Complaints and Pals Co-ordinator

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the current PALS & Complaints team at ESNEFT, on a full time, permanent basis specifically within the Complaints Department at Ipswich Hospital.

The focus of this post is to support service users in the resolution of their enquiries, concerns and complaints. The post holder will work closely with a wide range of departments and staff.

**To be successful in this role, you should have the following**:
- GCSE in English Language, Grade C or equivalent
- Proven customer service experience
- IT skills and knowledge of Microsoft programmes
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a good telephone manner
- Ability to generate professional correspondence
- Have an eye for detail
- The ability to work to deadlines often under pressure
- The competence to work independently

The post holder will be based on site primarily in the Complaints Department at Ipswich Hospital but will be expected to contribute to the full PALS & Complaints team and across both ESNEFT sites as needed.

Reporting to the PALS & Complaints Manager, the post holder will support the delivery of positive Patient Experience initiatives at ESNEFT.

Good listening skills and an awareness of the need for discretion and high levels of confidentiality are essential and the role also demands outstanding organisational and time management skills, as well as the ability to manage competing priorities against tight deadlines.

One of the largest Trust’s in East Anglia, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) provide hospital and community health services to people living across a wide geographical area. We deliver care from two main hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, six community hospitals and in patients’ own homes. You will be joining a team of almost 12,000 amazing colleagues providing care to approximately a million people.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (if applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services. We offer a range of flexible working opportunities.

Our philosophy is thatTime Mattersto everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which do not work or cause time delays for our staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge then we are keen to hear from you.

**Purpose of Role**:
**This means specific accountability to**: Co-ordinate and facilitate the Trust’s Complaints/PALS policy on behalf of the Trust and to act as a central point of contact for all concerns, complaints and compliments.
- To provide a welcoming, professional and high quality Complaints/PALS service and environment encouraging patients, carers and visitors to access the service. To ensure the service is accessible, friendly, compassionate and caring.
- Contribute to the fulfilment of schedules and meeting of deadlines to support Divisions and departments.
- Act as an interface between complainants or PALS enquirers and Trust staff.
- To build and maintain good professional working relationships with clinical and non-clinical staff across the Trust and beyond to ensure the speedy resolution of problems.
- Deal tactfully and diplomatically in a professional and empathetic manner with distressed patients/relatives/carers and members of the general public wishing to raise concerns, acknowledging their heightened level of anxiety and overcoming difficulties with any language barriers.
- Maintain the smooth running of the department ensuring targets for answering and responding to enquiries and concerns are met in line with local and national guidance.
- Ability to be flexible and prioritise workload in accordance with the provision of a front line and responsive service.
- Receive complex, sensitive or emotive complaints, and acknowledge within the timeframe set by the Trust’s Complaints Handling policy.
- Prepare a draft response as appropriate.
- Undertake quality and formatting functions to ensure that complaint response letters are understandable, answer all the points raised and ensuring learning points and actions taken are identified.
- To manage the progress of investigations and exercise judgement to take appropriate actions where timescales are at risk of being exceeded.
- Maintaining an effective, efficient and confidential diary system; ensuring all PALS/complaint correspondence is kept in accordance with the current Data Protection Act.
- Knowledge of the full range of administrative and secretarial procedures, including advanced keyboard skills, ensuring accurate and speedy production of documentation e.g. correspondence, agendas, minutes, reports etc.

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.