Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will ensure statutory and organisational requirements are met, that complaints are investigated thoroughly and impartiality and that all complainants receive a full, high quality and timely response in accordance with the Department of Health’s key principles of complaints handling.

 1.    Listening

The initial contact with someone who has concerns or wishes to complain about our services is key.  It is important to:

·         Make sure that you really understand the issues

·         Find out what they want to happen as a result

·         Obtain the right information to assess the seriousness of the complaint

·         Agree a plan and timescale at the outset

·         Maintain regular communication

·         Act quickly if you can

 By doing this the complainant will feel valued, have more confidence in the Trust and we will be able to manage their expectations, so the outcome is more likely to be to the satisfaction of everyone involved.

2.    Responding

By correctly assessing the seriousness of the complaint, deciding on the most appropriate response then becomes more straightforward.  The Trust should:

·         Clearly gauge the impact of the complaint on all parties involved

·         Establish a clear, appropriate plan of action, and provide the person making the complaint with relevant support and advice.

 3.    Improving

Complaints provide a vital insight about people’s experiences and how these services can be improved.  Complainants must be informed of service improvements that have been made a result of their complaint and the Trust must learn from its complaints.

The post holder will also provide day to day advice, expertise and guidance for the concerns and complaints teams acting as a point of contact for the team to deal workflow issues. The post holder will escalate issues or concerns to the Concerns and Complaints Manager. 

 Key Result Areas & Performance:

 ·         Take on a caseload of complaints including complex complaints and complaints that have exceeded the initially prescribed time in which the Trust expected to have resolved them.

·         Work as part of the central complaints team, alongside specific clinical groups, and in liaison with complainants, advocates and staff at all levels within the Trust.

·         Provide expert advice and guidance on regulation and casework issues to the concerns and complaints team. Co-ordinate responses to the most complex complaints received by the Trust and, in doing so, ensuring that each complaint is listened to, understood, properly considered, appropriately responded to and learnt from.

·         Draft complaint response letters for the most complex complaints for signature by the Chief Executive.

·         Support the teams' reporting work by regularly auditing the use of the Ulysses complaints module.

·         Analyse complaints received, identifying trends, themes and opportunities for improving the quality of the Trust’s service and experiences of service users.

·         Escalate complex and/or high-profile patient complaints and, where necessary, liaise directly with service providers and clinical staff on behalf of patients.

·         Contribute to complaints reports/KPI dashboards.

·         Provide advice, support and guidance to divisions on resolving concerns and complaints via local resolution.

·         Chair local resolution meetings between complainants and divisional staff.

·         Train complaints staff and participate in training other staff groups across the Trust on how to successfully deal with complaints.

·         Organise the rota to ensure the service is covered during leave or absence of complaints officers.

·         Deputise in the absence of the Concerns & Complaints Manager

Complex Complaints 

·         To act as the first point of contact for persons wishing to raise a complaint.

·         To advise the public and Trust staff on the Trust’s Complaints Procedure.

·         To record in writing complaints raised, initiate and oversee their investigation and resolution, in line with the Complaints Procedure. 

·         To manage and ensure the timely processing and response of complex complaints according to the Complaints Procedure and Departmental performance requirements, in liaison with managers.

·         Formulate written responses to complex complaints ensuring that all aspects of the complaint have addressed, the inclusion of apologies where appropriate and service improvements.

·         To oversee and support managers and staff in the investigation of complaints and produce comprehensive complaint responses for the Chief Executive. 

·         Organise and chair meetings between staff and patients, carers and relatives.  Use audio recording equipment if consent has been obtained from all parties.

·         To record telephone calls and meetings with complainants and produce accurate and concise reports.

·         To follow up any changes to procedure to ensure the link with Trust wide and local practice governance procedures and to ensure any changes coming out of Complaints/PALS issues are addressed.

·         To adapt procedures within the Trust in response to legislative changes. 

·         Produce reports for Directorates/Departments as and when requested.