Patient Experience Manager

NHS; Torquay; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

The NHS is seeking a dedicated Patient Experience Manager to oversee the Patient Experience Team, managing complex complaints and ensuring quality in handling processes. The role demands strong leadership, adherence to NHS regulations, and the cultivation of collaborative relationships across various teams to enhance patient care and experience.

Qualifications

• Experienced with NHS complaints management processes and procedures.
• Experience communicating sensitivity in a hostile atmosphere.
• Proven organizational skills to meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Provide effective leadership and line management for the Patient Experience Team.
• Ensure management of complaints process, improve compliance with response targets.
• Communicate complex complaint issues to Trust directors and Chief Executive.

Skills

Leadership

Organizational Skills

Communication

Project Management

Data Analysis

Education

First level degree

Masters level or equivalent experience

Job description

Job summary

Our Patient Experience Manager will manage the Patient Experience Team and take responsibility for the management of complex complaints and will liaise with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO).

They will be an experienced manager and a source of expert practical and theoretical knowledge on complaints regulations and procedure for our Trust, working closely with our Care Group leadership teams to identify and disseminate learning from complaints.

Main duties of the job

o Provide effective leadership to support the development of our Patient Experience Teamo Be the lead source of expertise on complaints regulations and handling for our Trust, ensuring that new regulations or processes are effectively communicated and embeddedo Liaise with Care Group leadership teams to ensure the complaints process is managed effectively, improving and maintaining compliance with response targetso Review written complaint responses to ensure questions are answered, letters are produced to a high standard, are timely, complete and show sensitivity to the complainanto Provide quality assurance for action plans produced by the Care Groups to learn from complaints and improve patient experienceo Ensure that lessons are learned from complaints and communicated across the Trusto Develop and deliver a training programme for our Trust on the management of complaints to ensure the Complaints Standard Framework 2023 is being adhered to and early resolution is encouragedo Develop and maintain positive and collaborative working relationships with external partners, for example Healthwatcho Provide leadership for Patient Safety Teamo Ensure processes and procedures are in place to assist service users, relatives and members of the public to express their views easily and accurately about services provided by our Trust, and to access the formal complaints process

About us

Why Work With Us

The Patient Experience Team are a dedicated, caring and friendly team, offering advice and support to patients/clients/service users, their families/carers and the general public. Patient Experience is part of our Trust's Corporate Services department. Our Patient Experience manager will link with other Corporate Services, e.g. Patient Safety; Litigation to provide assurance for our Trust Board.

Details Date posted

01 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year Based on 2024-25 AfC rates

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

388-7147659-A&C

Job locations

Torbay Hospital

Lowes Bridge, Torquay, TQ2 7AA

Torquay

TQ2 7AA

Job description Job responsibilities

Model compassionate leadership for all staff within the Patient Experience Team Provide effective line management, supporting and developing all direct reports, so that the team can obtain and maintain high standards of customer service, meeting all required national targets with regards to performance Accountable for and promoting a just and compassionate culture for effective people management, recruitment and selection, training and development, welfare, deployment, sickness absence, grievance and disciplinary matters Develop and promote a culture of equality and diversity, and implement systems and processes which will highlight any unfair discrimination towards those patients who complain or make comments about services

Provide non-clinical advice and information on a range of issues to staff and services users Support families and patients through the complaints process

Able to engage with clinical and non-clinical staff and influence behaviour to collaboratively achieve positive outcomes Develop and maintain robust working relationships with multi-professional staff groups in our Trust and with partners in the local health and social care community Work closely with multidisciplinary teams, governance coordinators, clinical teams to promote and facilitate learning from complaints to enhance patient experience Scrutinise complaints for issues that may expose our Trust to adverse media publicity and advise the Communications Team to ensure appropriate responses to media enquiries Excellent written, oral and presentation skills to allow effective communication with clinical and non-clinical staff across our organisation and in the preparation of governance papers Review and remain informed about national and local policy, guidance and NHS legislation relating to complaints and PALS management Communicate complex, sensitive and contentious information regarding complaints, including where there are significant barriers to understanding and acceptance, and in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere Ensure that our Trust directors and Chief Executive are fully briefed on any complaint issues that may have a significant effect on the reputation of our organisation Use judgement to interpret clinical policies, national guidance and regulatory frameworks, advising our Trust on how these should be interpreted e.g. PHSO Complaints Standards Able to assess, sift, analyse and collate complex data in different formats and from different sources covering activity, performance management, quality and financial indicators in order to identify patterns and trends for informed decision-making and planning for improvements Uses a variety of data to identify themes and trends from complaints, and other feedback, requiring action Lead and develop a Patient Experience educational programme and coordinate strategic expertise across our Trust, achieving organisational strategic objectives and enhancing our organisational reputation Development and demonstration of leadership, self-motivation and teambuilding /teamworking skills

