Job summary
- Main area
- Complaints
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (This role is based at Headquarters, Leatherhead and is required on site working.)
- Job ref
- 325-8100929-CORP-A
- Employer
- Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Surrey and Borders Partnership Trust Headquarters, Leatherhead
- Town
- Leatherhead
- Salary
- £51,657 - £58,785 Incl. 5% Fringe HCAS, pa, pro rata.
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 06/09/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Complaints Manager
NHS AfC: Band 7
Would you like to work in an organisation that sits in the top 10 best NHS Mental Health, Learning Disability and Community Services Trust to work for. This ranking is based on staff feedback in the 2023 NHS Staff Survey.
Job overview
We are looking for an experienced, compassionate and highly motivated individual to lead our Complaints, Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and People's Experience function.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in ensuring that the voices of people who use our services, their families and carers are heard, valued and acted upon. You will lead the day-to-day management of the Complaints and PALS Team, ensuring concerns are handled professionally, sensitively and in a timely manner, while promoting a culture of openness, learning and continuous improvement.
Working across the Trust, you will lead the development of our People's Experience agenda, bringing together learning from complaints, PALS contacts, compliments, concerns and real-time feedback to drive improvements in care, quality and people's experiences of our services.
As a visible and approachable leader, you will support staff at all levels to develop the confidence and skills needed to have open, honest and constructive conversations, particularly when managing concerns or resolving difficult situations.
Main duties of the job
- To manage the Complaints and PALS Team
- To build and maintain good relationships with clinical and non-clinical staff across Directorates and Departments.
- To ensure the Trust adheres to the Complaints Regulations
- Monitor and report on complaints and PALS performance
- To build and maintain good relationships with key stakeholders and the local community.
Articulate the significance and potential impact of government policies as they relate to policy, practice, and its development. - Proactively work within the principles of being open and honest (Duty of Candour)
The post holder will deliver a training programme for all staff on complaints handling and specific training for investigating officers. - The post holder will lead on the implementation and embedding of Ai technology (Quail) within complaint responses to ensure that it is being utilised optimally across the Trust.
To act as Liaison Officer when a complaint has been referred to the Ombudsman for investigation.
Working for our organisation
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is the leading provider of mental health, learning disability, neurodevelopmental and drug and alcohol services in Surrey and North East Hampshire. We support people of all ages and are passionate about providing high quality care that is delivered at the right time as close to home as possible to help people recover and stay well.
We are one of the top 10 mental Health, Learning Disability and Community Trust to work for nationwide. Our Trust is an inclusive and supportive employer that offers a wide range of staff networks, flexible working, free parking and excellent health and wellbeing support. We also provide a wide range of opportunities to help staff develop and progress.
Surrey is a beautiful county lying just 30 minutes away from Central London and from the South Coast. Our historic market towns and bustling districts are enveloped in wonderful countryside, and our excellent road and rail networks bring the rest of the country within easy reach. For international travel, both Gatwick and Heathrow airports are nearby.
Please note that we reserve the right to close posts as soon as sufficient applications are received.
Regrettably, due to UK Home Office requirements we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles.
Applicants must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the role.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please check the job description & person specification document for more information on the requirements for this job
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Relevant experience of which at least 2 years in a role related to the management of complaints and people’s experience
- A clear understanding and a working knowledge of the Complaints regulations
- Managing Teams in a Senior Role.
- Ability to identify issues, and implement solutions.
- Ability to communication with others and at all levels.
- Priority the Teams workload alongside your own workload
Desirable criteria
- Experience on using complaints Ai software
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of producing reports to show complaints performance and trends
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Joanna Brittan
- Job title
- Carers & Co-Production Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 077768244785
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