Patient Advice And Liaison Service Officer

Typical Salary

£19,737 To £30,615

Typical Hours

37 to 39 a week

between 8am and 6pm flexibly

How To Become a Patient Advice And Liaison Service Officer

You can get into this job through:

a college course
working towards this role
volunteering
applying directly

College / University

You could get some of the skills you need for this job by doing a Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Customer Service. This will be useful for dealing with complaints and mediation work.

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship are not listed for this job.

Routes into this Career

You may be able to start as a patient advice and liaison service (PALS) secretary or administrator and work your way up to PALS officer.

To apply directly to become a PALS officer jobs, you'll need:

a good general standard of education GCSEs (grades 9 to 4 or A* to C) including English and maths
previous experience in a customer care or mediation role, including dealing with complaints

Some NHS organisations might want you to have a degree. Other employers may prefer you to have some working knowledge of the NHS. A background in a health profession such as nursing could be useful. Other relevant backgrounds are advice, advocacy and counselling.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

customer service skills
knowledge of psychology
sensitivity and understanding
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
the ability to work on your own
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

As part of your day-to-day duties, you could:

work with staff, managers and support groups to find ways to solve problems
help patients understand the NHS complaints procedure
manage complaints
tell patients and the public how they can get involved in their own healthcare and with local NHS services
listen to patients' concerns, suggestions and experiences and raise these with people who design and manage services
provide information about how to get independent help with a complaint
supervise and coordinate PALS volunteers

Working Environment

You could work in the community or in an NHS or private hospital.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.

Career Path & Progression

Career Path & Progression are not listed for this job.

Volunteering Opportunities

A common entry route is through volunteering, particularly within the NHS. Some patient advice and liaison services are staffed by a mix of paid staff and volunteers. Contact the voluntary services co-ordinator or manager at your local NHS authority or trust for further advice.