Head of Complaints and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The Docks, GloucesterView on map(opens Google Maps in a new tab)
Salary
£57,528 to £64,750
Contract
Not specified
Hours
Full time
Closing date
Not specified
Job description
At Gloucestershire Hospitals, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the county’s largest employer, we are proud to provide high-quality acute, elective, and specialist services to more than 650,000 people across our county. Our care is delivered across Gloucestershire Royal, Cheltenham General and Stroud Maternity Hospital.
With over 9,000 employees representing more than 95 nationalities, bringing together a mix of cultures and experiences to the care that we deliver. Whether you’re beginning your NHS journey or looking to take the next step in your career, this is an exciting time to join us. We’re investing heavily in innovation, research, and transformation, with more than 100 active clinical studies and major developments underway across our hospitals.
We take pride in working as one team, driven by a shared ambition to grow, develop, and continually improve. Every contribution is valued and by combining our collective strengths, we support not only our diverse communities but one another. You can expect a warm, supportive culture and colleagues who are passionate about teamwork, professional development and delivering exceptional care. We offer structured development programmes, mentoring and leadership opportunities to help you progress in your career.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong. By joining our Trust, you will benefit from a comprehensive package that includes flexible working opportunities, generous annual leave, the NHS pension scheme, competitive bank rates, local discounts, access to on-site nurseries, reduced public transport costs, reward and recognition schemes and a wide range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
Be part of Gloucestershire Hospitals, explore your future with us today.
We are seeking an experienced, compassionate and inclusive leader to join our integrated Patient Experience and Voice leadership team as Head of Complaints and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). Reporting to the Associate Director of Patient Experience and Voice, you will hold delegated operational accountability for the Trust’s Complaints and PALS services and act as the senior specialist adviser on NHS complaints handling.
This is a significant leadership role with the opportunity to ensure that concerns and complaints are managed compassionately, fairly, consistently and in line with statutory, regulatory and Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman requirements. You will champion accessible advice, timely resolution and meaningful learning, helping the Trust translate feedback into safer, more effective, inclusive and responsive care.
The successful candidate will bring substantial recent senior management experience leading Complaints and PALS services in an acute NHS provider Trust, alongside expert knowledge of NHS complaints legislation, regulation, national guidance and the PHSO NHS Complaint Standards. You will be an assured communicator with strong analytical, negotiation, mediation and conflict-resolution skills, able to work sensitively with patients, carers, families, staff, senior leaders and external partners.
- Provide visible operational leadership and accountability for safe, compassionate, accessible and effective Complaints and PALS services, including workforce, performance, resources, information quality, resilience and continuous improvement.
- Act as the Trust’s senior specialist adviser on NHS complaints handling and ensure compliance with legislation, national guidance, regulation and the PHSO NHS Complaint Standards.
- Oversee complex, high-risk or unresolved cases involving patient safety, safeguarding, legal proceedings, coroners’ inquests, reputational risk or Ombudsman review.
- Ensure investigations and responses are timely, proportionate, evidence-based and person-centred, with appropriate remedies, complete records and demonstrable learning.
- Lead a visible and responsive PALS service, supporting early resolution and the immediate escalation of urgent care, safety, safeguarding or deterioration concerns.
- Use Complaints and PALS intelligence to identify themes, emerging risks, inequalities and opportunities for improvement, providing clear assurance to governance committees and the Board.
- Work closely with the Head of Patient Experience Improvement and partners across Quality Governance, clinical divisions, Legal Services and Patient Safety to turn feedback into measurable change.
Working for our organisation
At Gloucestershire Hospitals, people are at the centre of everything we do. We work as one team, value every contribution and share an ambition to grow, develop and learn. Our colleagues support vibrant and diverse communities while also supporting one another to deliver the best care every day for everyone.
With more than 9,000 employees, we are the largest employer in Gloucestershire and one of the ten largest Trusts in the South West. Joining us offers the opportunity to gain valuable experience across our innovative hospitals, alongside flexible working opportunities and a comprehensive employment package.
Benefits include a generous annual leave allowance, access to the NHS Pension Scheme, competitive bank rates, discounts at local shops and restaurants, on-site nursery provision, discounted public transport, reward and recognition programmes, and a range of health and wellbeing initiatives. We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to creating an environment where colleagues feel valued, empowered and able to thrive.
Please see full job description for the role. If you have any queries please contact Suzie Cro ([email protected])
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
You will only be contacted by the Recruitment Team via email if you are shortlisted for this post. Please ensure therefore that you check your e-mail account regularly.
If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system
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Provenance
Source
Adzuna
First seen
28 September 2026
Last checked
28 September 2026
Salary, closing date and description are taken from the employer's advert. The original advert always takes precedence.
About the employer
NHS organisation
This listing was structured from Adzuna. Vacancy details and the application process remain the responsibility of the original source.
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