Job summary Proposed interview date - Tuesday 27/05 The Head of Patient Experience is a pivotal leadership role within OUH and the Corporate Nursing Directorate. The post holder is responsible for driving excellence in person centred care and satisfaction. This position involves strategic oversight of patient feedback mechanisms, quality improvement initiatives, and the implementation of innovative practices to enhance the overall patient experience. The role requires the post holder to communicate with patients, families and staff and to engage with key local, regional and national stakeholders to inform development and implementation of the OUH patient experience strategy. Main duties of the job Provide expert guidance and leadership to ensure patient-centred care across the Trust. Formulate and execute the Patient Experience Strategy, aligning with the Trusts strategic goals and objectives. Analyse and utilise patient feedback to drive improvements and innovations in service and care delivery. Work closely with clinical and operational teams to embed best practices in person centred care. Oversee performance metrics related to patient experience, ensuring timely and high-quality responses to patient concerns and complaints. Leverage digital technologies to enhance communication and patient experience, involvement and engagement. Drive learning, change, and innovation from patient feedback, using complaints data, patient advice and liaison feedback, online feedback, and social media feeds. Ensure the delivery of high-quality reports on patient experience to Trust boards and committees and develop comprehensive and clear reports that provide assurance on patient experience metrics and initiatives. Present findings and recommendations to Trust boards and committees, facilitating informed decision-making. Regularly review and refine reporting processes to maintain high standards and relevance to current best practice in improving and maintaining the experience of our patient. About us Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. For more information on OUH please view OUH At a Glance by OUHospitals - Issuu Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. Date posted 22 April 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 8c Salary £74,290 to £85,601 a year per annum pro rata Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number 321-CORP-7156557-B7-PUB Job locations John radcliffe but working across all sites Oxford OX3 9DU Job description Job responsibilities Main Tasks and Responsibilities Operational To provide vision and direction to the teams. This includes responsibility for line management, including staff recruitment, appraisals and disciplinary and grievance matters. To create an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued. To be able to represent the Trust in patient experience discussions with stakeholders and at system level. To be able to write and present Board level papers. To oversee the production of agendas and papers To have oversight of patient experience information on Trust internet/intranet sites. Develop and deliver training programs to enhance staff understanding and implementation of patient experience and person-centred care. Foster a culture of continuous improvement and patient-centeredness among staff. Support staff in addressing patient experience issues and implementing improvements. Strategic leadership Develop and implement the Trust's Patient Experience Strategy. Align patient experience initiatives with the overall goals and objectives of the organisation. Lead the development of policies and procedures to enhance patient experience. To provide creative and visible leadership for the patient experience agenda across the organisation. To be accountable for developing and driving the Trusts patient experience strategy. To provide expertise to the Trust regarding best practice methodologies, regulatory requirements and national policy imperatives in relation to patient experience. To provide a stable and coherent platform to develop and strengthen the patient experience agenda and focus across the Trust, ensuring that good clinical governance is embedded. To develop business plans and provide expert strategic and policy advice. To advise the Trust on changes to national policy and how they should be interpreted and implemented within the organisation To formulate and plan Trust-wide programmes of activity in support of the patient experience portfolio. Communication Prepare and present high-quality reports on patient experience to Trust boards and committees. Provide assurance on patient experience metrics and initiatives. Regularly review and refine reporting processes to maintain high standards. To act as ambassador for the organisation across the healthcare system To develop constructive and productive relationships with key external stakeholders, employing highly effective communication, negotiation and influencing skills, working in an environment of differing and sometimes contentious views. To model a collaborative and influencing style of working, negotiating with others to achieve the best outcomes. To exercise tact and diplomacy, dealing with senior members of the Trust (including members of the Trust Board and the Council of Governors), patients, members of the public, and line reports frequently in challenging situations. To exercise highly developed communication skills to be able to articulate complex and sensitive information, tailored to the target audience, overcoming any potential barriers to understanding of the concepts and