PALS Officer

Key Result Areas

• To act as a compassionate point of contact for patients and other users of Trust services.
• To operate a frontline, patient facing service, taking details of complaints and raising these with relevant staff, to ensure they are dealt with in accordance with Trust Policy.
• To listen and respond to the concerns of service users relating to their experience of the Trust, explaining the options available for resolution and clarifying the outcomes sought.
• To obtain detailed information from service users, paying due care and attention to the sensitivity of their concerns, and to undertake investigation and follow-up action on their behalf.
• To ensure that issues raised with the PALS are responded to promptly and in accordance with timescales set out in Trust Policy.
• To use the Trusts Risk Management System to record details of enquiries from service users.
• To liaise with divisions to ensure a timely and appropriate resolution is provided for complainants.
• To attend meetings as appropriate to the role.
• To undertake regular data quality checks on own work, so that the service can produce robust and detailed reports.
• To undertake data analysis and reporting as appropriate to the role, including in relation to overdue responses.
• To support divisions to review and track complaints as appropriate, including providing tracker reports.
• To support patients, carers and families access specialist advocacy, other voluntary or support services, including interpreting, as appropriate.
• To support the Complaints Coordinator with continuous improvement, including review of processes and tasks.
• To support the Assistance and Complaints Team to deliver education and training to key induction and education modules within the Trust.
• To actively promote the service to contribute to a learning culture and improve patient experience and safety.
• To support the Trusts peer review process for complaints.
• To take comments from service users, ensure that they are acknowledged and recorded appropriately, and relayed to the relevant staff, service or division.
• To ensure that leaflets and other sources of information regarding sources of advice and support are available across the Trust.
• To ensure that issues which may involve a safeguarding concern or potential Police involvement are communicated to the Complaints Team Leader and Quality Lead for Patient Experience and Complaints and/or Quality Delivery Manager/Head of Quality Governance.
• To act as an ambassador for the Trust, maintaining a professional and calm demeanour.