Patient Experience Officer

Job summary The PALS Officer is the first point of contact for Service Users and their family/friends to raise queries and concerns about the treatment and care we provide, or when they need advice and don't know where to turn and need signposting to other Services/Organisations. On average, the PALS Department at ESHT deals with approx. 550-600 enquiries a month via face to face contact, telephone and email. The role of the Officer is to ensure that these contacts are recorded correctly, escalated and monitored so resolution can be achieved within the informal process, in a timely manner and in line with the Trust Policies and Procedures. At times, you will be dealing with challenging situations and therefore it is vital that you are robust. Furthermore, and essential to the role are empathy, compassion and exceptional communication skills. These coupled with the capability to actively listen and be skilled in conflict resolution are essential attributes for this public facing role. A PALS Officer needs to be able to manage and co‑coordinate several activities simultaneously whilst also demonstrating a high level of attention to detail and autonomy in a pressured environment. Please note that this role is based at Conquest but you may be required to travel to EDGH. Training however will be at EDGH. Responsibilities To provide a PALS function that acts as first port of call for the general public, patients under our care and their relatives and carers and is supportive, solution focussed manner, calm, polite and professional; To handle telephone enquiries, queries and concerns from the general public, patients under our care and their families and carers in a calm, polite and professional manner and respond within agreed timescales; To meet with members of the general public, patients under our care and their families and carers on a face‑to‑face basis in order to provide support, guidance and wherever possible, deliver resolutions to a range of enquiries, queries and concerns in an efficient and confident way, showing empathy and concern at all times; To liaise with staff across the Trust at all levels in a professional manner to address and, wherever possible, resolve first line enquiries, queries and concerns with the best possible outcome in a timely manner; To develop and sustain good working relationships with clinical and non‑clinical staff within the Trust and in external partner organisations; To be confident in handling and resolving enquiries, queries and concerns from individuals who may be distressed or angry in a calm, polite and professional manner; To be flexible in working across the EDGH and CQ sites to work with either of the PALS offices; To work autonomously and as part of the PALS team maintaining the professional standards expected; About us A wide range of staff benefits are available to our staff including staff development, enrollment in the NHS pension scheme, auto‑enrolment to our Temporary Workforce Service, access to onsite nurseries, staff restaurants and accommodation. In addition to an internal Occupational Health department, all staff also have access to free psychological support through our confidential Employee Assistance Programme. Onsite parking is available from only £50 a year. Statement on the Use of AI We value the individuality that each candidate brings to the application process. While we understand that AI tools are widely available, we strongly discourage applicants from using AI-generated content when applying for jobs with us. We believe that your application should reflect your true skills, experiences, and motivations, which are best conveyed through your own words and unique perspective. Using AI for your application may not accurately represent your knowledge, skills, and experience and may result in a disconnect between your qualifications and our assessment of your application. We encourage applicants to take the time to thoughtfully complete your applications; by doing so, you allow us to better understand your true potential and ensure a fair and transparent evaluation of your application. Over reliance on AI-generated content may diminish your chance of success. Details Date posted: 28 November 2025 Pay scheme: Agenda for change Band: Band 5 Salary: £31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum, pro rata Contract: Fixed term Duration: 12 months Working pattern: Part-time Reference number: 374-LVB1125 Job locations: Conquest Hospital, The Ridge, St Leonards, TN37 7RD Person Specification Qualifications (Essential) Good level of general education including maths and English Evidence of continued professional development to degree level or equivalent level of knowledge and experience Qualifications (Desirable) Counselling and/ or Advocate qualifications Experience (Essential) Significant experience in a relevant administrative, customer service or a clinical role within the NHS or other public sector organisation relating to the provision of health or social care Experience or working in a patient facing type of role Experience (Desirable) Experience of inter‑agency and partnership working Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit UK Visas and Immigration website. From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants. Employer details East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust Conquest Hospital The Ridge St Leonards TN37 7RD Employer's website http://jobs.esht.nhs.uk/ #J-18808-Ljbffr