Richard
Ultimately the qualities I’m looking for in my Assessors are good written and oral communication skills. Much of what an Assessor does is written work which has to be of a high quality. You need to be able to write well and present complicated information, both orally and in writing, in a clear and easy to understand way. You also have to manage difficult telephone calls with complainants and utilise your influencing skills when dealing with, for example, Government departments or NHS Trusts.
I think the other key quality I’m looking for is great analytical skill – you need to get to the bottom of sometimes very complicated cases quickly and to do that must process a lot of information and make sound, evidence-based judgements.
Managing your own caseload is a key part of the role. Our Assessors have targets to meet and need to be able to produce quality work in very short timescales. On top of that you need to be comfortable working and talking with a broad range of different people and sharing your knowledge and experience. I need team players who are happy to help out across the team and the organisation as a whole.
I’m looking for someone who is keen and proactive – you need energy, commitment, drive and determination. You need to be the sort of person who is eager to help individuals and who wants to make a difference to public services and those who use them.
In return for the qualities we expect from you, we offer a great deal back. Looking beyond the organisational benefits, this really is a great environment to work in. The organisation is always changing, innovating and learning from experience – we don’t stand still. If you’re the right person and relish the opportunity of being in a high profile organisation, and specifically as an Assessor being at the forefront of the complaints handling process, then the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is definitely the place to be.
