Complaints Supervisor

Job title: Complaints Supervisor

Purpose of the job: Accountable for the effective management, investigation, and resolution of patient complaints across Damira Dental Studios, ensuring complaints are progressed within agreed pathways and timescales and that learning is translated into positive change.

Location: Call Centre (Portsmouth)

Reporting into: Contact Centre Manager

Department: Operations

Direct reports: None

Role & responsibilities:

Complaints Management

• Take ownership of relevant clinical patient complaints from receipt through to resolution, ensuring each case is managed fairly, consistently and within required timescales.
• Manage relevant complaints in accordance with Damira Dental Studios complaints procedures, defined pathways and relevant NHS and private dental complaints requirements.
• Facilitate the investigation process, supporting Business Managers, identify and escalate potential patient safety concerns, and ensure complaints are appropriately reviewed by the relevant clinician.
• Maintain oversight of an active caseload, prioritising cases according to complexity, risk and deadlines and ensuring complaints do not stall due to outstanding information or actions.
• Work with autonomy within the agreed complaints pathway, using professional judgement to progress cases and escalating matters where clinical, operational, or organisational input is required.
• Ensure patients receive clear, professional, and empathetic communication throughout the complaints process.

Investigation & Case Coordination

• Undertake thorough and proportionate investigations, obtaining and reviewing the information required to understand the complaint and reach an appropriate outcome.
• Review clinical records, correspondence, radiographs, photographs, treatment plans, telephone notes, and other relevant documentation as required.
• Liaise collaboratively with Regional Managers, Business Managers, clinicians, Clinical Advisors and other stakeholders to obtain accurate information and responses.
• Proactively chase outstanding information, set clear expectations, and maintain momentum to ensure complaint deadlines are achieved.
• Identify gaps, inconsistencies or areas requiring further clarification and ensure decisions and outcomes are evidence based and appropriately documented.

Complaints Software & Data Management

• Manage complaints through Damira Dental Studios designated complaints management software, ensuring records are accurate, complete, and kept up to date.
• Use system workflows, tasks, and deadlines to maintain effective oversight of the complaints portfolio and ensure clear audit trails.
• Be adaptive and agile in using and developing software-based processes as the complaints function evolves.
• Maintain high standards of confidentiality and appropriate handling of patient information.

Stakeholder Management

• Develop effective working relationships across Operations, clinical teams, and support functions, communicating confidently with stakeholders at all levels.
• Set clear expectations regarding information requirements and deadlines and follow up proactively where information or actions remain outstanding.
• Work collaboratively whilst retaining ownership and accountability for progressing each complaint.
• Recognise when specialist clinical, compliance, indemnity or other advice is required and ensure appropriate input is obtained.

Learning & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and document learning outcomes arising from individual complaints, including recurring themes, trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Produce and present complaints data, trends and learning outcomes to the Operations Director and Regional Managers to support review, decision making, and implementation of positive change.
• Work with operational teams to support actions arising from complaint learning and help embed sustainable improvements in patient experience and service delivery.
• Share relevant learning and examples of good practice across the organisation to reduce recurrence.
• Support the Contact Centre team with non-prescriptive clinical queries and guidance, using clinical knowledge to help colleagues understand appropriate pathways and identify when further clinical input or escalation is required.

Complaints Compliance & Information Accuracy

• Ensure complaints are handled in line with Damira Dental Studios complaints procedures, agreed pathways and applicable response timescales.
• Maintain accurate, contemporaneous, and auditable complaint records, ensuring the information relied upon during an investigation is complete and appropriately evidenced.
• Seek clarification and challenge information where necessary to ensure complaint responses are based on accurate clinical and operational facts.
• Ensure relevant stakeholders provide the information required to support a fair, balanced and accurate investigation and response.
• Identify where a complaint requires escalation or additional specialist input and ensure this is sought promptly.

Ambassador

• Role model the Damira values and behaviours whilst carrying out the role of Complaints Manager both internally and externally.

The post holder will not provide independent clinical opinions, determine clinical negligence, or make decisions requiring professional clinical judgement. Their role is to facilitate the investigation process, identify and escalate potential patient safety concerns, and ensure complaints are appropriately reviewed by the relevant clinician.

Work Location: In person