PALS Officer

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking a Complaints and PALS Lead to support a Trust-wide 4C’s service, handling complaints, PALS, concerns, comments and compliments with a patient-centred approach.

The post-holder will resolve concerns promptly, support patients and carers through NHS complaints procedures, and act as the first contact for information requests while ensuring clear, timely communication and proper documentation.

Qualifications

• Act as an initial point of contact for patients requesting information or raising concerns within the Trust.
• Respond to concerns by providing advice, support and direction to resolve issues quickly.
• Manage interactions with distressed individuals calmly and professionally.
• Ensure timely acknowledgment of correspondence and keep patients informed of developments.
• Provide information about Trust services and NHS complaints procedures; direct to relevant services.
• Complete and file documentation, route complaints to appropriate directorate, maintain relationships with stakeholders.
• Support DATIX recording and prepare reports on trends and lessons learned.

Job description

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.

• 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.

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.

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Ellie Dring Job title: Matron for Patient Experience & Engagement Email address: [e-mail] Telephone number: 07812 268636

Jessica Bridges (she/her)

Complaints and PALS Lead

Email: [e-mail]

Mobile: [phone]