Complaints Coordinator

Job overview

Looking for flexible work in the NHS?

The Flexi‑Bank is a collaborative staff bank hosted by Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, offering greater choice, flexibility and access to a wider range of opportunities across both organisations.

Why join the Flexi‑Bank?

Work flexibly – choose shifts that suit your lifestyle and availability

Access more opportunities – pick up shifts across mental health, community and acute care settings

Get paid fairly and on time – competitive rates and fast access to earnings through Stream

Stay supported – benefit from training, development and guidance from our dedicated Temporary Staffing Team

Be part of something bigger – join a growing collaborative of NHS Trusts across Surrey

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is looking for someone To support the Complaints & PALS Manager in the effective management of both the complaints and PALS processes within statutory requirements and Trust policy by liaising with complainants and their families, advocates and staff; promoting the Trust’s complaint handling process, ensuring key standards and service delivery are achieved

• Working Pattern: Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM Location: 18 Mole Business Park, Randalls Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7AD

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities

Complaints

• Support the Complaints & PALS Manager to develop, review and implement complaints policy and procedures to ensure compliance with legislation and national policy.
• Adhere to statutory requirements by implementing processes and procedures to progress local resolution of complaints by managers, providing advice within broad guidelines.
• Manage sensitive and confidential information regarding complaints and PALS queries.
• Liaise with staff at all levels in operational services, corporate departments and external agencies as required in a sensitive manner.
• Advise and support Trust staff in the investigation of complaints and offer support and guidance to effect resolution for the complainant.
• Respond to verbal complaints from complainants and seek to achieve an efficient, effective and sensitive resolution by acting as an interface between service users/carers and practitioners ensuring any immediate healthcare needs are referred to the appropriate service.
• Promote the complaints handling service and provide appropriate literature and materials to staff and service users in order that the complaints service is publicised and widely accessible.
• Ensure documentation and evidence to support complaints investigations is retained in an appropriate format.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Education, Training and Organisational Development

• Support managers and staff regarding the implementation of the Trust’s policies and procedures relating to the handling of complaints, including training at induction and within existing staff teams.
• Promote awareness of the benefits of learning from handling complaints to improve service provision and influence a culture of fair blame, open and honest reporting and investigation.
• Act as a Root Cause Analysis investigator for the Trust, where required.
• Support the Complaints & PALS Manager in the development and delivery of training packages to staff and managers relating to the management of complaints through inducted, targeted team training and awareness raising events.
• Support the Complaints & PALS Manager to create a culture of learning, review and quality improvement.
• Take advantage of both formal and informal settings to provide people with coaching and encouragement on complaint issues.

Patient Advice and Liaison

• To provide an accessible and flexible service, which may at times, be face to face, to people using our services and carers.
• To be office-based in order to undertake the complaints and PALS administrative requirements and be able to actively undertake visits to clinical areas where required and undertake an Advisory and Liaison role.
• To support the Complaints & PALS Manager in facilitating negotiated solutions or resolution of issues as speedily as possible, in relation to the concerns of patients, their carers and families and to support the developments of visible points of contact for patients, their carers and families.
• To work with appropriate colleagues to develop improved written information for patients, carers and relatives where required.
• To produce regular reports for governance committees or related groups.
• To provide help to people using our services, their carers and families in accessing specialist advocacy or other voluntary services including interpreting services as appropriate.
• Support in the preparation and delivery of presentations to publicise PALS to a range of stakeholders.
• Provide support and training to managers and staff on PALS and ensuring a person centred service.
• To contribute to training opportunities in relation to the work of PALS.
• All staff will have a sound awareness of Safeguarding issues and be clear about their respective roles and responsibilities to report, respond to and share information in relation to Safeguarding Adults, Safeguarding Children, Domestic Abuse and Public Protection.
• All staff will have a knowledge of and adhere to the Data Protection Act and will not disclosure to any person or organisation, any confidential information that comes into their possession in the course of their employment.
• To fully participate in the Trust’s performance review and personal development planning process on an annual basis.
• Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with line manager as part of the personal development planning process.
• To achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
• To contribute positively to the effectiveness and efficiency of the teams in which he/she works.
• To undertake any other duties at the request of the line manager which are commensurate with the role, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.
• To contribute to a healthy and safe working environment by adhering to health and safety regulations and Trust policies.
• To contribute to the prevention and control of health care associated infection by adhering to Trust policies and guidelines.
• Surrey & Borders Partnership NHS Trust is committed to valuing and promoting diversity in employment, service delivery practices and its’ general environment. An expectation of all leadership posts within the Trust is that each individual will take responsibility for promoting open, inclusive and accessible service provision, staff development and a culture that values and respects difference.