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Job summary

Main area
Mental Health
Grade
Band 5
Contract
Fixed term: 14 months (This vacancy is to cover a career break)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Happy to discuss flexible working)
Job ref
437-7190061
Employer
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Knowsley Building
Town
Prestwich
Salary
£29,970 - £36,483 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
26/05/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust logo

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) Officer

Band 5

Job overview

We are seeking to appoint Patient Advice and Liaison Support (PALS) Officers  on a fixed term  contract(14 months) to support us to strengthen the service user and carer voice across our care groups within the organisation.  

You will join a very committed, professional and friendly customer care team and be the interface within local services to actively listen to service users and carers feedback and concerns and seek to find local solutions for people.  You will also be the interface between local services and our complaints officers for where local resolution isn't an option.                                                                                                                                                              

You will be compassionate with a solution focused approach and a commitment to service improvement and organisational development.                                                                                                                                                                             

Main duties of the job

The postholder will:  

- Actively listen to service user and carer feedback and concerns within their designated care group.                                                                                                      

- Seek to find local resolutions for people.                                                                      

- Be the interface between service users/carers, the service and complaints officers and follow Trust policies and procedures for PALS and handling of complaints.                     

- Keep full and accurate records for audit trail purposes.           

- Be proactive in spotting themes and making suggestions for service improvements.    

- Liaise with managers and senior leaders to inform the Trust quality improvement and organisational development agenda ensuring the service user voice is represented.     

- Demonstrate integrity by taking responsibility for your actions and feeding back to service users and carers with regards to actions taken and progress

Working for our organisation

Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 6,400 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 160 locations.

We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.

Greater Manchester is one of the world's most innovative, original and exciting places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options.

Manchester is proud of its diversity and we very much welcome applications from groups who are currently under represented within our workforce and Senior Leadership; this includes, but is not exclusive to, people who identify as BAME, LGBTQI+ and people who have disabilities.

Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We welcome applications from people with their own lived experience of mental health difficulties but also ask that applicants have experience of advocating for people in challenging circumstances, have excellent communication skills with a keen eye for detail particularly with regards to English grammar and the recording of information and data for audit trail and service improvement purposes.  Most importantly you will be compassionate, emotionally intelligent, with a strong sense of integrity to demonstrate our Trust values to our service users and carers and show that we are listening and doing what we said we would do.

 

For full details of the post, please refer to the attached job description and person specification.

See attached detailed job description and person specification:

  • 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years         
  • Excellent pension            
  • Cycle to work scheme   
  • Salary sacrifice car scheme         
  • Wellbeing programme  
  • Blue Light Card Discounts

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • - Degree or equivalent qualification or relevant experience
  • - High standard of English and an ability to convey information accurately, succinctly and in a sensitive manner, in both communication and writing
Desirable criteria
  • - NVQ3
  • - Customer service training

Experience

Essential criteria
  • - Experience of managing PALS / complaints procedures and enquiries
  • - Experience in working within a PALS or customer care environment.
  • - Experience of using Microsoft Office Packages to a high standard.
  • - An understanding or experience of mental health and drug and alcohol issues.
  • - Experience of working without direct supervision and using own initiative.
Desirable criteria
  • - NHS / public sector administrative experience

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • - Up to date knowledge and understanding of clinical governance, risk management, PALS, complaints, performance, GMC procedures; key agencies e.g. Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Advocacy Services, etc.; Caldicott, Freedom of Information, Data Protection
  • - Evaluating information, identifying key issues, problem solving, making sound judgments and decisions and implementing/recommending solutions
  • - Experience of influencing change and promoting learning
  • - Presenting data in a meaningful way orally and in writing to a variety of audiences
  • - Knowledge of legislation and the Data Protection Act.
  • - Knowledge of the mental health/drug and alcohol services environment.
Desirable criteria
  • - Knowledge of policies and procedures for PALS/customer care team

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardWe are a Living Wage EmployerApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyHSJ Best places to workDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeWe offer Wagestream - A financial wellbeing benefit which lets you access your pay as you earn it.Disability confident employer

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Jonathan Roberts
Job title
Complaints / PALS Manager
Email address
[email protected]
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