PALS Officer

Transformation Unit; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking a PALS Officer to join the 4C’s service, delivering patient-centred support for complaints, advice and liaison to patients, relatives, carers and staff.

The post involves handling information, resolving concerns promptly, and guiding users through the NHS complaints process. The role is Band 3, with a pro rata salary for part-time work, closing date 25 October 2026.

Qualifications

• Good IT skills and experience with administrative tasks.
• Experience using DATIX Risk Management System.
• Ability to deliver confidential information and support to patients and families.

Responsibilities

• Act as initial contact for patients requesting information or raising concerns.
• Respond to concerns, provide advice and support, and facilitate local resolution.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure timely, clear communication with patients and staff.
• Provide information about Trust services and the NHS complaints procedure; liaise with advocacy, interpreting and other services.
• Record 4Cs activity on DATIX and support reporting and monitoring.

Skills

IT skills

DATIX

Customer service

Education

GCSE English (level 4+)

ECDL or equivalent IT qualification

Typing qualification

Tools

DATIX

Microsoft Office

Job description

Employer Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Town Nottingham Salary £25,760 - £27,476 per anum, pro-rata Salary period Yearly Closing 25/10/2026 23:59

PALS Officer

NHS AfC: Band 3

Job overview

Nottingham University Hospital’s NHS Trust is committed to providing an integrated Trust-wide 4C’s service, incorporating the management of Complaints, Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), concerns, comments and compliments. The service will provide a high quality, responsive support to patients, relatives, carers and staff.

The post-holder will have a key role within the PALS team in delivering a patient-centred service for all aspects of the 4C’s. This will incorporate facilitating immediate resolution of concerns, and where appropriate supporting patients and carers through the progression of concerns through the NHS Complaints procedure.

Main duties of the job

Act as an initial point of contact for patients requesting information or raising concerns within the Trust, providing a confidential service for people wishing to discuss their care or treatment.

Respond to concerns raised by patients, carers and families by providing advice, support and direction, facilitating communication and negotiating immediate solutions so issues are resolved quickly and efficiently.

Respond appropriately to people who may be in distress or display antagonistic behaviour

Ensure correspondence and patient contact are acknowledged within national guidance, and patients or advocates are kept informed of developments.

Provide information about Trust services and the NHS complaints procedure; support access to Trust, advocacy, voluntary and interpreting services; refer health-record requests to the Data Management Team; and direct service users to the complaints process in line with national and local policy.

Complete and securely file comprehensive documentation, promptly direct complaints to the appropriate directorate, senior manager, director or respondent, and maintain good working relationships with staff, external organisations, stakeholders, service-user groups and the local community.

Support patient-information, record 4Cs activity on DATIX, prepare reports on trends and lessons learnt, and help evaluate and monitor the service.

Working for our organisation

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) plays a central role in improving health and wellbeing across Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and surrounding communities. Employing more than 20,000 colleagues, it is Nottinghamshire's largest employer and one of the country's largest and busiest NHS trusts, serving over 2.5 million local residents and around four million people across the East Midlands and beyond. Its services span Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham City Hospital and Ropewalk House, alongside nationally and internationally recognised specialist care, pioneering surgery and major research programmes. NUH hosts the East Midlands Major Trauma Centre and Nottingham Children's Hospital and, with the University of Nottingham, a Biomedical Research Centre studying hearing, digestive and respiratory diseases, musculoskeletal conditions, mental health and imaging. As a teaching trust, NUH educates and trains doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals through strong partnerships with the universities of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent and Loughborough. The Trust acknowledges significant recent challenges, including recovery from Covid, the independent review of maternity services and the need to improve organisational culture, while emphasising progress and a sustained focus on safer, better services. This includes major redevelopment for QMC and City Hospital, plus the new 70-bed rehabilitation facility at Stanford Hall, reflecting NUH's ambition.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The PALS Officer provides a confidential, responsive and patient-centred service for patients, relatives, carers and staff who need information, advice or support, or who wish to raise concerns, comments, compliments or complaints about Trust services. Acting as an initial point of contact, the post holder listens sensitively, manages challenging and distressing situations professionally, clarifies issues and facilitates prompt local resolution wherever possible. They explain the NHS complaints process, keep people informed about progress, and refer matters promptly to appropriate directorates, senior managers, advocacy, interpreting, voluntary, data management or specialist services. The role requires effective working relationships with clinical and non-clinical teams, external organisations, community groups and other stakeholders, while maintaining public and professional confidence. The post holder distributes and monitors stocks of patient information, records all 4Cs activity accurately and securely on DATIX, maintains comprehensive case documentation and supports the preparation of reports on activity, trends and lessons learned. They contribute to service monitoring, evaluation, governance and continuous improvement, using feedback to improve care and patient experience. The officer also follows Trust requirements for confidentiality, information governance, safeguarding, infection control, health and safety, record keeping, wellbeing, equality and all relevant policies, procedures and professional standards.

