Pals and Complaints Officer

Education Training and Personal Development To identify own training and development needs and undertake appropriate training / education as required, supported by regular KSFs. To undertake appropriate training to enhance skills in delivering the service as required. To promote the service by providing information, delivering presentations and supporting training. Assisting in the preparation of literature including leaflets and posters for both Trust staff and external groups.

To instigate and / or participate in PALS / Complaints service related projects as appropriate. To have specialist knowledge of the PALS standards and Complaints regulations. To participate in regular supervision with the team. Service Development To be responsible for implementing policies relating to PALS across the Trust.

To act as an early warning system for the Trust by monitoring problems arising from complaints and highlighting gaps in service provision that require service development. To proactively inform departments of problems and supportive of bringing about change. To act as a catalyst for change in order to resolve problems and change practice, enabling the PALS service to contribute to improving the quality and outcome of contact between patients and the Trust. Receive complaints, both oral and written, ensuring they are acknowledged and processed according to the NHS complaints regulations and the Trust policy.

To maintain filing / indexing systems for the department (both paper and electronic), including confidential files, as required, in accordance with Information Governance and Records Management policies and practice. To prepare, maintain and collate accurate and contemporaneous records of all concerns raised by individuals including outcomes and actions take, including details of actions To undertake analysis of the data recorded for the purposes of identifying systems failures and common concerns including trend. Communication Key Relationships Patients, carers and the general public Line manager and other staff at all levels within the Trust The Trust Communications team PALS across the local health community and nationally Complaints staff across the local health community and nationally MPs Local health and social care agencies Voluntary sector and advocacy organisations To provide and receive complex, sensitive and contentious information where agreement or co-operation is required and where there can on occasion be barriers to understanding using, empathic or re-assurance skills To build and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders and the local community To respond to requests for and provide accurate, good quality information for patients and users To provide a sensitive and patient/carer focused approach To facilitate wherever possible, a sympathetic and reasonable resolution causing minimum distress to all those involved To receive and respond to queries / concerns of patients, their carers and relatives, acting independently to facilitate resolution of problems in the most effective and sensitive manner in line with the new national guidelines Analytical and Judgemental Skills / Freedom to Act To make judgments based on complex facts and situations that require assessment of a range of options in order to be able to give accurate advice or information To act independently within appropriate occupational guidelines, deciding where necessary to refer to the manager Planning and Organisational Skills To be able to plan and organise own work and to formulate plans for the effective development of the service that will be Trust wide in their operation Physical Skills To travel to various sites across the Trust and on occasion other local or national sites To use a computer keyboard on a daily basis based on skills gained over a period of time Responsibility for Patients / Clients To have one to one contact with patients face to face or via the telephone Policy and Service Responsibilities To be responsible for supporting the development and implementation of PALS policies and procedures for use within the service area and across the Trust. Responsibility for Financial and Physical Resources To observe own duty of care in relation to equipment or resources used in the course of work Responsibility for Staff To be responsible for devising and delivering regular specialist training on PALS and complaints across the Trust Responsibility for Information Responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the Safeguard system and for keeping it up to date Required to use the Safeguard system daily and where necessary adapting it to meet the need of the service Research and Development Undertakes surveys and audits on PALS and complaints across the Trust Physical Effort This post will involve sitting for long periods of time, standing and walking Mental Effort This post will involve checking documents, analysing statistics or carrying out calculations, and preparing reports.

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