Job summary
- Main area
- Complaints
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday- Friday)
- Job ref
- 396-NN-7232304-A&C-Z
- Employer
- Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Kingston Hospital
- Town
- Kingston upon Thames
- Salary
- £31,081 - £33,665 pa pr incl HCAS (outer)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Complaints Officer
Band 4
Home, community, hospital
Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust offers a range of fantastic opportunities to grow your career across both hospital and community settings in south London. Whether you're looking to build new skills or take your experience to the next level, we are uniquely placed to provide the right environment to support your professional development. With colleagues working in people’s homes, in community clinics, and in our two hospitals, we have an outstanding breadth of knowledge and experience to draw from.
Our commitment to exceptional care is reflected in being the first trust of our kind in London to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the CQC for both overall quality and leadership. We exist to provide the best possible care for our patients and we do that by giving our colleagues what they need to be their best at work. We have won numerous awards from the HSJ and Nursing Times for the way we support our colleagues across all our services.
We are proud to be recognised for our outstanding cancer care, children's services, pioneering surgical teams, and exceptional rehabilitation services. Our maternity services have been rated the "Best in London" by women surveyed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with parents travelling to Kingston to take advantage of our considerable experience and expertise.
Our Trust values
These words are important reminders, but it’s our behaviours that tell people who we are. We expect all colleagues to bring our values to life in their work.
- Compassionate: We provide care with kindness, understanding, and empathy for all.
- Inclusive: We embrace diversity and respect the unique contributions of every individual.
- Collaborative: We foster teamwork across all levels, working together and with our partners to deliver the best outcomes.
- Inspiring: We are committed to continuous improvement and excellence in patient care, staff development, and innovation.
Job overview
Become a vital part of our Trust's commitment to listening and responding effectively. As a Complaints Officer, you'll provide essential administrative support and, under the guidance of the Complaints Manager, ensure our complaints process runs smoothly and efficiently. Your key responsibilities will include meticulously managing formal complaints from start to finish – ensuring they are accurately logged, tracked, and resolved within set timeframes, all while adhering to our Trust’s procedures. You'll also play a role in providing clear, accurate data for important reports.
Main duties of the job
- Managing the end-to-end administration of complaints, including initial receipt, logging, allocation, and timely acknowledgement.
- Monitoring complaint progress, ensuring adherence to deadlines, and proactively communicating any delays.
- Maintaining accurate complaint records and databases, including actions identified and liaison with bodies like the Ombudsman.
- Assisting with the preparation of internal and external reports related to complaints, PALS, and claims.
- Drafting correspondence, reviewing complaint-related policies, and contributing to service improvements.
Working for our organisation
Development and staff wellbeing
Your growth and personal happiness matters to us. After all, we can’t expect the best from you if we don’t invest in your development and nurture your wellbeing. From the moment you join us, we’re committed to fostering your professional and personal development within a supportive, empowering environment. Whether you’re just starting your career or looking to advance further, we provide you with the tools and opportunities you need to succeed. We actively support colleagues to take part in research, quality improvement and innovation, whatever their role or level in the organisation.
To support your wellbeing, we offer an extensive range of resources, including an on-site staff nursery at Kingston Hospital, wellbeing practitioners, regular wellbeing classes, dedicated staff physiotherapist, comprehensive occupational health services, 24/7 employee assistance programme, and a range of other support and activities.
We also take every opportunity to thank and recognise the work our teams do, through weekly ‘shoutouts’ and patient feedback, monthly and annual awards.
Wherever you work across our organisation, we look forward to welcoming you.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Administration of Complaints
1. On receipt of complaint letters or verbal complaints, to advise complainants of the different methods available to manage their complaint and "triage" complaints appropriately.
2. To receive all incoming complaints and ensure that they are recorded and allocated within the Trust’s complaints procedure and to ensure that all new complaints are acknowledged within a three working day timeframe.
3. To monitor current progress of complaints and to maintain an efficient weekly and ad hoc ‘chasing up’ system to ensure that draft complaint responses are received by the Complaints Manager so that a final response is sent out within the 25 working day deadline.
4. To ensure that complainants are communicated with appropriately if there are any delays.
5. To monitor the status of reopened complaints and ensure that draft complaint responses are received so that a response can be sent within the 25 working day deadline
6. To liaise with the Ombudsman, to include the copying of medical records and complaint files, and the distribution of such information to persons involved.
**Please see the attached supporting job description and person specification document, which contains more information about the role and requirements. Please ensure your application refers to the job description and person specification**
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- GCSE or equivalent in English and Maths
Experience
Essential criteria
- Previous NHS experience, not necessarily in complaints
- Customer care
- Dealing with conflict
- Use of IT systems; report running
Desirable criteria
- Complaints handling
Skills
Desirable criteria
- Excellent interpersonal and customer care skills and ability to deal with conflict
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent attention to detail
- Organisational skills and ability to prioritise
- Adaptable and able to switch between tasks
- Ability to analyse and interpret data
- Ability to present • Ability to work within boundaries of role and be aware of when to escalate issues
- Ability to work with minimum supervision and work to protocols and procedures
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Understanding of NHS structure and organisation
- Understanding of NHS complaints procedure
Other
Essential criteria
- Committed to continuous service improvement
- Motivated and enthusiastic approach to work
Your application: Please ensure your supporting statement aligns with the job description and person specification, as your application will be assessed against these criteria.
References: Please provide 3 years of employment/educational history with professional email addresses (not personal ones like Hotmail or Gmail). If you cannot supply these, inform the interviewers to avoid delays in pre-employment checks.
Closing date: To keep our recruitment process efficient, some vacancies may be capped and closed early once we receive a sufficient number of applications.
Shortlisting: You will only be contacted by email or SMS from the SWL Recruitment Hub if you are successfully shortlisted. Please check your registered Trac email regularly.
DBS: We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults at risk of harm. For roles involving direct access to these groups, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required. All employees, however, hold a responsibility to safeguard children and vulnerable adults as part of their duties and to understand the specific safeguarding responsibilities associated with their role.
Telephone: 02082963786
Text: 07501066267
Email: [email protected]. Employer certification / accreditation badges
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Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- James Howard
- Job title
- Complaints Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 020 8934 2250
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