensure that you have discussed this with your current line manager prior to submitting your application. Please note if you are already an employee of ESNEFT fixed term roles will only be offered on a secondment basis.

When providing reference details please provide email addresses so references can be sought promptly to cover the last 3 years of employment.

Successful candidates may be charged for their DBS check. Please ensure you read the information found in the attached DBS Information document

The Trust is committed to its staff and their development and to equal opportunities and diversity. Applications are welcomed from all sections of the community.

Whilst we welcome applications from all and your application will be considered on individual merit, if you are offered a position and require a Skilled Worker Certificate of Sponsorship we may not be able to process your application to the final stage due to Home Office eligibility. Please note Band 2 roles are not eligible for sponsorship.

In submitting an application form, you authorise East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process should you be appointed to the post.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust; we look forward to receiving your application for employment.

We do not charge any fees at any stage of our recruitment process, including job applications, interviews, sponsorship arrangements or employment offers

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.