Job overview
Are you passionate about delivering outstanding patient experience and ensuring every voice is heard? We are looking for a dedicated and compassionate Complaints Officer to join our Patient Relations team at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.
In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for managing a caseload of approximately 40 complaints, ensuring each is handled with empathy, professionalism, and in line with Trust and national guidelines. You will work closely with Divisional teams, the Executive Team, and external stakeholders such as MPs, GPs, and advocacy services to ensure timely, thorough, and high-quality responses.
You will be the main point of contact for complainants, guiding them through what can often be an emotional and complex process. Your ability to communicate sensitively and clearly will be key, as will your attention to detail and commitment to continuous improvement.
This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to patient care and service delivery. If you are organised, resilient, and motivated by helping others, we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
To facilitate and robust and responsive complaints service, which is in line with Trust, PHSO and national guidelines and frameworks.
The CO supports the Divisions throughout the complaints process.
The CO manages a caseload of approximately 40 complaints. Each complaint is managed from the outset by the COs who are responsible for driving a high-quality investigation, ensuring all concerns are responded to comprehensively, within the Trust complaints response timeframe.
The CO manages each complaint, ensuring responses are thorough and have addressed all the points raised by the complainant.
The COs liaise with the complainant and are the point of contact for the complainant throughout the complaints process.
Complaints can be highly emotive and the COs are required to display empathy and compassion at all times.
COs are required to raise any immediate issues of concerns such as safeguarding, patient safety to the Patient Relations Manager for immediate action.
COs liaise with the Divisions, the Exec Team, Finance, and any other relevant depts both internal and external, including MPs, GPs, PHSO, and The Advocacy People.
COs facilitate complaints meeting with the complainants, and support the Division in these meetings, ensuring a recording of the meeting is sent out to the complainant.
Working for our organisation
Why colleagues think we are
What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?
As part of our BHT family, you’ll benefit from learning and development opportunities to support your career progression.
Alongside NHS benefits of generous annual leave entitlement and pension scheme, you'll have access to NHS discount schemes.
We provide a range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce.
What do we stand for?
Our vision is to provide outstanding care, support healthy communities and be a great place to work.
Our mission is to provide personal and compassionate care every time.
We are working hard to increase diversity at all levels within the trust. We believe a diverse workforce can have a positive effect on both staff wellbeing and patient outcomes.
We welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, candidates with disabilities and care-experienced candidates.
We make employment decisions by matching our service needs with the skills and experience of candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
Person specification
EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
Essential criteria
1. Evidence of working In the area of NHS Complaints / Advice Services with evidence of relevant short courses and self-study.
Desirable criteria
2. Degree Level or equivalent experience
Knowledge, Training and Experience
Essential criteria
3. Experience of dealing with conflict situations, facilitating resolution and identifying solutions
4. Experience of working with patients and the public in an advisory capacity
5. Understanding of patient and public involvement, patient liaison, claims and formal complaints within the NHS
6. An excellent understanding of confidentiality and consent issues
7. Experience of using Datix or similar software databases
PPE requirements: Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust requires all colleagues to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with our infection prevention and control procedures.
COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations remain the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course our patients from the viruses when working in our healthcare settings. We encourage our staff to be vaccinated when recommended.
Application deadline: This post will close on the closing date stated at midnight, however if we receive a large number of applications or there is a change in circumstance, we may be required to close a job before the advertised date.
Application information: If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records (ESR) system.
Shortlisting: The monitoring and safeguarding sections are not made visible to the shortlisting panel. The safeguarding section may be made visible to the interview panel, dependent on the role being recruited into.
Travel expenses: It is Trust policy that travel expenses for interviews will not be reimbursed.
Smoking: All Trust sites are NO SMOKING. Smoking in all areas of the buildings and premises is prohibited.
Employer certification / accreditation badges