Patient Advice and Complaints Associate

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Crewe; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider is seeking a candidate to handle complaints and support patient queries. The role demands excellent communication and customer service skills, alongside the ability to manage multiple concerns empathetically. Candidates should have GCSEs in English and Mathematics, as well as proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with patient information systems like PCS. This position plays a crucial role in ensuring patient satisfaction and effective complaint resolution.

Qualifications

• Good customer service and communication skills across a wide range of people.
• Ability to remain calm in difficult situations and gain resolutions.
• Good organisational and teamwork skills to prioritise workload.

Responsibilities

• Handle complaints and concerns from patients and the public.
• Liaise with senior management and external agencies.
• Provide support to ensure rapid resolution of issues.

Skills

Customer service skills

Excellent communication skills

Organisational skills

Listening skills

Ability to work under pressure

Education

GCSE in Mathematics

GCSE in English

Tools

Microsoft Office

Patient information system (PCS)

Ulysses

Job description

You will report to the PACT Manager and will be responsible for handling complaints and concerns as they come into the hospital in person, or by means of telephone or email.

To support the Patient Advice and Complaints Team in delivering a high-quality integrated service throughout the Trust.

To provide an identifiable, credible and accessible service to assist patients and carers.

This will involve working flexibly to enable the team to deliver a responsive customer focused service, providing patient support and complaints resolution.

To facilitate a means of the Trust being able to respond to queries, requests for information, concerns, complaints, comments and compliments raised by service users.

To be responsible for negotiating immediate solutions to concerns and requests for information and respond promptly and effectively.

The postholder will act as a catalyst for change and the first point of contact for service users providing a front-line problem solving and information service.

To be responsible for negotiating immediate solutions to concerns and requests for information and respond promptly and effectively.

Liaising with senior management teams and service managers to ensure they can review issues raised, meet required response deadlines, produce well formatted and clear responses and develop action plans as required.

Liaising, as required, with external agencies such as the Independent Healthwatch Advocacy Services (ICAS), Members of Parliament (MP's) and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO).

To provide on the spot assistance and support to patients, relatives, carers and the general public in the speedy resolution of concerns or queries raised through liaison with Trust staff or other outside agencies.

To handle sensitively concerns raised by the most vulnerable members of the community i.e children, older people and those with mental health problems.

Work with individual patients and carers to resolve wide-ranging areas of concern, which sometimes requires diplomatic, tactful, and compassionate responses to complicated or distressing situations. This can involve the need to clarify issues raised and agree how these can be best addressed.

To independently prioritise and manage a caseload of complaints and informal concerns without direct supervision.

Promote and foster good relationships with external agencies such as Healthwatch Advocacy, offices of local MPs and the Ombudsman, preparing information and responses as required.

To process concerns and complaints in line with national guidance, ensuring resolution to the satisfaction of the service user wherever possible.

Key Messages

• All correspondence will be sent via the email address you have registered as your TRAC account. Selection is based on the Trust's values, and the criteria outlined in the Job Description for the role.
• Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the entry point (bottom) of the pay band.
• Appointments are subject to a 6-month probationary period. LED Doctors are subject to a 3-month probationary period.
• You are required to pay for a DBS disclosure where the post requires one, and we encourage applicants to join and remain registered with the DBS update service.
• We do not reimburse travel to interview expenses.
• Some posts may have implications on existing NHS Pension Scheme arrangements. For further information please visit the NHS Pensions Agency website: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-pensions

Not all NHS roles are eligible for sponsorship. Candidates that require sponsorship to work in the UK are strongly advised to check the Government website for up to date and job specific information. The salary threshold for sponsorship is £25,000 for Health and Care Visas and £41,700 (with limited exceptions) for Skilled Worker visas. The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet these immigration rules.

Please let us know if you require an adjustment to our recruitment process and we'll be happy to discuss this with you.

We actively promote flexible working so please discuss any requirements you may have with us.

Secondments will be considered for fixed term positions when both parties agree. Candidates should seek approval from their current line manager before application.

You would be expected to have good customer service skills, excellent communication skills across a wide range of people including patients, carers and medical professionals.

It is expected that you have the personal skills which enable you to remain calm in difficult situation to gain a resolution to the concern raised. Good listening skills are vital to ensure that you identify each issue/concern you are dealing with.

You should have good organisational and team skills to help prioritise the workload within the team. In addition you should have GCSE level in mathematics and English. Good computer skills including Microsoft Office are essential. NHS experience would be an advantage along with knowledge of the patient information system (PCS), Ulysses.

This is a very busy office and you should be able to work with people at all levels of the organisation and be able to work under pressure to tight deadlines.

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides a full range of hospital and community services for people across East Cheshire (population 399K) and West Cheshire and Chester (population 357K). The Trust provides high quality planned and emergency care, cardiac, critical care, child health, maternity services and intermediate care at Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford.

The Trust provides over 500 beds and employs over 5,100 members of staff. A comprehensive range of community services is provided across 26 medical centres and schools through our Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership.

We have played, and continue to play, a proactive role in the development of Integrated Care plans across Cheshire & Merseyside and our local Cheshire East and Cheshire West Place-based systems. We believe, and it is the cornerstone of our five-year Trust Strategy, there is the opportunity to progress innovative, responsive and effective care in the best setting for the patient, be it in the hospital or out in the community.

At Mid Cheshire, our mission is to inspire hope and provide unparalleled care for the people and communities of Cheshire, helping them to enjoy life to the fullest.