Clinical Complaints Lead - Band 8a

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join United Lincolnshire NHS Trust Complaints & PALS Team as a Clinical Complaints Lead.

The team work closely with patients and their families to support resolution for complaints raised, and investigate formal complaints in line with NHS complaints standards.

We are looking for someone with significant experience in Customer Relations (or equivalent role) who has a thorough understanding of the NHS Complaints regulations and national guidelines.

The Team receive a high volume of contact from a variety of stakeholders including service users, senior managers within the organisation, advocacy providers and governing bodies such as the CQC. For this reason we are looking for someone who has excellent communication and interpersonal skills; and an outstanding use of grammar and English language. Due to the nature of the contact we receive the successful candidate must be also be able to work well under pressure, and remain calm and compassionate no matter what the situation.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will handle and manage complaints directly, via all communication channels providing timely, sensitive, and accurate responses that address the issues raised, maintaining a high degree of professionalism and confidentiality throughout the complaint process.

The successful candidate will engage across the Trust with the Care Group teams to empower the early resolution of patient concerns helping to embed learning and drive improvement.

This role is diverse, stimulating, and offers a unique opportunity to learn in depth about the variety of services provided by the Trust. We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic member of staff who is eager to improve the service we provide whilst upholding our Trust values.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.

• Communicate highly complex/ highly sensitive and highly contentious information to a diverse group of individuals where there may be significant barriers, which requires comprehensive negotiating, persuasion and listening skills
• Challenge staff regarding the findings of a complaint investigation, using influence, tact and diplomacy to achieve the required outcome
• Be able to recognise service failures or shortfalls and ensure that learning has been identified by the directorate(s) wherever possible
• Independently manage a large caseload of highly complex complaints
• Meet with complainants / speak with complainants to help resolve their complaints.
• Liaise with senior Trust staff (including Consultant medical staff, heads of department and Senior Clinical Nurses), in order to obtain appropriate and comprehensive responses in a timely manner

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.