implications to both the organisation and individuals Quality To lead the annual process of determining the Trusts quality objectives for patient experience, ensuring appropriate consultation with Trust staff, partner organisations, Foundation Trust members and the public. Oversee and manage the collection, analysis, and utilisation of patient feedback from various sources (e.g., surveys, complaints, PALS). Ensure timely and effective responses to patient concerns and complaints. Use patient feedback to drive continuous improvement in service delivery. Lead quality improvement projects focused on enhancing patient experience. Collaborate with clinical and operational teams to implement best practices in patient care. Monitor and evaluate the impact of patient experience initiatives. Patient Experience and Involvement: To act as a champion for patients and their interests. To hold an overall lead responsibility for how the Trust gathers, responds to and learns from patient feedback; the methods the Trust employs to consult with and involve people in important decisions about the provision of services; and the ways in which this information is made available to the Board and to the public. To promote and encourage the principles of co-design and co-production within the Trust. To line manage, guide and advise the Trusts Patient Experience and Involvement Manager. To ensure that there is active participation and measurable outcomes from the Trusts Patient Experience Forum To represent the Trust at national patient experience forums (e.g. NHSI/E) as required Supporting Inclusion and Diversity: To actively seek new ways to champion and promote patient inclusion and diversity with the Trust. To have strategic oversight of the Trusts arrangements for the provision of interpreting services, ensuring that appropriate contractual agreements are in place with external providers to enable the delivery of effective patient support. To support the Patient Experience team to discharge their lead responsibility within the Trust for implementation of the Accessible Information Standard. To personally uphold organisational policies and principles on the promotion of equality. Patient Advisory and Liaison Service and Complaints: To provide strategic and policy direction to the Trusts Patient Support and Complaints Team (i.e. the Trusts PALS and complaints function), ensuring that this takes account of national guidance and best practice recommendations (for example, publications by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman). To line manage, guide and advise the Trusts PALS and Complaints Manager on a wide range of operational matters ranging from the effective deployment of the PALS and Complaints Team resources to the resolution of complex complaints. To develop appropriate methods of reporting complaints data, patient stories and learning to the Trust Board. To ensure that the Trust meets any statutory and regulatory requirements relating to the management of complaints. To personally review all complaints prior to sign-off by the CNO Innovation and Technology: Leverage digital technologies to enhance communication and patient engagement. Implement innovative practices to improve patient experience. Stay updated on emerging trends and technologies in patient experience. Collaboration and Partnership: Work closely with clinical and operational leaders to embed patient-centred care practices. Build and maintain strong relationships with external partners and stakeholders. Represent the Trust in external forums and networks related to patient experience. Performance Management: Set and monitor performance metrics related to patient experience. Ensure the timely and high-quality delivery of patient experience initiatives. Drive accountability and excellence in patient experience across the organisation. Risk Management: Identify and mitigate risks related to patient experience. Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards. Develop and implement risk management strategies to enhance patient safety and experience. Communication: Communicate effectively with patients, families, and staff to understand and address their needs. Promote transparency and openness in all patient experience activities. Ensure clear and consistent messaging about patient experience initiatives and outcomes. Other Responsibilities To manage Trust budgets for the services described above, and to constantly strive for value for money and greater efficiency is the use of these budgets, ensuring they operate in recurrent financial balance year or year. To motivate, inspire and develop staff within the services described team to give of their best. To chair regular informal meetings of team managers for the services described above, building a collaborative working culture, enabling shared learning and the effective dissemination of key messages from the Trusts senior team. To actively seek opportunities to promote/share Trust quality developments with wider audiences, for example through conference presentations. To design, deliver and participate in quality-related training as necessary for the role. To proof-read draft committee meetings as a regular responsibility. To use standard keyboard skills and work for long periods at a computer workstation. Frequent use of VDU equipment Good analytical skills and the ability to use data from various sources appropriately. Job description Job responsibilities Main Tasks and Responsibilities Operational To provide vision and direction to the teams. This includes responsibility for line