Patient Services Support Officer

The purpose of this role is to provide a high-quality patient service that is accessible. The post holder will be responsible for receiving, investigating and resolving informal patient concerns, preventing escalation into formal complaints and acting at all times in accordance with internal policies and relevant legislation.

The post holder will also provide advice on how to resolve concerns and complaints under the NHS complaints procedure to service users and providers, as well as providing administrative and secretarial support across the team, and maintaining confidentiality at all times.

The role will involve working closely with a variety of people including patients, carers, advocates, healthcare professionals, solicitors, administrative staff and Chief Officers. This will span a variety of organisations including partners, healthcare providers, local
authorities and emergency services.

The post holder will maintain administrative systems, including the Patient Services database and an effective bring forward system.

Receive and respond to PALS enquiries, complaints and MP letters by

Advise patients on local health services and provide resolution to their enquiries

Advise patients on how to handle their enquiries informally through PALS and through the NHS complaints procedure

Provide information, advice and support to resolve patient enquiries and complaints

Support patients through the NHS complaints procedure

Maintain Patient Services case notes and databases so there are accurate records of patient enquiries and data to inform reporting

Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are partnerships of health and care organisations that come together to plan and deliver joined up services and to improve the health and wellbeing of people who live and work in their area. Their purpose is to improve outcomes in population health and healthcare; tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access; enhance productivity and value for money and support broader social and economic development in their area efficiency. This will be delivered in neighbourhood, place, combinations of places and GM system.

COMMUNICATION

To advise people who have concerns about the options open to them to resolve their concerns informally or under the NHS complaint procedure, referring them as appropriate to the relevant service manager, PALS, other NHS organisation, local authority and to the Independent Complaints Advocacy (ICA) service or Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) where appropriate.

To advise practitioners and staff about the Patient Services function and local complaint procedures within defined timescales.

To ensure service user information for the Patient Services team is kept up to date and is easily accessible, i.e. complaints leaflets, intranet/website, liaising with the organisation’s staff, Patient Experience, IM&T staff as necessary.

To ensure all patient information is on display for service users and arrange complainant access to translation services where necessary.

Liaise with all disciplines involved in a concern, complaint, claim and MP enquiry (e.g. senior managers, clinical staff, clinicians, Lay Conciliators etc) in order to arrange meetings and facilitate on-going investigations.

INFORMATION RESOURCES, ANALYSIS AND DECISION MAKING

Responsible for data entry and storage of information and data.

Responsible for maintaining own casework including drafting of responses to enquiries and complaints, updating Patient Services records and inputting to the database / system.

Responsible for taking and transcribing formal minutes as required to support the complaints process.

Ensure all information is managed in accordance with Information
Governance policies.

PLANNING & ORGANISATION

Planning and organising own workload and caseload (and supporting Patient Services colleagues), ensuring cases are resolved in accordance with Service Delivery Measures.

Responsible for agreeing timescales to respond to patient enquiries with the need to be flexible in a fast paced and demanding environment.

Delivering work in line with statutory and agreed timescales

PATIENT/CLIENT CARE

Provide non-clinical advice to patients, clients and relatives. The review of informal patient concerns directly informs improvement in the safety and quality of services provided.

POLICY & SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

Propose changes to improve organisational practice, based upon the findings and recommendations arising from the resolution of informal patient concerns.

Contribute to the development and improvement of Patient Services policy, procedures and practice