Complaints and Pals Lead

The post holder will ensure that the complaints and PALS department is managed effectively by: Working collaboratively with key staff involved in the process. Implement, monitor and develop the trusts complaints policy and ensure that all complaints are managed effectively in line with our policy and values and national requirements. Ensure that ANHSFT complaints policy and processes are in line with national standards. Liaise with and service managers, investigators and staff, across the trust, to ensure a seamless process for the management of complaints and a systematic process for learning and service improvement as a result of complaints and concerns raised Identify opportunities where complaints may be resolved by the PALS Officer to the satisfaction of the complainant/patient and conversely ensure that appropriate concerns are escalated to complaints where needed Develop and build strong relationships with investigators and with people who use our services, their families and carers; therefore gaining a better understanding and insight into their complaint.

Ensure the Trust learns from complaints, triangulates patient experience information to improve patient care and continuous improvement across its service provision To raise the confidence and competency of complaint leads to respond to complaints designing and delivering training as required.. Management Manage the Complaints-PALS team to ensure that all complaints and PALS concerns are dealt with as indicated by national recommendations and local policy. Monitor complaints to ensure that these are managed within the set timescales Communicate with patients and their representatives in relation to complaints and areas of concerns using highly developed communication, counselling and negotiation skills to effect resolution as early as possible in the process. Ensure the Assistant Director of Healthcare Governance and Associate Chief Nurse for Safety are made of any complaints that may meet the criteria for a serious incident.

Liaise with the Patient Safety Manager (Legal Services) to advise of any complaints that may result in the complainant making a financial claim. Liaise with and supply information to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) when required. Liaise with local commissioners (Clinical Commissioning Groups) and other partner organisations when necessary. Ensure queries/concerns and parliamentary questions from local Members of Parliament are dealt with promptly and effectively.

Author reports as requested by the Chief Nurse working to timescales Advise the Quality and Safety Committee of any issues relating to non-compliance and achievement of complaints standards ensuring that action plans are in place to rectify issues Learning from complaints To support and help embed a patient led and patient focussed culture across the Trust as a core theme of all work undertaken. To encourage the involvement of patients, their representatives and the public in the management and handling of complaints. To work with the clinical areas, patient safety and risk and clinical governance leads to further develop systems and processes to support the Trust in being able to demonstrate evidence of learning from complaints..

Provide training to staff regarding the complaints process with a focus on ensuring that appropriate actions are identified to affect real and sustained change To be able to record and provide relevant evidence required by the Trust to demonstrate compliance with external regulatory organisations such as the PHSO and Care Quality Commission. Communication Communicates across organisational boundaries as required. Engages in effective communication with patients, carers, relatives and visitors. Effective verbal, non-verbal and written communications with all members of the team within own department and other relevant departments.

Addresses inappropriate behaviour in others in a professional manner Produce high standard of report writing