PALS Officer in Knowsley

We want talented and enthusiastic people from all backgrounds to join #TeamMWL, with us you can learn, grow and develop yourself and your career, realising your true ambitions and aspirations. Whatever you’re looking for in your career, you’ll find it here at MWL.

Main area: Administration

Grade: NHS AfC: Band 4

Contract: 12 months (Fixed Term: 12 months)

Hours: Part time - 22.5 hours per week (Mon - Fri (Core Office Hours))

Job ref: 409-7940807

Site: Whiston Hospital

Town: Prescot

Salary: £28,392 - £31,157 Per Annum, Pro Rata

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 28/06/2026 23:59

Interview date: 07/07/2026

Job overview: An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic individual to join the Trust within the Quality and Risk team as a PALS officer. This role involves providing support, guidance and advice for people who have concerns about various aspects of care or who want general information about our Trust services. The successful candidate will be a person who enjoys the challenge of resolving concerns whilst working with patients and families in this front facing customer services role. The post is predominantly based at Whiston Hospital but there may be occasions when you may be required to travel and work across Trust sites.

Main duties of the job:

• To provide support, guidance, advice and information to patients, relatives, carers and staff, in a timely and efficient manner.
• To act as a liaison point for people contacting the service in order to resolve issues raised.
• Support individual patients, relatives and carers to obtain answers to queries and resolve problems and concerns quickly and efficiently which may be received from various sources.
• Record and feedback compliments received by patients and carers.
• Be accessible with a visible presence in the Trust.
• Work collaboratively with staff and service managers to ensure that any concerns or problems raised by service users, carers and their families can be resolved as quickly as possible.
• Communicate with people who may be in complex and sensitive situations and who may be highly emotional, aggressive or anxious.
• Respond to diverse, sensitive and sometimes complex enquiries and concerns raised by the public, service users and carers about Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust services.
• Negotiate timely and appropriate resolution of concerns with service users or carers and staff.
• Take an instrumental role in supporting PALS users, arranging meetings between service users and clinicians.
• Understand the Trust’s managing complaints and concerns policy and refer to the complaints team/Independent advocacy if appropriate.
• Ensure all PALS contacts are recorded on the Inphase system.
• Assist PALS in local acute and community Trusts and other stakeholders who are trying to resolve issues that span across organisational boundaries.
• Provide support to patients, carers and families when accessing specialist advocacy or other voluntary and statutory services.
• Build and maintain good relationships with key stakeholders and the local community.

Education and Development:

• Ensure colleagues across the Trust are aware of the role of PALS.
• Participate in raising awareness of PALS within the Trust, internally and externally.
• Contribute to the delivery of corporate induction as required.
• Demonstrate role and training support to new starters.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Act as a resource for up-to-date information on Trust services for all patients, relatives, and carers.
• Utilise empathetic and effective communication skills to decipher complex information from service users to understand and resolve concerns.
• Maintain own personal development following participation in annual appraisal.
• Maintain health and safety standards which ensure the wellbeing of patients, public and work colleagues.
• Manage own workload, work unsupervised as appropriate, escalating any concerns to the line manager.
• Observe and maintain data protection and confidentiality as appropriate.

Clinical Governance:

• Work in close collaboration with staff from Complaints and the Quality and Risk departments.

Person specification:

• NVQ3 level or equivalent qualification plus significant knowledge and experience.
• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent qualification and/or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of the function of PALS.
• Experience of working within a customer care environment in an advisory capacity.
• Excellent communication skills, including listening and negotiating skills.
• Able to problem solve and use own initiative.
• Ability to travel between all MWL hospital sites.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion:

We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring.

Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team MWL very soon.