Complaints & Quality Assurance Manager in Sedgefield

The Complaint & QA Manager will provide a great complainant experience; contribute to the drive for improvement in quality of complaint resolutions; reduce returning concerns; identify actions, learning and outcomes; meet complaint timescales and milestones; and ensure the practice meets all regulations, CQC and PHSO NHS Complaint Standards. You must have an understanding of the CQC regulatory platform and have experience of delivering a programme of work at pace and to a high standard to achieve key goals and targets.

Main duties of the job:

• Work as part of the management team and provide advice and guidance to staff to resolve concerns and complaints via local resolution.
• Demonstrate skills of influence, mediation and negotiation to prevent any concerns escalating into a formal complaint.
• Ensure the maintenance of timely and accurate records and databases, working to relevant governance and regulatory standards.
• Encourage a culture of openness, honesty and learning from feedback from patients and the public.
• Identify and ensure practice learning from when things go wrong, embedding this within future practice developments.

About us:

Skerne Medical Group is a semi-rural practice registered with the Care Quality Commission. The practice provides services to around 17,000 patients from three locations: Harbinson House in Sedgefield, Carroll House in Trimdon Colliery and Beveridge House in Fishburn. We are a well-established training practice providing high standards of patient-focused care.

Job responsibilities:

• Be the first point of contact for all concerns/complaints received in the practice.
• Provide leadership and guidance to all staff, ensuring adherence to relevant governance policies and procedures.
• Manage your own caseload, including investigations and response writing.
• Co-ordinate responses for complaints, ensuring concerns are listened to, understood, considered, and learnt from.
• Escalate complex and/or high-profile patient complaints to the Practice Manager and/or GP Partner Governance Lead.
• Report any significant risks or developments concerning complaints, seeking guidance and support when needed.
• Ensure familiarity with the complaint database (GPTN), being able to run reports highlighting any themes/trends.
• Understand NHS complaints regulations, policy and processes, and other relevant guidelines to ensure compliance.
• Attend/Chair local resolution meetings with patients/carers.
• Support the GP Partner Governance Lead, arranging Significant Event Analysis (SEAs) meetings, taking minutes and embedding/sharing any organisational learning when required.
• Liaise with PALS/Advocacy services to ensure desired outcomes from complaints raised.
• Assist with the execution of a comprehensive induction and ongoing training plans for all new and existing staff.
• Train and buddy/mentor staff when required.
• Focus on key targets; delivering responses against deadlines and other KPIs within the practice.
• Assist in the improvement of complaint delivery and working to exceed the PHSO NHS Complaint Standards.
• Attend Lunch & Learn meetings on a quarterly basis to discuss complaint themes, trends and support practice staff.
• Develop a culture in which complaints are seen as opportunities for learning.
• Negotiate with complainants and agree the issues that require investigation, the desired outcomes and the timescale for each investigation.
• Ensure the accuracy of information, addressing all issues raised by the complainant in full.
• Communicate sensitive or contentious information with tact, diplomacy and understanding.
• Ensure staff, patients and the wider public know how to complain and address any barriers preventing this.
• Produce an annual complaints report to be shared with the Partners and wider practice.
• Identify and deliver team training where required.
• Monitor patient behaviour contracts and invoke necessary measures when contracts have been broken.
• Keep up to date with and contribute to any new developments in quality governance and compliance.
• Triangulate intelligence from various sources, such as audits, reviews, claims, coroners, incidents, patient experience etc.
• Monitor and assure compliance with reports issued by external agencies such as CQC, NHSE, ICB etc.
• Be an integral part of the management team.
• Be aware of duties and responsibilities regarding current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children.
• Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes.
• Act as a leader in support of the spectrum of clinical governance.
• Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times.
• Attend a formal appraisal with their manager at least every 12 months.
• Work with the GP Partner Governance Lead to maintain, develop and implement all governance-related policies, protocols and guidelines for General Practice.
• Support the Practice Manager with preparing information for regulatory visits such as Care Quality Commission.
• Attend and actively participate in practice management meetings.
• Attend any external meetings pertinent to this role.
• Support and participate in shared learning.
• Participate in any audits as directed.

Person Specification:

Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills; ability to identify and adapt to audience needs.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Excellent communication skills (written, oral and presenting).
• Proven leadership skills.
• Competent in the use of MS Office and Outlook.
• Ability to prioritise, delegate and work to tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively.
• Ability to use own initiative, discretion, and sensitivity.
• Ability to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity.
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously.
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations.
• Ability to exploit and negotiate opportunities to enhance service delivery.
• Strategic thinker and negotiator with a solutions-focused approach.
• Effective time management (planning and organising).
• Good organisational skills.
• Ability to effectively utilise resources.
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort.
• High levels of integrity and loyalty.
• Flexible, cooperative and motivated.
• Confident, assertive and resilient.
• Ability to use initiative and judgement.
• Understanding of safeguarding adults and children.
• Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and the ability to work well under pressure.
• Ability to implement and embed policies and procedures.

Experience:

• Experience in complaint investigations, response and management, including writing and reviewing complaint responses.
• At least 3 years administrative experience.
• NHS or general practice experience.
• Ability to work autonomously or as part of a team.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines, with changing demands.
• Ability to work flexibly and to adapt to changing priorities, sometimes at short notice.
• Awareness of the NHS Constitution, PHSO NHS Complaints Guidelines, Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints, CQC compliance frameworks.
• Experience and understanding of the requirements of Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information and Subject Access Requests.
• Awareness of the role of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
• Experience of chairing meetings, producing agendas and minutes.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check:

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.