Head of Complaints & PALS

Company: East London NHS Foundation Trust
Apply for the Head of Complaints & PALS
Location: London
Job Description:

Are you an experienced senior leader with a strong background in complaints, patient experience, governance or quality improvement? Do you have the skills to lead a high-profile service that sits at the heart of learning, responsiveness and service improvement?

We are looking for a Head of Complaints and PALS to lead our corporate Complaints and PALS function. This is a key leadership role, responsible for ensuring that concerns and complaints are managed effectively, compassionately and in line with national standards, while also helping the Trust learn from feedback and improve the quality of care we provide.

Main duties of the job

You will lead the Complaints and PALS Team, provide expert advice to senior leaders, and work in close partnership with clinical and operational services across the Trust. You will help ensure a consistent and responsive approach to local resolution, formal complaints, thematic learning and service improvement.

We are looking for someone who is highly organised, politically astute and able to manage complex and sensitive issues with professionalism, empathy and sound judgement. You should have significant experience of working with senior managers, handling complex concerns, producing high-quality reports, and using data and intelligence to drive improvement. Experience in governance, investigations, mediation or quality improvement would be an advantage.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead an important function, influence improvement across the Trust, and make a real difference to patient and carer experience.

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people’s lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Job responsibilities

If you are someone with a passion for improving the patient experience and can evidence drive, initiative and enthusiasm, then we would like to hear from you.

For questions about the job, please contact

Contact: 07908140309

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

  • oDegree level qualification or demonstrable experience in relevant areas
  • oEvidence of commitment to on-going continual professional development
  • oPost Graduate Degree level of education in relevant subject or demonstrable

Experience

  • oSignificant experience of working with senior management including functions and procedures
  • oExperience of working and engaging with staff at all levels in a high-volume transactional environment
  • oSupervisory experience
  • oDemonstrable evidence of successful multi-disciplinary team working
  • oExperience in dealing with patients and the public
  • oDemonstrable experience of internal and external partnership working
  • oExperience in investigation techniques, patient safety, concerns, risk or management, using a range of complementary tools, Root Cause Analysis, and Incident Decision Tree
  • oExperience of using and managing information to determine priorities and demonstrate service levels across the organisation including presenting to meetings.
  • oExperience of working in a Clinical Governance environment
  • oDemonstrable evidence of facilitation skills in managing/ handling difficult, contentious or sensitive issues as well as handling conflict
  • oDemonstrable evidence of effective management of internal / external investigation of concerns
  • oBudget management experience and achieving a balanced budget position

Knowledge and Skills

  • oExcellent time management skills and ability to work to deadlines.
  • oIT literate including analysis of highly complex data
  • oReport writing skills
  • oAnalytical skills – ability to make judgements about highly complex facts or situations
  • oAbility to analyse information, prepare reports and utilise information to inform decision making
  • oAbility to learn from experience and adapt to changes and new challenges
  • oCommitted to the continuous development of staff and self
  • oAbility to prioritise tasks and manage competing demands on time, ensuring all deadlines are met.
  • oStrong planning and organisational skills across a broad range of complex activities and difficult situations
  • oAbility to remain impartial with empathy and understanding for others
  • oUnderstand the NHS
  • oKnowledge of the patient safety and quality agenda & policy direction for the NHS
  • oKnowledge and understanding of the principles of clinical governance and quality improvement
  • oUnderstanding of the Health Board structures and strategies
  • Quality Improvement skills
  • Budget management

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.

£66,274 to £73,496 a yearPer annum inc HCA

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Posted: May 18th, 2026