management, including staff recruitment, appraisals and disciplinary and grievance matters. To create an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued. To be able to represent the Trust in patient experience discussions with stakeholders and at system level. To be able to write and present Board level papers. To oversee the production of agendas and papers To have oversight of patient experience information on Trust internet/intranet sites. Develop and deliver training programs to enhance staff understanding and implementation of patient experience and person-centred care. Foster a culture of continuous improvement and patient-centeredness among staff. Support staff in addressing patient experience issues and implementing improvements. Strategic leadership Develop and implement the Trust's Patient Experience Strategy. Align patient experience initiatives with the overall goals and objectives of the organisation. Lead the development of policies and procedures to enhance patient experience. To provide creative and visible leadership for the patient experience agenda across the organisation. To be accountable for developing and driving the Trusts patient experience strategy. To provide expertise to the Trust regarding best practice methodologies, regulatory requirements and national policy imperatives in relation to patient experience. To provide a stable and coherent platform to develop and strengthen the patient experience agenda and focus across the Trust, ensuring that good clinical governance is embedded. To develop business plans and provide expert strategic and policy advice. To advise the Trust on changes to national policy and how they should be interpreted and implemented within the organisation To formulate and plan Trust-wide programmes of activity in support of the patient experience portfolio. Communication Prepare and present high-quality reports on patient experience to Trust boards and committees. Provide assurance on patient experience metrics and initiatives. Regularly review and refine reporting processes to maintain high standards. To act as ambassador for the organisation across the healthcare system To develop constructive and productive relationships with key external stakeholders, employing highly effective communication, negotiation and influencing skills, working in an environment of differing and sometimes contentious views. To model a collaborative and influencing style of working, negotiating with others to achieve the best outcomes. To exercise tact and diplomacy, dealing with senior members of the Trust (including members of the Trust Board and the Council of Governors), patients, members of the public, and line reports frequently in challenging situations. To exercise highly developed communication skills to be able to articulate complex and sensitive information, tailored to the target audience, overcoming any potential barriers to understanding of the concepts and implications to both the organisation and individuals Quality To lead the annual process of determining the Trusts quality objectives for patient experience, ensuring appropriate consultation with Trust staff, partner organisations, Foundation Trust members and the public. Oversee and manage the collection, analysis, and utilisation of patient feedback from various sources (e.g., surveys, complaints, PALS). Ensure timely and effective responses to patient concerns and complaints. Use patient feedback to drive continuous improvement in service delivery. Lead quality improvement projects focused on enhancing patient experience. Collaborate with clinical and operational teams to implement best practices in patient care. Monitor and evaluate the impact of patient experience initiatives. Patient Experience and Involvement: To act as a champion for patients and their interests. To hold an overall lead responsibility for how the Trust gathers, responds to and learns from patient feedback; the methods the Trust employs to consult with and involve people in important decisions about the provision of services; and the ways in which this information is made available to the Board and to the public. To promote and encourage the principles of co-design and co-production within the Trust. To line manage, guide and advise the Trusts Patient Experience and Involvement Manager. To ensure that there is active participation and measurable outcomes from the Trusts Patient Experience Forum To represent the Trust at national patient experience forums (e.g. NHSI/E) as required Supporting Inclusion and Diversity: To actively seek new ways to champion and promote patient inclusion and diversity with the Trust. To have strategic oversight of the Trusts arrangements for the provision of interpreting services, ensuring that appropriate contractual agreements are in place with external providers to enable the delivery of effective patient support. To support the Patient Experience team to discharge their lead responsibility within the Trust for implementation of the Accessible Information Standard. To personally uphold organisational policies and principles on the promotion of equality. Patient Advisory and Liaison Service and Complaints: To provide strategic and policy direction to the Trusts Patient Support and Complaints Team (i.e. the Trusts PALS and complaints function), ensuring that this takes account of national guidance and best practice recommendations (for example, publications by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman). To line manage, guide and advise the Trusts PALS and Complaints Manager on a wide range of operational