Referral and Booking Agent

Wrightington Wigan & Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 07 May 2025

Job summary

The CHOICE Centre at Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are recruiting an enthusiastic individual to join our well established team as a Referral and Booking Agent. The role is based at Wigan Health Centre.

The post is for 30 hours per week Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on a permanent contract

Hours will be discussed at interview

A Standard DBS check will be obtained during pre-employment checks.

This post involves contact with patients and families face to face within a community setting. Therefore it cannot be ruled out that the post holder may come in to contact with people who have COVID-19, although the Trust provides PPE and takes all reasonable steps to minimise risk.

This vacancy may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Evidence of qualifications will be required.

Main duties of the job

Duties include taking responsibility for receiving and scanning referrals, issuing appointments in secondary care and MSK CATS, and booking patient transport for those that meet the eligibility criteria.

Experience of working in the NHS, or within a telephone contact centre would be an advantage. An understanding of the the Choose & Book, SystmOne and PAS systems would be desirable.

You must be able to work as part of a team as well as use your own initiative and have the ability to prioritise your own workload. Good communication skills are required.

About us

Choose Well - Choose WWL

Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are the proud providers of acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas. At WWL, we value our staff believing that 'happy staff, makes for happy patients'.

We have a recognised track record in staff engagement, and living our values 'the WWL Way'.

WWL are committed to placing the patient at the heart of everything we do, and in the provision of safe, effective care that acknowledges and ensures dignity. With this in mind we are seeking to recruit people who share our values and beliefs. On-Call

Date posted

30 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year Per Annum, Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

302-25-7074368SS

Job locations

Boston House Wigan Health Centre

Frog Lane

Wigan

WN6 7LB

Job description

Job responsibilities

Provision of an efficient administrative support service to all aspects of the CHOICE Centre.
To ensure all referrals are processed promptly upon receipt at the centre, including scanning and registering onto the patient administration system and the CHOICE Centre database
To monitor waiting list times.
Booking of patient appointments for services agreed across the Primary and Secondary care Trusts within agreed timescales.
Provision of telephone support service to patients.
To search for information and to book appointments within the clinic templates set up on the Wrightington Wigan and Leigh patient administration system (PAS) and SystmOne
To ensure quality standards are met according to the policies and on the advice of the data quality group.
To highlight potential delays in the provision of service.
To ensure that demographic details are checked with every telephone call and that the PAS system is updated accordingly.
To highlight any clinic where the template is not booked to capacity.
To undertake monitoring and audit of the service as required by the CHOICE Centre Manager.
Ensure that guidelines regarding confidentiality, disclosure of information and Data Protection Policies are always observed.
Complete the Patient Transport Eligibility Criteria and the booking of Patient Transport appointments.
To advise the CHOICE Centre Manager of training needs and undertake any training initiatives as required.
Knowledge of medical terminology systems.
Using the spoken and written word, being sensitive to those who are vulnerable or do not have English as their first language.
Assisting and developing communication systems with all staff, patients, and relatives to promote understanding.
Maintaining accurate, timely and legible records
To influence and prioritise the development of new skills, knowledge, and working practices in self and others.
To encourage others to seek advice and solutions to problems.
Communicate in a manner that is consistent with legislation, policies, and procedures.
Maintain consistency within standards of patient care.
To hold discussions with relevant managers within the NHS Trusts across Greater Manchester, to highlight any problems that might affect the provision of service
To develop good working relationships with external services including GPs, community-based health services and secondary care health services.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Provision of an efficient administrative support service to all aspects of the CHOICE Centre.
To ensure all referrals are processed promptly upon receipt at the centre, including scanning and registering onto the patient administration system and the CHOICE Centre database
To monitor waiting list times.
Booking of patient appointments for services agreed across the Primary and Secondary care Trusts within agreed timescales.
Provision of telephone support service to patients.
To search for information and to book appointments within the clinic templates set up on the Wrightington Wigan and Leigh patient administration system (PAS) and SystmOne
To ensure quality standards are met according to the policies and on the advice of the data quality group.
To highlight potential delays in the provision of service.
To ensure that demographic details are checked with every telephone call and that the PAS system is updated accordingly.
To highlight any clinic where the template is not booked to capacity.
To undertake monitoring and audit of the service as required by the CHOICE Centre Manager.
Ensure that guidelines regarding confidentiality, disclosure of information and Data Protection Policies are always observed.
Complete the Patient Transport Eligibility Criteria and the booking of Patient Transport appointments.
To advise the CHOICE Centre Manager of training needs and undertake any training initiatives as required.
Knowledge of medical terminology systems.
Using the spoken and written word, being sensitive to those who are vulnerable or do not have English as their first language.
Assisting and developing communication systems with all staff, patients, and relatives to promote understanding.
Maintaining accurate, timely and legible records
To influence and prioritise the development of new skills, knowledge, and working practices in self and others.
To encourage others to seek advice and solutions to problems.
Communicate in a manner that is consistent with legislation, policies, and procedures.
Maintain consistency within standards of patient care.
To hold discussions with relevant managers within the NHS Trusts across Greater Manchester, to highlight any problems that might affect the provision of service
To develop good working relationships with external services including GPs, community-based health services and secondary care health services.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

