Patient Services Clerk

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Communications and Relationship skills - (Factor 1)

• Positively influence staff & patient engagement both face to face & over the telephone
• Effectively communicate with patients in a sensitive & compassionate manner
• Field internal and external telephone enquiries and record messages for colleagues, always maintaining the highest level of customer care and attention to detail.
• Provide an effective, customer focused front of house reception service, receiving and directing patients and visitors with the highest level of customer facing service

1. Analytical and Judgemental skills - (Factor 3)

• Take the initiative in obtaining additional information from colleagues where it is found to be lacking
• Liaise effectively with members of staff in the differing hospital departments
• Deal with patient and staff enquiries within sphere of competence
• Take the initiative to locate medical notes if they are found to be missing

1. Planning and Organisational skills - (Factor 4)

• Effectively organise the workload to take account of the priorities of the team.

• Book outpatient appointments and co-ordinate the use of the rooms in an efficient manner
• Ensure sundry bills are prepared and settled by patients prior to discharge
• Ensure all relevant information is available and provided to effectively progress admission / clinic arrangements, including collecting and dispatching patients notes and other documents
• Deal efficiently and effectively with patient notes on discharge, ensuring all filing is up to date and follow up care is arranged as directed.

1. Patient/Client Care - (Factor 6)

• Ensure up to date information is available and sent to patients in accordance with requirements
• Support colleagues as required in ensuring patients have all the relevant information they require in advance of their booking / transfer
• Orientate patients to their room, facilities, immediate environment and expectations
• Act as a chaperon for patients in the clinic environment as requested
• Arrange transport as requested and communicate financial details
• Co-ordinate the information gathering for the real time patient survey. Ensure Friends & Family cards are provided and opportunities to encourage completion are maximised
• Prepare and display door signs for all admissions

1. Policy and Service Development Implementation - (Factor 7)

• Participate in keeping patient information up to date and in line with Trust policy and expectation

1. Financial and Physical Development (inc. equipment, stock etc) - (Factor 8)

• Be able to explain clearly and confidently to patients their financial undertaking and collect payments as required.
• Ensure any patients who express an interest in becoming private are given all the relevant information in order to confidently sign their undertaking to pay
• Seek authorisation from insurance companies as directed & alert relevant personal regarding insurance updates.
• Participate in the assessment of stock levels and the ordering of relevant supplies, to meet business, catering and clinical requirements. Placing orders and sourcing items in a timely manner

1. Human Resources (inc. developing and delivering training) - (Factor 9)

• Demonstrate own activities to new or less experienced employees
• Support the senior nursing staff with electronic staff management systems

1. Information Resources - (Factor 10)

• Have a range of competent IT skills
• Ensure all relevant private patient information is available to facilitate an effective admission or appointment and ensure patients details are entered onto the system in a timely manner
• Use the private patient administration system and all associated systems confidently
• Draft, type and issue relevant and timely correspondence
• Maintain accurate records; recording information with specific attention to detail, filing and preparing notes as required
• Assist with business administration including data inputting

1. Research and Development - (Factor 11)

• Adhere to the Trust's governance frameworks
• Contribute and undertake audits related to the role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ in customer service or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Word processing qualification: EDCL or equivalent

Knowledge

Essential

• An excellent level of comprehension, to enable effective communication often involving sensitive information.
• Understanding of office practices and procedures.
• Excellent, accurate record keeping.
• Diplomacy and tact when dealing with difficult and sensitive situations
• Ability to operate in a business environment.
• Well organised using systematic approach.
• Standard keyboard skills, proficiency using Microsoft Office, using email and internet.
• Must have high degree of empathy, patience and sensitivity towards patients and staff.
• Emotional Resilience
• Ability to sit / stand for long periods and exert physical effort as required

Desirable

• Proven experience of working practices in an acute NHS Trust.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Knowledge of SEMA Helix / Compucare computer systems.
• Previous experience working in a team.
• Accurate numerical data entry skills

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Essential

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities

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.

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

Chichester Suite, St Richard's Hospital

St Richard’s Hospital, Spitalfield Lane, Chichester,

PO19 6SE

Employer's website

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