matters ranging from the effective deployment of the PALS and Complaints Team resources to the resolution of complex complaints. To develop appropriate methods of reporting complaints data, patient stories and learning to the Trust Board. To ensure that the Trust meets any statutory and regulatory requirements relating to the management of complaints. To personally review all complaints prior to sign-off by the CNO Innovation and Technology: Leverage digital technologies to enhance communication and patient engagement. Implement innovative practices to improve patient experience. Stay updated on emerging trends and technologies in patient experience. Collaboration and Partnership: Work closely with clinical and operational leaders to embed patient-centred care practices. Build and maintain strong relationships with external partners and stakeholders. Represent the Trust in external forums and networks related to patient experience. Performance Management: Set and monitor performance metrics related to patient experience. Ensure the timely and high-quality delivery of patient experience initiatives. Drive accountability and excellence in patient experience across the organisation. Risk Management: Identify and mitigate risks related to patient experience. Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards. Develop and implement risk management strategies to enhance patient safety and experience. Communication: Communicate effectively with patients, families, and staff to understand and address their needs. Promote transparency and openness in all patient experience activities. Ensure clear and consistent messaging about patient experience initiatives and outcomes. Other Responsibilities To manage Trust budgets for the services described above, and to constantly strive for value for money and greater efficiency is the use of these budgets, ensuring they operate in recurrent financial balance year or year. To motivate, inspire and develop staff within the services described team to give of their best. To chair regular informal meetings of team managers for the services described above, building a collaborative working culture, enabling shared learning and the effective dissemination of key messages from the Trusts senior team. To actively seek opportunities to promote/share Trust quality developments with wider audiences, for example through conference presentations. To design, deliver and participate in quality-related training as necessary for the role. To proof-read draft committee meetings as a regular responsibility. To use standard keyboard skills and work for long periods at a computer workstation. Frequent use of VDU equipment Good analytical skills and the ability to use data from various sources appropriately. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Educated to Master's Level Registered Healthcare Professional Relevant leadership or management qualification Evidence of strong and recent commitment to relevant ongoing professional development Experience Essential Extensive and highly specialist knowledge across a range of disciplines underpinned by theoretical knowledge and significant management and leadership experience Detailed knowledge, understanding and awareness across the breadth of the NHS quality agenda Broad operational knowledge and understanding of clinical governance systems accompanied by management and leadership experience in this field Experience of a senior NHS management post with direct responsibility for strategic and operational leadership Knowledge and experience of driving improvement in the quality and experience of patient care Experience of strategy and policy development Experience of managing large budgets Experience of drafting committee papers Experience of chairing committees and/or leading project/working groups Experience of delivering presentations Experience of leading and overseeing organisation-wide initiatives Desirable Experience of working successfully across functional boundaries at a strategic level. Experience of designing and delivering training packages Person Specification Qualifications Essential Educated to Master's Level Registered Healthcare Professional Relevant leadership or management qualification Evidence of strong and recent commitment to relevant ongoing professional development Experience Essential Extensive and highly specialist knowledge across a range of disciplines underpinned by theoretical knowledge and significant management and leadership experience Detailed knowledge, understanding and awareness across the breadth of the NHS quality agenda Broad operational knowledge and understanding of clinical governance systems accompanied by management and leadership experience in this field Experience of a senior NHS management post with direct responsibility for strategic and operational leadership Knowledge and experience of driving improvement in the quality and experience of patient care Experience of strategy and policy development Experience of managing large budgets Experience of drafting committee papers Experience of chairing committees and/or leading project/working groups Experience of delivering presentations Experience of leading and overseeing organisation-wide initiatives Desirable Experience of working successfully across functional boundaries at a strategic level. Experience of designing and delivering training packages 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Address John radcliffe but working across all sites Oxford OX3 9DU Employer's website https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)