Job Description Job Title: Head of Patient &Public Engagement and Patient Services Directorate: Corporate Affairs Department: Patient and Public Engagement Grade 8b Tenure: Permanent Location of Post: Heartlands (with regular travel and multisite working required) Accountable to: Director of Corporate Affairs and Corporate Governance Key Working Relationships: Clinical and managerial staff at all levels across the Trust, Chief Executive, Chief Nurse, Deputy Chief Nurse, Senior Nurses, Ward and Departmental Managers, Matrons, Consultant Medical Staff, Divisional Directors of Operations, Group Managers, Clinical Governance and Risk Management Department. The Department of Health, LINKS, Healthwatch, NHS West Midlands and East, CCG Patient Engagement Leads and other acute trusts throughout the UK. Responsible for: The implementation of a highly complex and involved stakeholder engagement strategy to support the Trust s strategic and organisational objectives. To deliver a high quality complaints and patient/visitor and carer feedback service, which leads to service improvement. To take the lead role in all patient and public engagement activities, including driving service improvements and have direct management responsibility for staff and services within Patient & Public Involvement (PPI), Patient Services, Patient Information, Membership and Governors. Job Summary: The post holder is responsible for the leadership, development and co-ordination of patient and public engagement activities and services across the Trust in order to influence the development and delivery of services. This includes patient information. The post holder is responsible for developing and supervising the Patient & Public Involvement (PPI), Patient Services, Patient Information and Membership Managers and their teams in the Trust. This includes directing the development and production of reports analysing PPI and Patient Engagement feedback reports and assessing service standards against national benchmarking standards. In addition, the post holder will also be responsible for presenting update reports on patient experience, PHSO and complaints to key stakeholders, including the CCGs CQC and the Department of Health, to drive through improvements in patient care.
The post holder will also act as a catalyst for change management to achieve sustainable service improvements, which improve patient safety and experience. As senior manager and lead for patient and public engagement, the post holder will act as the principle adviser on these and related issues. The post holder is expected to manage a large budget and resources and contribute to the development of the Trust and its continual improvement in operational and financial performance, with specific responsibility for the patient and public engagement strategy. This includes analysing and interpreting complex data sets, developing and implementing appropriate responses to drive patient service improvements. The role also includes ensuring the Trust s Quality Accounts engage local communities and provide greater public accountability. Key Areas of Responsibility: Strategic Develop a complaints and feedback strategy which delivers best in class encouraging people to speak out and drive improvements in patient safety and experience. This is to include a systematic approach to demonstrate learning. Design and implement the long term Patient and Public Engagement Strategy to meet business needs and facilitate the achievement of the Trust s objectives in line with the CQUIN agenda. With financial penalties currently forecast to be up to 1.5% of tariff, responsibility includes developing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure delivery of all major new service developments and / or improvements as well as Equality Impact Assessments link with user involvement. Identify, adapt and bring examples of best practice in patient and public engagement from other NHS and non-nhs organisations; leading the successful implementation at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust to deliver measurable improvements in patient experience. Analyse Heart of England Foundation Trust s strategic and operational plans and translate these needs into the provision of supported engagement services. Lead the delivery, reporting and development of action plans following national and local patient / user surveys. Lead the Trust in identifying opportunities to work collaboratively with community partners (including LINkS and the third sector); proactively seeking and building continuous and meaningful engagement with the public and patients to shape services and improve health. Lead on public and stakeholder engagement and consultation in the development and implementation of service plans involving users in the production of the Trust s Quality Accounts.
To work closely with colleagues in Health and Joint Commissioning on matters of customer and patient engagement. To develop, lead and manage local strategies and action plans to ensure appropriate access to services from all community groups. This includes those from BME communities and in line with the Trust s Equality and Diversity policies. Undertake analysis of complex information (qualitative, quantitative and statistical information) to inform and measure the effectiveness of projects and work streams under the responsibility of the post holder. Analytical and Judgemental Skills To make judgements with complainants and the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman involving highly complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options Leadership and Management: Provide leadership and day to day line management and development of such staff as are required to support the projects and work streams being delivered (as a minimum this will include a project support manager). Oversee and direct all stakeholder engagement, with particular emphasis on patient and public engagement and involvement. To provide direction and leadership to multiple department senior Directorate teams whilst ensuring the appropriate mechanisms are in place to support their career development and aspirations. To support the PPI and Patient Services manager with any queries or complaints raised about services / activities under the control of the post and, where these have significant implications for resources, policy or practice, bring them to the attention of the Director of Corporate Affairs. To provide support and guidance to the PPI and Patient Services Manager for maintaining working groups from within the service area and across the health and social care boundaries. Provide advice and support to wards and departments to develop a programme of local patient surveys and audits of patient views. Examples include work for clinical governance reviews and service specific audits for surgical specialities. Support Executive and Divisional Directors, Senior Managers and Clinicians in the development of robust operational plans, service plans and business cases for investment in their service areas.
