Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Patient Experience Team as a Complaints Investigator. We are looking for a dynamic and highly motivated individual who will be able to provide swift resolution to complaints and conduct investigations. You will develop effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders. You will have opportunities to inform and shape policy, and to ensure that organisational learning occurs following complaint investigations.
You will possess the skills necessary to manage staff, communicate effectively across different groups and be able to provide advice and support to senior colleagues.
Main duties of the job
As the Trust designated Complaints Investigator, the post holder will investigate all formal complaints, ensuring the main focus is the complainants' satisfaction that their concerns have been addressed and to ensure lessons are learnt when things go wrong.
The post holder will provide help and support to complainants and staff and investigate all complaints in line with national policy. The post holder will ensure a response is sent from the Chief Executive within the timescales expected.
Acting on own initiative, but also in conjunction with the Head of Patient Experience and Engagement monitoring the effectiveness of activities, processes and learning thereby creating an environment of continuous quality improvement and development.
Line management of the PALS and Complaints Team.
About us
We want to attract the best and brightest people to work with us and that means we will look after you from the moment you apply for a role at the Trust and throughout your career with us. Our staff are central to everything we do, and we believe that investing in you is crucial if we want to enable you to reach your full potential.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. To receive, record and investigate / facilitate investigation of all formal complaints on behalf of the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
2. To be prepared to deal with difficult situations face to face and by telephone and to deal appropriately with very upset and challenging complainants.
3. To prepare the Trusts response to formal complaints. This will include investigating the issue, deciding upon the right response, with guidance from the Head of Patient Experience, for the Trust and drafting the response on behalf of the Chief Executive and meeting with complainants and staff as appropriate. When required to attend and take formal notes of complaint meetings.
4. To maintain a data-base of Complaints/PALS and provide regular written reports for the Board of Directors, Safety and Quality Governance Committee and other Governance Committees, Divisional Managers, Heads of Departments and other Senior Managers identifying trend analysis detail and appropriate remedial action as necessary and key learning points as required.
5. To ensure an effective PALS service is available throughout the Trust via line management responsibilities.
6. To contribute to the development and delivery of a Trust wide strategy for Patient Experience and Engagement.
7. To encourage staff to see the complaints system as part of operational management. To identify faults in the system that may lead to complaints, and encourage managers and clinicians to take action to prevent a recurrence.
8. To work collaboratively with colleagues corporately and within the Divisions to embed the recommendations from the Francis, Berwick, Keogh, Ombudsman and Clwyd reports thereby continuously improving the service provided to complainants.
9. To attend Corporate and Divisional Clinical Governance/Complaints meetings, informing the group of new complaints and reporting progress on current complaints; information on trends and horizon scanning.
10. To advise and support any referrals to or investigations by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. To ensure recommendations from Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman are responded to within the timescales.
11. To work closely with external agencies in their support of complainants including ICA, POhWER, HealthWatch and HOSC.
12. To assist in the continual development and implementation of associated Trust Policies and Procedures.
13. To work with all team members of the Patient Safety and Quality Department, Matrons, Clinical and Non-Clinical staff to ensure safe systems of work and learning are in place for the delivery of patient care and to act as Line Manager for staff within the Complaints and PALS team.
14. To continually seek feedback on the service provided by the PALS and Complaints team both internal and external.
15. To be prepared to assist in any other duties when requested by the Chief Nurse.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
16. oFour GCSEs grade D or above including Maths and English
17. oDegree level qualification
18. oKnowledge of clinical and social care services, legislation, service management acquired through post graduate qualification or equivalent experience
Desirable
19. oComplaints Handling course
20.. Healthcare background
21. oPrevious complaints/customer service management experience
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
22. oKnowledge of the NHS Complaints Handling Procedure
23. oDemonstrable experience of dealing with difficult situations
Desirable
24. oPrevious complaints/customer service management experience
25. oPrevious experience of responding to formal and informal complaints
skills and knowledge
Essential
26. oExcellent letter and report writing
27. oExcellent communication/interpersonal skills
28. oAnalytical, objective, calm and confident
29. oGood IT skills
Desirable
30. oDealing with complainants face to face and by telephone