NVQ Level 3 Or Equivalent demonstrable experience

Desirable

ECDL
Evidence of CPD

Experience

Essential

Demonstrable IT skills
Knowledge of the C&B system
Knowledge of the SystmOne system

Desirable

Previous experience in the use of patient administration system (PAS) in relation to the booking of outpatients.
Previous relevant work within the NHS
Previous work in a call centre or booking centre

Skills

Essential

Forward thinking
Excellent interpersonal skills & telephone manner
Keyboard & basic typing skills
Ability to use own initiative and work under direction

Desirable

Additional IT skills e.g., Microsoft Excel

Knowledge

Essential

Clear vision of the role
Knowledge of the Information Governance policy and its application regarding confidential information practice

Desirable

Awareness of the role of the CHOICE service and Musculoskeletal Clinical Assessment Treatment Services
Knowledge of other NHS policies and procedures
Understanding of The18-week pathway, Choose & Book and patient CHOICE
Knowledge of how to use Trust patient administration systems (PAS systems, Electronic Patient Records, Choose & Book & SystmOne)
Knowledge of the NHS
Knowledge of the Data Protection Act.

Additional

Essential

Motivation / Drive / Enthusiasm
Ability to show sensitivity to patients and carers in distress
The ability to work flexibly which may be between the hours of 8am - 4pm
Speak English to an appropriate standard relevant to their role, i.e., with confidence and accuracy, using correct sentence structures and vocabulary, and without hesitation
Willing to meet the performance criteria set out in the job description and undertakes personal and professional development

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

NVQ Level 3 Or Equivalent demonstrable experience

Desirable

ECDL
Evidence of CPD

Experience

Essential

Demonstrable IT skills
Knowledge of the C&B system
Knowledge of the SystmOne system

Desirable

Previous experience in the use of patient administration system (PAS) in relation to the booking of outpatients.
Previous relevant work within the NHS
Previous work in a call centre or booking centre

Skills

Essential

Forward thinking
Excellent interpersonal skills & telephone manner
Keyboard & basic typing skills
Ability to use own initiative and work under direction

Desirable

Additional IT skills e.g., Microsoft Excel

Knowledge

Essential

Clear vision of the role
Knowledge of the Information Governance policy and its application regarding confidential information practice

Desirable

Awareness of the role of the CHOICE service and Musculoskeletal Clinical Assessment Treatment Services
Knowledge of other NHS policies and procedures
Understanding of The18-week pathway, Choose & Book and patient CHOICE
Knowledge of how to use Trust patient administration systems (PAS systems, Electronic Patient Records, Choose & Book & SystmOne)
Knowledge of the NHS
Knowledge of the Data Protection Act.

Additional

Essential

Motivation / Drive / Enthusiasm
Ability to show sensitivity to patients and carers in distress
The ability to work flexibly which may be between the hours of 8am - 4pm
Speak English to an appropriate standard relevant to their role, i.e., with confidence and accuracy, using correct sentence structures and vocabulary, and without hesitation
Willing to meet the performance criteria set out in the job description and undertakes personal and professional development

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.