Collate and analyse highly complex data using appropriate data analysis methods to present improvement plans, deep-dive reviews, reports and investigations Analyse complaints for emergent themes which may also link to patient safety incident reviews and investigations to provide reports for Feedback and Engagement Group and other groups/committees as required Provide advice to clinical teams regarding measures required for improvement and identify possible contributory factors and support the development of solutions for emerging themes Plan and organise a broad range of complex activities across the patient experience portfolio ensuring that there is alignment of projects with organisational development and financial agendas Ensure that all customer service functions are managed efficiently and effectively adhering to Trust, regulatory and statutory requirements alongside other best practice standards and expectations

Job description Job responsibilities

Model compassionate leadership for all staff within the Patient Experience Team Provide effective line management, supporting and developing all direct reports, so that the team can obtain and maintain high standards of customer service, meeting all required national targets with regards to performance Accountable for and promoting a just and compassionate culture for effective people management, recruitment and selection, training and development, welfare, deployment, sickness absence, grievance and disciplinary matters Develop and promote a culture of equality and diversity, and implement systems and processes which will highlight any unfair discrimination towards those patients who complain or make comments about services

Provide non-clinical advice and information on a range of issues to staff and services users Support families and patients through the complaints process

Able to engage with clinical and non-clinical staff and influence behaviour to collaboratively achieve positive outcomes Develop and maintain robust working relationships with multi-professional staff groups in our Trust and with partners in the local health and social care community Work closely with multidisciplinary teams, governance coordinators, clinical teams to promote and facilitate learning from complaints to enhance patient experience Scrutinise complaints for issues that may expose our Trust to adverse media publicity and advise the Communications Team to ensure appropriate responses to media enquiries Excellent written, oral and presentation skills to allow effective communication with clinical and non-clinical staff across our organisation and in the preparation of governance papers Review and remain informed about national and local policy, guidance and NHS legislation relating to complaints and PALS management Communicate complex, sensitive and contentious information regarding complaints, including where there are significant barriers to understanding and acceptance, and in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere Ensure that our Trust directors and Chief Executive are fully briefed on any complaint issues that may have a significant effect on the reputation of our organisation Use judgement to interpret clinical policies, national guidance and regulatory frameworks, advising our Trust on how these should be interpreted e.g. PHSO Complaints Standards Able to assess, sift, analyse and collate complex data in different formats and from different sources covering activity, performance management, quality and financial indicators in order to identify patterns and trends for informed decision-making and planning for improvements Uses a variety of data to identify themes and trends from complaints, and other feedback, requiring action Lead and develop a Patient Experience educational programme and coordinate strategic expertise across our Trust, achieving organisational strategic objectives and enhancing our organisational reputation Development and demonstration of leadership, self-motivation and teambuilding /teamworking skills

Collate and analyse highly complex data using appropriate data analysis methods to present improvement plans, deep-dive reviews, reports and investigations Analyse complaints for emergent themes which may also link to patient safety incident reviews and investigations to provide reports for Feedback and Engagement Group and other groups/committees as required Provide advice to clinical teams regarding measures required for improvement and identify possible contributory factors and support the development of solutions for emerging themes Plan and organise a broad range of complex activities across the patient experience portfolio ensuring that there is alignment of projects with organisational development and financial agendas Ensure that all customer service functions are managed efficiently and effectively adhering to Trust, regulatory and statutory requirements alongside other best practice standards and expectations

Person Specification Person Specification Essential

• A first level degree or equivalent
• Educated to Masters level, working towards or equivalent experience
• Experienced with NHS complaints management processes and procedures
• Experience of managing service provision and the supervision and management of staff
• Proven organisational skills and ability to work to deadlines under pressure to achieve agreed objectives, being able to respond quickly to urgent requests, and ensuring delivery to timescales required
• Experience of communicating highly sensitive information in a hostile or highly emotive atmosphere
• Evidence of project and improvement skills

Desirable

• PHSO Complaints Management Training
• Investigation Training
• Clinical Experience in Health or Social Care
• Leadership Qualification
• Experience serving on project groups and/or committees and able to develop effective working relationships with people from a variety of agencies as well as internal staff

Person Specification Person Specification Essential

• A first level degree or equivalent
• Educated to Masters level, working towards or equivalent experience
• Experienced with NHS complaints management processes and procedures
• Experience of managing service provision and the supervision and management of staff
• Proven organisational skills and ability to work to deadlines under pressure to achieve agreed objectives, being able to respond quickly to urgent requests, and ensuring delivery to timescales required
• Experience of communicating highly sensitive information in a hostile or highly emotive atmosphere
• Evidence of project and improvement skills

Desirable

• PHSO Complaints Management Training
• Investigation Training
• Clinical Experience in Health or Social Care
• Leadership Qualification
• Experience serving on project groups and/or committees and able to develop effective working relationships with people from a variety of agencies as well as internal staff

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.

Employer details Employer name

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Torbay Hospital

Lowes Bridge, Torquay, TQ2 7AA

Torquay

TQ2 7AA

Employer's website

https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Torbay Hospital

Lowes Bridge, Torquay, TQ2 7AA

Torquay

TQ2 7AA

Employer's website

https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)