PALS and Complaints Manager

at  Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a PALS and Complaints Manager to join AWP.
You will lead and manage the PALS and Complaints Officers - a small, friendly and energetic team of people. You will be part of the wider Patient and Carer Experience Team working alongside other managers to ensure patient and carer voice feeds into learning and development across the Trust.
You will work closely with patients, families, carers, divisions, clinicians and services, and you will have strong leadership and communication skills to achieve a timely resolution to complaints and concerns.
The PALS Manager will be responsible for delivering and implementing systems and processes that comply with the national NHS Complaint Standards and will be required to demonstrate experience of working in an NHS , mental health or customer services setting.
We welcome applicants who are highly motivated, with excellent interpersonal skills and a strong operational background, and with demonstrable experience in people management and complaints to support the delivery of a high quality and efficient service.
We encourage all individuals who are interested in the role to contact the recruiting manager, Jo Collins, for an informal discussion at: jo.collins5@nhs.net
The PALS and Complaints Manager will have responsibility for developing and implementing service wide policies and procedures in relation to PALS and Complaints delivery .
They will be the operational lead responsible for the management and coordination of the PALS and Complaints department.
They will continue the implementation of the new PHSO complaints standards, and AWP policies and protocols related to the PALS and Complaints Service.
The post holder must role model excellent leadership and organisational skills to lead the PALS and Complaints team. They must demonstrate an attitude which respects and values patients and their relatives and carers and provide advice to complainants and pals contacts to facilitate their use of the procedures.
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

• They will be the operational lead responsible for the management and coordination of the PALS and Complaints department. They will continue the implementation of the new PHSO complaints standards, and AWP policies and protocols related to the PALS and Complaints Service.

The PALS and Complaints Manager will develop and promote effective relationships with a range of internal/external stakeholders through attendance at key meetings.

• They will evaluate the service and experience using a variety of quality improvement methodologies, and be confident in audit, surveys and other feedback mechanisms to ensure the PALS and Complaints team learns from its own stakeholders, whether they be patients, carers or staff.
• They will be subject experts in complaint management and will horizon scan the national PALS and Complaints agenda, to keep abreast of changes in national policy and to link effectively and regularly with national and regional networks.
• They will develop and deliver training on complaint investigation management across the Trust.
• They will analyse complaints and PALS data and produce reports that are accessible, understandable and appropriate for use throughout the Trust and for the Board.
• The post holder will be the main point of contact for the PHSO, CQC and other organisations in relation to complaints work.
• The post holder will be accessible to the public to receive, examine and resolve questions, problems and concerns ranging from simple enquiries to complex issues and/or criticisms. In certain situations the role of the PALS and Complaints Manager will be to refer to alternative means of resolution or to other organisations. They will hold a small case load of complex cases and lead and manage these as appropriate.
• The post holder will develop and oversee the implementation of strategies for PALS and Complaints work across the organisation to ensure that senior managers develop and implement appropriate strategies for their own area.
• They will liaise with Executive colleagues assisting them with complaint response review, ensuring that information is provided in a timely way and is of the quality required.
• The post holder will advise and make recommendations to staff at all levels that will influence best practice, promote quality improvement and outcomes of clinical care.
• The post holder will ensure that the patient and carer perspective as presented to PALS contributes to the development of other Trust wide practices, strategies and policies to support patient centred healthcare.
• The post holder will encourage and support the training and education of all staff based upon patient and carer experience.
• The post holder will be directly responsible to the Deputy Head of Patient and Carer Experience; liaising closely operational colleagues including Service Managers, Clinical Leads and Directors, Heads of Departments and Matrons and ward, clinic and administrative staff. They will also develop working relationships across all departments and with voluntary agencies and/or outside bodies who provide services at the Trust
• The post holder will be a proactive member of the wider patient and carer experience team and will lead on key projects designed to improve patient and carer experience.
• They will provide direct line management support, including supervision and appraisal and performance management for the PALS team.
• The post holder will develop and maintain strong and close relationship with existing and new independent service user groups, networks, and related mental health voluntary and community organisations as well as user groups that operate within the Trust.

Please refer the Job description for details