Patient Advice and Complaints Associate

Job overview

We are looking to recruit a Patient Advice and Complaints Associate to work in the Patient Advice and Complaints Team (PACT), based at Leighton Hospital.

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.

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.

Main duties of the job

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).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

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.