Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) at Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust.
We are looking for an experienced person with a passion for excellent patient experience to develop, mentor and lead the customer service, transport reception and patient liaison teams.
This is a senior role within patient transport and will be pivotal in helping to improve the patient experience on NEPTS. This role will ensure that all patient bookings are accurately taken and will pro-actively ensure all patients' needs are met, as well as ensuring the prompt resolution of any patient complaints or queries. To be a point of contact for patients and all departments regarding the patient experience whilst travelling on NEPTS.
The successful candidate will have an expert understanding of NEPTS eligibility from within a clinical setting.
Main duties of the job
Develop, mentor and lead an effective customer service team for the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service, ensuring the timely and smooth running of the service to the satisfaction of all users. Ensuring full management of the Trust's eligibility criteria, patient and Trust transport bookings, the patient transport lounges and patient query's and complaints.
The post holder will ensure that through robust and clear communications all patient transport services are provided to eligible patients in line with guidelines provided by the Department for Health and that this compliance is evidenced by ongoing monitoring and reviews. This includes ensuring that any changes to the service or eligibility criteria are clearly communicated to the greater NEPTS team, internal clinical areas and patients.
The post holder will be responsible for managing a diverse team of staff covering multiple disciplines (assessment centre, bookings, queries, transport lounge reception and complaints) across all Trust sites acting as the interface between NEPTS, clinical areas, patients, third-party providers and any other stakeholders such as ICB's (Integrated Care Board) or CCG's (Clinical Commissioning Group).
The post holder will also act as Senior Patient Liaison Officer, heading a small team investigating formal and informal complaints, and responding as required.
About us
Essentia has a fundamental role in supporting the activities of the Trust. Essentia's focus is on providing a high-quality hospital environment and a high-quality hospital experience for our patients through setting up imaginative standards in the physical and built environment, through a programme of improvements to the range of support services and by fostering a strong overarching patient-focused approach.
The Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) is part of Essentia. Our patient transport service is available for patients who cannot travel to or from our hospitals using any other method of transport because of their medical or mobility condition, or because their medical condition would otherwise worsen. All requests for patient transport are assessed on medical need through applying eligibility criteria... Patient transport vehicles operate with appropriate staff and equipment. As patients have diverse needs, we provide a range of vehicles such as cars, ambulances and high-dependency units and use specialist equipment such as wheelchairs, stretchers, carry chairs and stair climbers.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Customer Service
- To undertake direct line management responsibilities for the Patient Transport Customer Service team, and oversee the recruitment, retention and development processes for these staff.
- To lead the development of the patient transport customer service in order to improve the efficiency of the service for all users.
- To implement and manage agreed initiatives within their budget, in order to streamline patient transport processes, especially as they relate to the development of excellent customer services to all users.
Patient Liaison
- To develop and manage a complaints resolution system for the service and manage the Patient Liaison Officer (PLO) team to record and resolve complaints from all users of the service.
Financial
- Be responsible for financial performance against agreed budgets and be able to be able to demonstrate the cost-effective delivery of the services. Where appropriate, develop financial performance action plans to achieve cost efficiency and cost improvement.
Staff Management
- Set objectives for customer service staff for the improvement of the service. Take full responsibility for customer service teams meeting these set objectives. Manage staff opportunities for fulfilling their potential through development and training.
Eligibility Criteria
- Be the subject matter expert and ensure the robust management and enforcement of the Trusts Eligibility Criteria.
- Ensure that patient eligibility criteria are in-line with Department of Health guidelines for NEPTS.
Please refer to the full Job Description for this role for the complete list of responsibilities which is within the attached documents.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Customer Service
- To undertake direct line management responsibilities for the Patient Transport Customer Service team, and oversee the recruitment, retention and development processes for these staff.
- To lead the development of the patient transport customer service in order to improve the efficiency of the service for all users.
- To implement and manage agreed initiatives within their budget, in order to streamline patient transport processes, especially as they relate to the development of excellent customer services to all users.
Patient Liaison
- To develop and manage a complaints resolution system for the service and manage the Patient Liaison Officer (PLO) team to record and resolve complaints from all users of the service.
Financial
- Be responsible for financial performance against agreed budgets and be able to be able to demonstrate the cost-effective delivery of the services. Where appropriate, develop financial performance action plans to achieve cost efficiency and cost improvement.
Staff Management
- Set objectives for customer service staff for the improvement of the service. Take full responsibility for customer service teams meeting these set objectives. Manage staff opportunities for fulfilling their potential through development and training.
Eligibility Criteria
- Be the subject matter expert and ensure the robust management and enforcement of the Trusts Eligibility Criteria.
- Ensure that patient eligibility criteria are in-line with Department of Health guidelines for NEPTS.
Please refer to the full Job Description for this role for the complete list of responsibilities which is within the attached documents.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Knowledge acquired through degree or equivalent experience plus further training and experience to post graduate diploma level equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of working in a leadership role within NHS soft facilities
- Proven experience of staff supervision/staff management including recruitment/ retention /appraisal /first line disciplinary.
- Extensive team leading experience in a client facing role.
Desirable
- Clinical knowledge or experience in eligibility criteria application.
Skills
Essential
- Proven ability to motivate and lead teams to deliver high levels of patient service.
- Ability to analyse complex problems and to develop practical and workable solutions to address them.
- Strong analytical skills and ability to carry out root cause analysis.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Knowledge acquired through degree or equivalent experience plus further training and experience to post graduate diploma level equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of working in a leadership role within NHS soft facilities
- Proven experience of staff supervision/staff management including recruitment/ retention /appraisal /first line disciplinary.
- Extensive team leading experience in a client facing role.
Desirable
- Clinical knowledge or experience in eligibility criteria application.
Skills
Essential
- Proven ability to motivate and lead teams to deliver high levels of patient service.
- Ability to analyse complex problems and to develop practical and workable solutions to address them.
- Strong analytical skills and ability to carry out root cause analysis.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
