Job overview
The post holder will be the operational lead responsible for the management and coordination of the patient experience and bereavement activity across all services in the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
They must demonstrate an attitude which respects and values patients and their relatives and carers. They must demonstrate excellent managerial and organisational skills to lead the complaints and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) element of this corporate function.
Provide training to NHS staff on the patient experience portfolio on mechanisms of feedback including the Trusts complaints policy and procedures process. They must possess excellent interpersonal skills and a flexible approach to work.
Main duties of the job
They will support the Patient Experience, Involvement and Bereavement Lead in developing and promoting effective relationships with a range of internal/external stakeholders through attendance at key meetings.
They will work with and liaise with senior managers in the Trust to implement and further develop the Trusts policy and procedures in relation to the patient experience.
They will seek to develop means to receive feedback from patients, relative and carers and difficult to reach patient groups.
They will, using the feedback assist with the development of work streams to improve the patient experience and to support the patient experience steering group patient experience staff council and patient partnership groups.
They will, using feedback identify areas of risk and monitor performance and quality of services arising from the complaints received to facilitate organisational learning.
Working for our organisation
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust offers leadership and improvement training to all new staff. This training programme has been designed to support our leaders in developing their understanding of leadership and management skills. You will be expected to attend the following training sessions:
·Your Leadership Impact
·Leading your Team to Success
·Leading Into the Future
·Service Improvement for Beginners
·Developing your Service Improvement Skills
·Lean Practitioner
The leadership and improvement programme aims to:
·Explore leadership within the NHS
·Promote Trust values and behaviours
·Develop your leadership effectiveness and skills
·Equip staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to lead and complete service improvements within the scope of your role.
After you complete these six and a half days of training you will be able to explore further leadership and improvement training opportunities. We also offer a range of additional in-house and externally provided courses and bitesize programmes through our Leadership and Improvement Team.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the full job description and person specification document(s) attached for main responsibilities of the role.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Educated to degree level or equivalent.
Desirable criteria
2. Masters degree
Knowledge and skills
Essential criteria
3. Excellent communication skills in all forms and able to engage with all grades of professional staff with complex/sensitive issues.
4. Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating the ability to manage communication in emotional and challenging situations with empathy and professionalism.
5. Ability to plan, organise and manage own workload and that of others.
6. Understanding of grief and loss and its impact on individuals.
7. Competent in IT software systems whereby handling sensitive personal identifiable data is the predominant content and to design tools, collate and analyse data and run reports to support audit activity.
8. Demonstrate ability to work to deadlines and agreed objectives in area of specialty.
9. Problem solving skills, analytical and judgement skills.
10. PALS core standards and relevant legislation.
Experience
Essential criteria
11. Management qualification or demonstrable evidence.
12. Experience of working in the NHS in a patient experience or bereavement setting and dealing with difficult situations.
13. Experience of dealing with death/bereavement within the NHS or other caring environment, working with people in sensitive and emotional situations to offer leadership and support.
14. Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and of equality and diversity of issues around death.
15. Experience of supervising staff and setting quality standards of practice in a front-line emotionally charged area of service delivery.
Desirable criteria
16. Experience of dealing with/managing complaints.
Disclosure and Barring Checks (DBS)
It is now the policy of South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who are new to the Trust who require DBS clearance for the post they have been offered, are required to pay the cost of their DBS. The method of payment for this is via salary deduction from your first month's pay.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. We welcome applications from the Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Network; LGBT+ Network; Disability and Long-Term Health Conditions Network, Faith Network, Childless not by Choice Network and the Menopause Support Group.
As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you.
If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at
Right to Work in the UK
The Trust welcomes applications from all candidates who meet the criteria for the role. Please note that from January 2021, to work in the UK all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship unless you have permission to work via another route. Non UK / RoI candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here Work in the UK - (.
Please provide full and accurate details of your current immigration status on the application form. Your current immigration status will not be considered as part of the shortlisting or interview process.
Please note that not everyone needs a Skilled Worker visa. If you are applying for a vacancy in health or adult social care, you may be eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead.
We are able to offer sponsorship for a Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visa, subject to candidate and position eligibility. Please review the job eligibility guidance for skilled workers here: Skilled Worker visa: Your job - ( and for the Health and Care Worker visa here: Skilled Worker visa: eligible healthcare and education jobs - (
Please note: if the job you are applying for does not meet the eligibility criteria above, we will be unable to offer you sponsorship and you will need to explore whether you may be eligible to apply for an alternative immigration route which will secure your right to work in the UK before you apply. If you are in the UK already on a visa, please ensure you have no restrictions that would prevent you from taking this post.
The Trust encourages and supports all applicants to be fully vaccinated against both COVID19 and influenza.
Please be aware, there are occasions where some vacancies may close prior to the closing date advertised. This will only happen where sufficient applications are received AND will be made evident on the job advert.
Please note if you are successfully shortlisted, we will contact you via the email address that you have applied from so please ensure you check your emails regularly.
Existing employees of South Tees NHS Foundation Trust currently on the Redeployment Register, who meet the essential criteria for this post, will be shortlisted and interviewed prior to all other applicants.