Person specification

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

• Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s “Values and Behaviour framework

Information Resources

• Good IT skills including working knowledge of Microsoft Office products Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet Explorer & Publisher. Able to input information onto databases and subsequently extract and present for reports. Able to take minutes of meetings
• Experience of using DATIX Risk Management System.

Training & Qualifications

• ECDL or equivalent IT qualification/s; GCSE English Language (level 4 and above)
• Understanding of the NHS complaint process; Typing qualification

Experience

• Experience working in a customer service environment.
• Handling complaints and/or Patient Advice Liaison Services

Communication and relationship skills

• Able to provide information to end users, tailoring the provision of information to facilitate understanding. Able to be highly empathetic towards the concern of patients and carers. Able to receive highly sensitive information and action it whilst taking account of confidentiality issues. Able to act as a facilitator in order to achieve a desired outcome.

Analytical and Judgement skills

• Able to receive and manage sensitive information and decide the most appropriate course of action.

Planning and organisation skills

• Able to support the PALS Service, liaising with the Directorate coordinator and ensuring information is accurately conveyed and recorded. Able to ensure timeframes are met. Able to prioritise tasks.

Physical skills

• Able to work for long periods on a computer.

Policy/Service Development

• Able to follow policy and procedures in order to deal with issues raised by patients, their carers and relatives.

Human Resources

• Able to provide information to staff to support staff to manage concerns and complaint of patients / service users

___________________________________________________________________________________

Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at the NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.

Applicants are kindly requested to refrain from using AI at any stage during the recruitment process.

Salary: The quoted salary will be on a pro rata basis for part time workers.

Disability Confidence: All applicants who have declared a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the post will be shortlisted.

At Risk of redundancy: NHS employees within the East Midlands who are ‘at risk’ of redundancy will be given a preferential interview where they meet the essential criteria of the person specification.

ID and Right to work checks : NUH authenticate ID and right to work documentation including passports and driving licenses through a system called Trust ID. NUH will scan your ID and right to work documentation in to the Trust ID system at your face to face ID appointment. The system will run a check against the key security features within your documentation. The system will provide us with an outcome of your check which will be stored securely on your personal file along with all other pre-employment check documentation.

Consent:

• Transfer of information: If I have previous NHS service - I consent to the transfer of my Electronic Staff Record (ESR) data between this and other NHS Trusts. I also consent to the Occupational Health Departmentconfidentially accessing my occupational health records from my current or previous employer in order to check the status of my vaccinations, immunisations s and screening tests as relevant to the post. I understand this is an automated process and the information will only be used for these purposes prior to me taking up the position at NUH.
• Disclosure and Barring Service: Your post maybe subject to a DBS check which incur a cost dependent on the level of check required (£49.50 for enhanced and £21.50 for standard). I agree to reimburse Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust the cost of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if it is required (by deduction from first month’s pay). Should I decide to withdraw from my job offer, I agree to reimburse Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust the cost of the DBS check undertaken by cheque or other agreed method.

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.

Name Ellie Dring Job title Matron for Patient Experience & Engagement Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 07812 268636 Additional information Jessica Bridges (she/her)
Complaints and PALS Lead
Email: [e-mail]
Mobile: [phone]