Senior Administrator - Psychology

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties

Under the direction of the Office Manager, provide a point of contact for all members of the team

The applicant will be required to manage their own workload using planning and organisational skills to ensure that the most urgent issues are dealt with promptly.

Work pattern is unpredictable with a frequent requirement to concentrate e.g. putting on new referrals (using database, waiting list and creating electronic and hard copy files) whilst having frequent interruptions for example dealing phone calls from referrers, patients, members of staff, responding to physically present Clinicians and patients at reception.

Maintain the psychology general email inbox. Retrieve referrals as necessary and coordinate queries, including liaison with team about risk and action. To answer internal and external telephone calls, recording and relaying accurate messages as appropriate. Make telephone calls as necessary. Retrieve any messages left and deal with appropriately

Inputting new patient referrals onto the relevant electronic patient record systems

Complete associated admin following referral meetings, to include updating databases, sending out letters, making patient appointments and allocating the patient to Clinician on database and waiting list, for different services within the Department

Assist in maintaining and updating the waiting lists for the Department of Clinical Health Psychology ensuring data is accurate in accordance with current guidelines.

Taking calls from colleagues and other services. Addressing the complexity of which of multiple services the patient should be referred to, knowing when to escalate to clinicians appropriately where there are highly complex clinical issues, and how to answer with sufficient clinical detail in an efficient manner.

Taking calls from patients who are distressed, struggling with their mental health, where there are barriers to understanding due to difficulties with language and cognitive understanding, or where there are physical barriers/restrictions due to illness where communication is via a third party

Explaining complex information about psychological assessment, therapy and interventions to referrers and patients including why a referral has not been accepted e.g. explaining health condition or limits to service criteria in a sensitive and empathetic way where there may be barriers to understanding and distress.

Knowing your limitations and boundaries in communication and being able to liaise effectively with an appropriate clinician including accurate explanation of the needs of complex and high-risk patients.

Making appointments for new and existing patients using Microsoft Outlook and maintaining a record of appointments, dealing with all changes using judgement when dealing with changes to appointments, e.g. when a patient attends incorrectly, who may become distressed

Coordinating Clinician's diaries and using own judgement, within guidance when making multiple different types of appointments to meet different department services and patient requirements.

Regular requirement to speak to emotionally distressed patients and family, both on the phone and in person

Regular requirement to deal with angry or confused patients about referrals, health treatment or discharge both on the phone and in person

Greet patients/staff members who come to reception with a welcoming helpful attitude. Use knowledge and tact to direct individuals to correct department given multi-use site, this includes the need to manage frustration and agitation

Be able to demonstrate processes and lead induction to new Trainee Psychologists, students and staff on clinical activity and expectation including audit paperwork, discharge steps and electronic patient records.

Compiling patient files in an accurate and timely manner.

Maintain patient record filing systems, ensuring all records are accurately and appropriately archived. Retrieve patient records from filing as required.

Provide general administrative duties such as typing a range of standard letters, sending out patient letters and questionnaires, scanning of documents. Details in clinical letters may be distressing and highly complex.

Disseminating incoming post appropriately and action where possible. Outgoing post, ensuring priorities are maintained.

Photocopying, faxing and any other clerical duties as necessary.

To provide short-term cover for colleagues during periods of leave

The post holder may be required to undertake some moderate lifting and handling.

This job description is not exhaustive and may be amended in consultation with the post holder. It should be reviewed whenever major changes have been agreed to the post and should be reviewed as part of the annual appraisal process to ensure it remains an accurate reflection of the duties and responsibilities undertaken by the post holder.

During the course of your employment you may have access to, see or hear information of a confidential nature and you are required not to disclose such information, particularly relating to patients or staff. All persons identifiable information must be held in the strictest confidence and should be disclosed only to authorised people in accordance with NHS Confidentiality Guidelines and the Data Protection Act 1998 unless explicit written consent has been given by the person identified, or where information sharing protocols exist.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Level 3 RSA/NVQ in relevant administrative field or equivalent experience

Experience

Essential

• Previous significant office experience, Ability to manage an alphabetical filing system
• Experience of managing own workload
• Experience of working in the NHS

Desirable

• Using NHS IT systems, i.e. PG, Lorenzo

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communications skills.
• Compassionate telephone manner
• Able to prioritise tasks.
• Demonstrates potential to be able to work under pressure with multiple competing priorities
• Demonstrate understanding of patient confidentiality.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office including Outlook and Excel and excellent keyboard skills
• Working knowledge of using databases and NHS systems

Personal Qualities

Essential

• The ability to work alone and manage own workload
• Accuracy, an eye for detail
• Compassion and kindness when working with those in distress
• Able to interact with a variety of staff
• Able to maintain confidentiality
• Flexible and adaptable
• Ability to use initiative
• Understanding of own limitations and boundaries in patient contacts

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Stratford Healthcare

Clinical Health Psychology Dept, Building 1, 2nd Floor, Stratford Healthcare, Arden Street,

Stratford upon Avon

CV37 6NQ

Employer's website

https://www.swft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)