Complaints Investigator

This is a newly created role across our service for children and young people, working as part of a team across our bases, to support our service with enhancing our support for children and families. This is a great opportunity to get involved with patient experience and will appeal to those who have an eye for detail, an enquiring nature, great communication skills, and a passion for improving care. This role sits very centrally in our leadership teams. The Complaints Investigator will:

• Formally investigate concerns brought to the attention of the Trust, ensuring that all facts are considered, and to communicate the response in a timely and sensitive manner in line with policy.
• Organise / co-ordinate / attend relevant meetings, representing complaints and disseminating information, as appropriate.
• Ensure that data is entered accurately, in accordance with agreed deadlines;
• Participate in training about legislation or changes in practice which influence the work within the team in relation to complaints, cascading information and training as necessary.
• Act as an expert resource in the use of computer equipment and software packages, in liaison with IT Department, e.g. developing spread sheets and databases and preparing presentations and reports as required.
• Have sufficient knowledge of and able to advise service users on principal issues in delivery of mental health services, including, Complaints Investigator:
• Facilitates high quality and professional Complaints function for service users, carers and others who are expressing concerns and complaints relating to CAMHS services provided by HPFT, considering:
• The needs of service users, carers and the public
• The national standards and statutory procedures for Complaints
• To contact complainants to discuss their concerns, understand the issues, investigate and draft a timely response letter to the
• Works closely with Service Line Leads, Team Managers and Clinical
• Provides support to team members in administration of Complaints management, data reporting and recording, management of information and
• Supports Local Team with the complaints process to ensure that complaints and concerns are investigated and responded to appropriately, and lessons learned so that there is continuous improvement of services, Organise / co-ordinate / attend relevant meetings, representing complaints and disseminating information, as
• Ensure that data is entered accurately, in accordance with agreed deadlines;
• Participate in training about legislation or changes in practice which influence the work within the team in relation to complaints, cascading information and training as
• Act as an expert resource in the use of computer equipment and software packages, in liaison with IT Department, g. developing spread sheets and databases and preparing presentations and reports as required.
2. COMPLAINTS COORDINATION Have sufficient knowledge of and able to advise service users on principal issues in delivery of mental health services, including:
• + basic knowledge of mental health conditions and how they are treatedby professionals; + basic knowledge of policy and procedure within NHS and Social CareSector; + basic knowledge of current mental health
• Advise the complainant on the Trust's Complaints Procedure and act as a facilitator for service users, their carers, relatives and others for enquiries or To negotiate solutions on behalf of the service user, where appropriate;
• Record, in writing, complaints raised, initiate and oversee their investigation and resolution, in line with the Complaints
• Ensure the timely processing and response to complaints according to the Complaints Procedure and Departmental performance requirements, in liaison with managers;
• Oversee and support managers and staff in the investigation of complaintsand production of timely, appropriate complaint responses for the SeniorService Line Lead
• Record telephone calls and meetings with complainants and produce accurate and concise reports;
• Manage the complaints database effectively and produce statistics and complaint reports as required by the Trust and outside agencies, Be a good communicator and liaise effectively with a wide range of internal and external individuals and organisations;
• Support the Senior Service Line Lead and Service Manager by undertaking delegated responsibilities when appropriate, in as responsive and flexible way as the statutory obligations and priorities of the post permit;
• Maintain a high level of knowledge about current NHS Directions and Guidance concerning Complaints;
• Develop and maintain adequate knowledge of all relevant Trust policies and procedures, especially observing those concerning confidentiality and data protection;
• Participate in the development and implementation of local departmental policies;
• Maintain knowledge of the Trusts services and relevant major initiatives;
• Take part in opportunities for personal and professional development, asidentified in appraisal and personal development plans including trainingand meetings with the corporate complaints
• Network and, where appropriate, work in partnership with other health and social care
  
  Degree or relevant experience
• Educated to A level standard or equivalent
• Excellent standard of written and verbal English
Desirable criteria
• Professional qualification e.g. health and safety qualification etc., Demonstrate an understanding of a range of relevant work, procedures and practices which require expertise, underpinned by theoretical knowledge and relevant practical experience in Complaints
• Understand cultural and diversity issues i.e. ethnicity, age gender, religion, disability, social exclusion
• Ability to manage own workload and delegate where appropriate
• Confidence to be assertive whilst demonstrating empathy and tact; sensitive to feeling and attitudes of staff/ service users / carers / public
• Ability to use initiative and work unsupervised to achieve results
Desirable criteria
• Knowledge of external organisations and their influence e.g. Care Quality Commission, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
• Good knowledge of clinical governance framework within the NHS including learning from complaints, comments and incidents
• Knowledge of client consent and data protection issues
• Knowledge of service user and carer involvement to influence quality development
  
  Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an exceptional organisation with big ambitions,
our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.
• With a workforce of 3,000 and an annual income of c. £200m, the Trust is organised across three Strategic Business Units and provides integrated health and social care services through a large network of community and inpatient settings, serving diverse communities across Hertfordshire, Norfolk, North Essex and Buckinghamshire. As a university trust, HPFT continues to develop strong links with the University of Hertfordshire providing excellent learning and development opportunities, as well as strengthening our clinical research capability.
• Whilst it is a challenging period for the NHS, there has never been a more exciting time to join HPFT following our CQC rating of Outstanding awarded to us in April We are on our "Great Together" journey as we continue to innovate, improve, transform and ultimately deliver the very highest standards of care to the service users and communities that we serve., Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is rated by the Care Quality Commission as an Outstanding provider of mental health and learning disability services. In 2021, we won the prestigious Health Service Journal award for Mental Health Trust of the Year, with the judges saying they were "blown away" by our people's achievements and that everything they saw "sings and hums". This year, our staff rated us the 4^th best mental health and learning disability trust to work for out of all 52 trusts in the country. Our staff tell us that they are proud to be part of the HPFT team, proud of the standard of care we provide and proud that service users are our top priority. Our people tell us they feel supported though a great development, wellbeing and work-life balance offer and a highly compassionate, values-driven culture. We are equally proud of our staff, who live our values of being welcoming, kind, positive, respectful and professional