Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION NB:

Please do not change the Word format or Page Set Up of this document. 1. JOB DETAILS Job Title: PALS Officer Reports to: PALS Service Co-ordinator Band: 4 Department: Patient Experience (Patient Advice and liaison) Location St James Hospital AfC Job No: AFC 4092 2. JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY An exciting opportunity has arisen in our small and friendly team for an enthusiastic, compassionate, hardworking individual to join the Trust within Patient Experience, Patient advice and liaison Team as a PALS Officer.



This role involves providing support, guidance and advice for people who wish to raise concerns about various aspects of care or who want general information about our Trust services. This is fast paced and challenging, but rewarding post, within a supportive team, focused on improving the experiences of people visiting our Trust. 3. ORGANISATIONAL CHART 4.



PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY To be supportive, accessible and responsive to patients, service users, carers and members of the public, to enable them to express their views and raise concerns easily while following CQC requirements, Be responsible for listening to, understanding, and analysing problems, questions or requests being presented by patients and their representatives, the public and the staff. To assess individual situations and be able to differentiate between issues that can be resolved on the spot and those that warrant further investigation or resolution. Delivery of the PALS service with minimal supervision including acting as an independent facilitator to help patients, their families and carers resolve problems or concerns quickly, and ensuring that lessons learned from feedback contribute to improving patient care. Be responsible for the handling of the generic Patient Experience email account, including managing the PALS Inbox.



To help individuals to access the formal complaints process if they wish to do so. Exercise high levels of concentration given the unpredictable nature of the work. The post holder must be able to prioritise and manage the competing demands of their workload. Manage the PALS database, ensuring that requests for information are correctly entered and maintained, that reports on requests are run and trends analysed and acted upon.



To support and understand the consent process following contact from Local MPs and to provide advice to those who wish to have an independent advocate to support with their contact. Work as an integral member of the PALS team covering for other team members, as necessary, and assisting in the induction and development of staff, providing support and guidance, as appropriate. To contribute to and deliver individual CSU training on the PALS process, customer services and frontline resolution of concerns. To ensure that CSU colleagues and staff are supported and enabled to meet patients needs in practice when investigating and resolving concerns.



To provide comprehensive information or signposting to patients, their representatives and the general public about Trust services generally, specific information about the services they access and about health- related issues generally including access to other health related agencies and services. To provide high quality responses to compliments received into Leeds Teaching Hospitals. 5. THE LEEDS WAY VALUES Our values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this as a strength, as well as a responsibility.



They have been developed by our staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are: Patient-centred Collaborative Fair Accountable Empowered All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values Additionally, the following are core values which relate specifically to this post: - Patient, person and complainant centred, considering the needs of different complainants (as per the Equality and Diversity Policy). - Demonstrates the value of patient, carer and public feedback as the key to improving the patient experience and services. - Demonstrates a commitment to ensure a thorough and responsive PALS service.



Values the protection of patient and complainant confidentiality. - Values partnership working with other agencies to the benefit of complainants. - Commitment to carrying out the Trusts statutory responsibilities within the context of the PALS NHS Procedure 6. WEST YORKSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF ACUTE TRUSTS (WYAAT) Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible care for our patients.

By bringing together the wide range of skills and expertise across West Yorkshire and Harrogate we are working differently, innovating and driving forward change to deliver the highest quality care. By working for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust this is your opportunity to be a part of that change. 7. INFECTION CONTROL The jobholder must comply at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Infection Control policies, in particular by practising Universal Infection Control Precautions.



Hand hygiene must be performed before and after contact with patients and their environment. 8. HEALTH AND SAFETY / RISK MANAGEMENT All staff are responsible for working with their colleagues to maintain and improve the quality of services provided to our patients and other service users. This includes complying at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Policies, including Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed security and safer working procedures, and reporting incidents using the Trust Incident Reporting system 9.



EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY The jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients and their families. No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc. 10. TRAINING AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The jobholder must take responsibility in agreement with his/her line manager for his/her own personal development by ensuring that Continuous Professional Development remains a priority.



The jobholder will undertake all mandatory training required for the role. 11. COMMUNICATION & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS Key communication and working relationships include: - Internal Deputy PCPI Manager Complaints and PALS team CSU management teams Consultants Risk management - External Leeds and York Partnerships Trust Leeds ICB Leeds City Council NHS England Leeds Community Care Advocacy agencies Yorkshire Ambulance Service 12. SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS i) PHYSICAL EFFORT: A combination of sitting, standing, walking with little requirement for physical effort.



Infrequent requirement to move and handle equipment eg. office supplies. ii) MENTAL EFFORT: Frequent concentration; work pattern unpredictable. Concentration for eg.



enquiries, complaints, devising action plans, changing patient/client requirements. iii) EMOTIONAL EFFORT: Frequent exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances through email, telephone, and written communication. Talking and listening to patients and relatives on a daily basis who have concerns with Leeds Teaching Hospitals. Face to Face meetings with patients and their families where cases are/can be particularly difficult or complex and complainants may be angry.

iv) WORKING CONDITIONS:

Working environment - shared office. Regular contact with patients and families by telephone who may be angry. Infrequent contact with angry and abusive complainants who visit the department. Regular contact with staff members in teaching and learning environments.