To set up systems to monitor the level of customer engagement. Plan and deliver seminars and training for staff on patient and public engagement. Coach and develop staff to submit and secure bids with organisational bodies (e.g. Lottery Fund) to support innovative practices within the department. To represent the Corporate Affairs Director at the Birmingham and Solihull Overview and Scrutiny Committees, LINKs and other Ward Committees as required and present reports as required. To lead training courses on customer engagement and other training / events as required by the service or Directorate. Human Resources Responsible for the day-to-day management of the Patient Services, Membership, Patient Information and Customer Services team. Take full responsibility for the recruitment and professional development of staff, ensuring appraisals are undertaken on a regular basis and personal development plans are achieved. Finance Develop cost-benefit analysis for engagement spending and initiatives. Holds budget for all Patient Services department including, Membership and Complaints with responsibility for overall budget setting. Authorised signatory for small cash / financial payments. Information Resources Research, write and present monthly reports for the Executive Directors and Trust Board based on complex real-time patient feedback combined with nursing metrics and national patient surveys. Write reports and provide appropriate verbal reports for the Chief Nurse based on PCT-led Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) targets Disseminate the results of the national annual patient survey and ongoing patient / user engagement to a wide variety of managerial, clerical and technical staff by a variety of methods including formal and informal presentations at ward level and executive level; supporting the development and delivery of action plans.
Develop action plans with divisional senior management teams to address improvements required to services in response to identified issues. Provide progress reports for the implementation of agreed action plans to Executive Directors and the Trust Board. Have advanced competency working with and manipulating Microsoft Access, Excel and PowerPoint to present complex datasets in direct support of the Trust Board objectives around patient engagement. The role also involves working with the Trust s ICT Director (and external suppliers) to develop new innovative ways to capture and present patient feedback and complaints data in order to drive forward the service improvement agenda. Responsibility for Policy / Service Development Responsible for customer service policy implementation and for the sustained introduction of goldfish bowl workshops and customer care training with clinical staff Trust-wide. Lead in the interpretation of new Department of Health legislation and guidance in respect to PPI. Where appropriate, engaging, supporting and reporting for senior clinical teams who agree to pilot new guidance or need to make changes to comply with new statutory requirements. To lead on the development and implementation of the Trust s Stakeholder Involvement policy to drive true and sustained engagement activity across the Trust s divisional structure. To have direct responsibility and lead on the corporate consultation team around PPI and to explore innovative approaches for seeking feedback from marginalised / isolated community groups. Knowledge, training and experience To develop, implement and lead customer care training programmes aimed at front-line clinical, consultant and administrative staff. Planning & Organisational Skills Planning and organisation of a broad range of complex activities and programmes, some of which are on-going around the core measure of patient experience. These require the formulation and adjustment of plans or strategies and a wide engagement / monitoring programme. To have a key role in establishing and working with user and carer-led organisational networks to foster a partnership working relationship with community groups and voluntary organisations.
To adopt a social marketing approach to promoting the Trust s brand; supporting and encouraging people and fostering in individuals and communities the desire for good health. Emotional Effort To take a lead role in liaising with patients and families concerning complex, involved and frequently distressing patient complaints. Actively engage and support Consultants, nurses and clinical staff in improving the patient experience. Freedom to Act High level of freedom to act independently, including responsibility for interpreting national and organisational policy in determining day to day work and actions and longer term strategic priorities in areas in areas of responsibility, regionally and nationally. Also, setting standards and performance indicators for national and regional areas of responsibility around patient experience. Lead the development and implementation of methodologies to ensure effective partnership working between all sponsors / stakeholders. Lead the development and implementation of communication strategies and approaches to support the implementation of the programme in particular where there may be resistance to implementation. Physical, Mental and Emotional Effort The post holder will be required to: - Frequently use Visual Display Unit and laptops; - Frequently travel. The post holder will also be exposed to frequent long periods of intense concentration due to competing priorities. The post holder will also deal will also deal with contentious issues including line management responsibilities, involving staff disciplinary and grievance matters.
Infection control Staff will work to minimise any risk to clients, the public and other staff from Healthcare Associated Infection including MRSA and C difficle by ensuring they are compliant with the Health Act 2006 Code of Practice For The Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections (They Hygiene Code); and by ensuring they are familiar with the Trust s Infection Control Polices, located on the Intranet. All employees must comply with the Trust Infection Control Policy. All employees must attend infection control training as required within their department or as directed by their line manager. Confidentiality As an employee you have a responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of any confidential information which comes into your possession regarding patients, employees or any other business relating to the Trust In accordance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 protected disclosures are exempt from this express duty of confidentiality. Health & Safety As an employee you have a responsibility to abide by all of the safety practices and codes provided by the Trust and have an equal responsibility with management for maintaining safe working practices for the health and safety of yourself and others. All employees must comply with the Trust Infection Control Policy. All employees must attend infection control training as required within their department or as directed by their line manager. Quality Assurance As an employee of the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust you are a member of an organisation that endeavours to provide the highest quality of service to our patients. You are an ambassador of the organisation and, as such, are required to ensure that high standards are maintained at all times. As an employee you have a responsibility for data quality. All employees are accountable for the quality of data they input into Trust systems and/or document in paper-based records, and must ensure that it is accurate, complete, valid and timely at all times.
Equal Opportunities As an employee you have a responsibility to ensure that all people that you have contact with during the course of your employment, including patients, relatives and staff are treated equally in line with the Trust s Equal Opportunities Policy. Risk Management You have a responsibility for the identification of all risk which have a potential adverse affect on the Trust s ability to maintain quality of care and the safety of patients, staff and visitors, and for the taking of positive action to eliminate or reduce these. Safeguarding Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust has a responsibility to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults who use our services. The Trust expects all staff and volunteers to share this responsibility. As part of the selection process for this post you may be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service Check. If you are successful appointed, you will receive confirmation of which checks and/or registration you are required to have. The Job Description is subject to change and may be reviewed by the manager in conjunction with the post holder. The Trust operates a no smoking policy and is working towards a smoke free environment.