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Main area Patient Experience Grade Band 6 Contract 3 years (Three year fixed term) Hours Full time – 37.5 hours per week (Three year fixed term) Job ref 279-8340013-OCT26
Employer University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Royal Sussex County Hospital Town Brighton Salary £39,959 – £48,117 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 19/10/2026 23:59
At UHSussex we’re proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK’s largest acute trusts, we’re a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years.
Our hard-working, talented and dedicated people work together towards a common goal – to deliver Excellent Care Everywhere for our patients, our people and our communities. Whatever your role here at UHSussex you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex.
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us deliver Excellent Care Everywhere. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We value compassion, inclusion and respect as our core values . We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our wellbeing programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance – because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research , we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
As part of our commitment to access for all, please see the different ways you can access the application form: https://apps.trac.jobs/accessibility?_ts=1
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Job overview
This role is a 3 year fixed term contract for external applicants; successful internal applicants (already employed by UHSussex) will be offered a 3 year secondment.
UHSussex is one of the largest acute NHS trusts in the south of England, serving a population of around 1.8 million people across Brighton and Hove, West Sussex, and parts of East Sussex.
The postholder will prioritise and manage their own caseload of complaints and family meetings, and will be responsible for the implementation of the complaints process, following the Trust’s policies on responding to concerns.
This will include working closely with the clinical divisions to ensure the necessary clinical and operational information is received and actions undertaken in a timely way, and that patients have a positive experience and resolution of their concerns.
The postholder will be required to be pro-active, adaptable, highly motivated and with exceptional administrative and communication skills. They will be well organised and able to work methodically, accurately and pay attention to detail and possesses excellent interpersonal skills.
Main duties of the job
To work as part of the complaints team, and with the Trust’s
divisions to receive patient complaints and ensure, in
collaboration with relevant staff, that they are investigated in
accordance with national guidelines and the Trust’s own
complaints procedure.
To oversee and support the divisions to produce high quality
complaint investigation reports and draft responses.
To co-ordinate the responses for complex complaints that
span more than one division
To support the effective implementation of the Trust’s
Complaints Management policy and processes and ensure
that compliance is monitored and reported, gaps in
compliance identified and appropriate actions and
mitigations are developed
To facilitate local resolution meetings between clinicians,
hospital staff, patients and their relatives.
Ensuring complaints are responding to efficiently,
appropriately, compassionately and collaboratively with a
focus on learning and meeting the Trust’s standards for
complaints responsiveness and quality
Working for our organisation
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Internal applicants should note that this opportunity will be offered on a secondment basis. Before applying, internal colleagues must discuss the opportunity with their current line manager to confirm whether they can be released from their substantive role if successful.
Release to undertake a secondment is not automatic and must be agreed between the colleague, their current line manager, and the recruiting line manager.
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
If you do not meet the sponsorship requirements, and you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
Liaising with leads from the clinical divisions to coordinate the undertaking of thorough, impartial investigations and drafting complex response letters to a high standard of written English, ensuring the principles of being open and duty of candour are applied and recommendations or actions are included
Communicating professionally and empathetically under pressure, remaining calm and avoiding conflict, dealing with people who may be in a highly emotional state or recently bereaved. These difficult conversations may be planned or unplanned.
Recognising and respecting the views of complainants and those complained about and to ensure this is reflected in written responses.
To ensure complex clinical information is interpreted correctly and communicated to complainants in understandable language.
To organise and facilitate local resolution meetings between complainants, clinicians, senior Trust managers and executives.
Prepare information and documentation as and when requested by the PHSO within the timescales agreed and as requested by the Complaints Manager
Compilation and presentation of reports to groups and sub-committees including collecting and analysing confidential and sensitive data from systems, stratified to include a focus on those in groups or demographics for whom there is a risk of poorer health outcomes
Taking responsibility for receipt of complaints by telephone, email, in person or in writing.
Supporting the divisions to undertake root cause investigation and thematic analyses and to compile complaints responses
Managing, monitoring and ensuring the accurate and contemporaneous records on the Trust’s DATIX system and are managed efficiently working with the Head of Patient Services and Experience and other members of the patient experience team
Holding a case load of complaints, ensuring the Trust’s complaints standards are met, including for response and closure of complaints, and that these are accurately tracked in accordance with the complaint’s standards.
Developing and maintaining expertise in complaints management, maintaining up to date knowledge about best practice in NHS complaints and NHS complaints regulations as required in the Trust policy.
Ensuring all complaints concerns are managed in a proportionate and customer focussed manner in line with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) Principles of Good Complaint Handling, Remedy and Good Administration
Understanding and responsiveness to issues of inequality, recognising and acting on reducing health inequalities by ensuring the complaints approach taken is inclusive and overcomes barriers to engagement including through reasonable adjustments
Facilitating local resolution meetings and other meetings as required
Ensuring that the Complaints practice adheres to data protection, confidentiality, Caldicott and GDPR requirements
To assume a central role in problem solving and supporting the delivery of the complaints team’s function in an agile way and as a team player
To support with skills development of clinical teams in responding to complaints
To participate in and delivering training
To build trusted and collaborative relationships with clinical and operational leaders from across the clinical divisions, and with patients and their carers, to support effective responses to complaints and to support continuous improvements in the quality of care
To provide a range of non-clinical advice and information to patients, relatives and clients including the complaints procedure and other trust services.
To deal with all enquiries in an empathetic and effective manner and able to listen to worried/bereaved patients/relatives, using third parties as appropriate to communicate.
To involve patient and carer representatives as part of the developmental and roll out of patient and carer experience improvement activities
Experience of managing a caseload of complex healthcare complaint investigations
- At least two years experience of managing a large caseload of healthcare complaints requiring a formal written response
- PHSO Complaints Standards training
Skills
- Experience of managing challenging situations and relationships
- Organised and able to meet timescales whilst managing competing priorities
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
- Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
- Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
UHSussex values authenticity and encourages applicants to ensure that all application materials accurately reflect their own skills, experience, knowledge and motivations. Candidates may use AI and digital tools to support the preparation of applications, for example to assist with spelling, grammar, structure or accessibility needs. However, applicants remain responsible for the content submitted and should ensure that it genuinely represents their own abilities and experience. Where there are reasonable concerns that an application does not authentically reflect the applicant’s own knowledge, skills, experience or suitability for the role, the Trust reserves the right to explore this further and, where authenticity cannot be satisfactorily demonstrated, to reject the application.
Bank Workers: Bank workers are welcome to apply for any of our vacancies but please note if you are successful at interview there will be a delay in confirming a start date due to the Trust’s current financial controls.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check . We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications
Further Information
For help with the application process for Nursing vacancies, please email uhsussex.nursingteam@nhs.net.
For help with the application process for Non-Nursing vacancies, please email uhsussex.nonnursingteam@nhs.net.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Name jane.carmody@nhs.net Job title Head of Patient Services and Experience Email address jane.carmody@nhs.net Telephone number 01273 664678 Additional information
If you wish to discuss the post please contact by email in the first instance to then arrange a mutually convenient time to speak.
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