PALS & Complaints Officer

Integrated Care System; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious NHS trust in London is seeking a PALS & Complaints Officer to deliver high-quality customer service and support for complaints. The ideal candidate will have experience in NHS complaints handling and the ability to work empathetically with service users. This role involves addressing concerns, drafting responses, and ensuring compliance with statutory standards in a dynamic healthcare environment.

Benefits

Learning and development opportunities

Dynamic working environment

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of NHS complaints handling.
• Experience working in a clinical or pressurised environment.

Responsibilities

• Handle concerns and complaints from receipt to resolution.
• Liaise with complainants and ensure timely investigations.
• Draft response letters and update the database to identify trends.

Skills

Knowledge of complaints investigation

Clear communication skills

Education

Educated to degree level or equivalent

Healthcare or relevant professional qualification

Job description

Contract type: Fixed term/secondment for 12months.

We are looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic person who is committed to improving the quality of service we deliver. As a PALS & Complaints Officer, your role is to provide a high standard of customer service and support in delivering a responsive and accessible PALS and complaints service for our service users.

The successful candidate will be a strong team player, well organised with a proven ability to identify critical issues with regards to concern and complaints as well as have an empathetic manner. Direct experience of NHS complaints handling is essential. An understanding and experience of working with cancer patients will also be an advantage.The Trust is located on two sites and although this post is based at Chelsea, we are looking to appoint an individual who is willing to work across both sites as necessary. For further information please contact Louise Knight, Complaints, PALS, Bereavement & Patient Information Manager via [e-mail] or on 020 8661 3918

Main duties of the job

The post holder will:

o Proactively work as part of a team, handling concerns and complaints locally from receipt to resolution within specified timeframeso Liaise with complainantso Ensure complaints are fully investigated and responded to and, where necessary, draft/redraft response letterso Update and analyse the database (Datix) to identify trends and issueso Provide regular, detailed qualitative and quantitative reportso Liaise with staff at all levels within the Trust, and with external groupso Take a major role in training Trust staff on dealing with concerns and complaintso Liaise with the office of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)o Assist in the processes that ensure the department and the Trust achieve statutory standards such as Care Quality Commission.

About us

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals - one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey - as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

Job responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification

Handling and processing of concerns and complaints, including complex cases Taking a written note of concerns and complaints received by telephone Dealing with complainants in a polite, sympathetic and empathetic way, giving reassurances that all enquiries will be handled in confidence Handling and dealing with contentious issues that may arise from handling some complaints Use own judgement to handle conflicting information that may arise during complaints investigation meetings Monitoring and ensuring the timely progress of concerns and complaints Ensuring all complaint responses are sent within set timeframes including and providing holding/agreeing extensions, where appropriate

Person Specification

Skills

• Thorough knowledge and understanding of complaints investigation, confidentiality and consent procedures in the context of clinical governance in the NHS
• Ability to communicate complex and/or contentious information clearly

Education

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• An understanding of the NHS policy/modernization agenda
• Knowledge of cancer services
• Healthcare and/or relevant professional qualification

Experience

• Demonstrable experience of working in a clinical or other pressurised service delivery environment
• Experience of producing written material (including response letters, reports and presentations) to a high standard
• Demonstrable experience of handling NHS complaints
• Experience of working at a corporate level in a similar organisation
• Working experience of clinical risk management or governance
• Experience of chairing meetings and taking minutes
• An understanding of Patient Safety and Risk Management systems

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.