Full-time, contract (six months)

Position summary

Reporting to the clinical manager, complaints and practice investigations, and working closely with the manager, investigations, the complaint navigator is responsible for providing subject matter expertise and support as complainants navigate through the College’s complaint/investigations process, particularly supporting complainants alleging sexual boundary violations.

Duties and responsibilities

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

Manage public inquiries to the College

• address concerns/issues raised by potential complainants and their parents, guardians or advocates by way of phone calls and/or correspondence regarding the complaint process
• advise the public of the College’s standards and guidelines as requested, and provide clarification and interpretation as needed, based on the caller’s level of understanding
• provide a thorough explanation of the College’s complaint process, including the consent requirements for third-party complaints and disclosure of complaint information
• identify and discuss with complainants the potential breaches of professional standards, considering the College’s practice standards and professional guidelines, the Canadian Medical Association Code of Ethics and Professionalism, and the Health Professions Act
• recognize and respond to the emotional state of the callers and interact in a sensitive manner
• communicate in a manner that is both supportive and helpful but neutral and realistic in terms of potential outcomes
• communicate the role of the College, clearly explaining the jurisdiction related to investigation of complaints
• maintain contact with complainants where appropriate, to ensure support is being maintained and keep complainants updated on the status of their complaint as required

Complaint intake and review

• perform initial review of all new complaints and triage based on allegations and subject registrant complaint history
• identify complainants in need of additional support and initiate follow-up either through a telephone call or email
• maintain relationships with patient support programs and health authority liaisons, including the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) Quality and Safety Office and Métis Nation BC (MNBC) Métis Health Experience Program
• ensure that complainants, who have experienced Indigenous-specific racism or discrimination, are afforded an opportunity to provide their concerns in a culturally safe way using relational values or acknowledge, respect and gratitude

Complainant support

• provide support to complainants, identified by program managers, who may benefit from additional support throughout the complaint process, loss of family member, living with a neurodevelopmental and/or mental health symptom that influences their awareness of and participation in the complaint process)
• assist the complainant in communicating their concerns which may include collaborating with translators, interpreters, parents, guardians or advocates
• document all discussions with the complainant, including those regarding the College’s jurisdiction, complainant participation in the process, and potential outcomes
• attend investigation interviews and hearings with the complainant as appropriate
• assist the Inquiry Committee and investigation leads in obtaining information from the complainant as required
• communicate with complainants following the decision to ensure understanding of the decision and the process for filing a review with the Health Professions Review Board, if requested
• maintain awareness of resources available to complainants in the community and provide information as appropriate
• maintain awareness of potential outcomes of investigation of various types of complaints and committee’s decisions

Work collaboratively with other team members

• ensure the complaints team and Inquiry Committee understands the complainant’s perspective and expectations to inform decision writing
• work with the director and clinical manager to improve processes based on feedback provided by complainants
• maintain knowledge of College’s standards and guidelines on an ongoing basis

Other responsibilities

• actively participate in continuous quality initiatives
• participate on internal committees as appropriate
• other duties as determined by the director or clinical manager

Skills and qualifications

Required skills and qualifications include:

• Master’s degree in social work including successful training and certification in accepted models of trauma-informed care (i.e. cognitive behavioural therapy, eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy) or registered psychiatric nurse (RPN) with experience working in a high acuity setting (e.g. emergency, crisis/sexual assault team) and trauma-informed care
• minimum of five years of clinical experience in a health-care environment
• experience in mental health, trauma-informed practice and Indigenous cultural safety
• experience working with Indigenous communities or marginalized populations
• must hold practising registration in good standing with appropriate regulatory college in BC
• knowledge of appropriate legislation such as Health Care Consent Act, Child, Family and Community Services Act, Mental Health Act, Health Professions Act, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and Personal Information Protection Act
• experience in the application of regulatory practices, legislation related to regulation, and professional and practice standards an asset
• excellent interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to work with a wide range of people with cultural awareness and sensitivity
• able to deal with people sensitively, tactfully, diplomatically, and professionally
• advanced conflict management and client support skills including facilitation, coaching and education, knowledge and ability to apply privacy and confidentiality principles
• ability to make decisions independently and collaborate with internal staff and a variety of external stakeholders
• excellent oral and written communications skills and the ability to communicate effectively with individuals at all levels of the organization
• ability to work in Microsoft suite of services and to rapidly learn and engage with databases
• open to giving and receiving feedback across the organization

The compensation range for this position is $83,425 to $104,281 per year.