Job summary
We currently have a permanent vacancy for an Appointments Clerk within the outpatient booking team at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The posts will be based at Blackpool Stadium. The department provides a fast and responsive outpatient appointment booking service.
Clerks are expected to provide a high-quality booking and administration service for all patients who require an outpatient appointment, ensuring that the administration associated with all patient appointments is completed accurately and in a timely manner. To support all Directorates in achieving key access targets. Dealing with in-bound and out-bound calls to agreed professional standards and providing administration and monitoring support for the referral pathways.
A prior knowledge of all tasks associated with "Appointment Bookings" is essential.
Main duties of the job
The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, IT knowledge, an ability to work on their own initiative and as part of a team working to strict deadlines.
About us
To provide a high-quality booking and administration service for all patients who require an outpatient appointment, ensuring that the administration associated with all patient appointments is completed accurately and in a timely manner. To support all Directorates in achieving key access targets. Dealing with in-bound and out-bound calls to agreed professional standards and providing administration and monitoring support for the referral pathways.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Responsible for processing all referrals sent to the Appointments Office. Register details on HISS in a timely manner and check for duplication of referrals. Liaise with the appropriate departments for missing information or queries and ensure referrals have been allocated to the correct specialty and consultant. Communicating with patients who fail to contact the Trust within agreed timescales or cancel/DNA their appointment, according to national and local standards
- Deal with incoming and outgoing telephone calls, providing a quality telephone service for patients, GP surgeries and other stakeholders and be able to utilise the Appointments telephony system to its full potential.
- Responsible for registering and/or linking on HISS all follow-up appointments to the correct pathway to ensure referral to treatment data is recorded correctly.
- Telephone patients to negotiate all patient appointments, offering a choice of dates and time whilst adhering to clinical requirements e.g., correct clinic code, length of time for appointment, observing all booking rules and waiting time targets.
- Responsible for the reduction and/or cancellation of clinic schedules on HISS and eReferrals upon receipt of notification, liaising with the patient and any necessary Trust personnel. Contact patients in relation to short notice hospital cancellations by telephone and arrange hand delivered letters where phone contact cannot be made; still ensuring that patients are seen within national and local targets. If targets cannot be achieved, liaise with team supervisor.
- Responsible for adding patients to the Outpatient waiting lists where appropriate.
- Responsible for booking appointments for patients in chronological order from the waiting list.
- Check all patient demographics when contact is made with patients on the telephone and update the HISS system. Access the Summary Care Record in order to maintain accurate patient details.
- Accurate collection and recording of data, ensuring any errors are clearly identified and corrected, including patient demographics. Ensure high levels of accuracy are maintained for data quality.
- To ensure clinic capacity is fully utilised and that any under or over capacity is identified to the relevant Supervisor.
- To understand the principles of eReferral adhering to the national guidance around 'Choice'.
- To understand how eReferral appointments differ from booking paper referrals; specifically the variable administration processes for managing these appointments.
- Monitor and action eReferral worklists on a daily basis, supporting the Appointments team and working to agreed contingency measures in the event of the automated system not being available for HISS or eReferrals.
- Be committed to continuous improvement of data quality, taking personal responsibility for the quality of service provided and to contribute towards and support service improvement.
- Participate in system for reminding patients of their appointment dates
- Ensure DNA's are actioned in line with Trust Policy.
- Effectively manage incoming and outgoing post within the department, redirecting mail where necessary including the retrieval and delivery of post to various departments as and when required.
- General clerical duties including, filing, faxing, photocopying, scanning and electronic filing and storage and retrieval on the Trusts shared drives, as well as delivery of referrals to various departments.
- To undertake to carry out the above duties in accordance with the Trust Confidentiality Policy and be aware of the Data Protection Act, Caldicott and Freedom of Information Policies.
- Provide flexibility in terms of hours worked in accordance with the needs of the service. Offer a telephone service between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm.
- Have the ability to concentrate on various tasks and prioritise whilst working in an unpredictable environment.
- Have a good level of keyboard and word processing skills.
- To provide cover for colleagues by being flexible.
- Responsible for the completion of Incident Reports where necessary (IR1s/Datix).
- Be available and aware of major incident procedures.
- Liaise with the relevant staff to ensure that referrals, appointments, and queries are processed efficiently and correctly and in a timely manner.
- To undertake to act in a professional and polite manner ensuring good customer care at all times. To liaise with patients, relatives and other disciplines of staff and departments internally and externally maintaining confidentiality, using tact and persuasive skills.
- Maintain good relationships communicating with all disciplines within the Trust and maintain good relationships and effective communication with patients, relatives, and carers. The main methods of communication will be via the telephone, letter, or email.
- Actively participate in departmental and in other group meetings.
- To have a good level of knowledge of Microsoft office packages such as Word, Excel, and Outlook in order to manage referrals and booking requests.
- To undertake to use the HISS System, eReferrals, Appointments telephony system, scanners, Envoy, and other departmental systems.
- To undertake to attend relevant training courses internal and external and to participate in the Personal Development Plan process.
- Take responsibility for pursuing his/her own development in accordance with an agreed Personal Development Plan and keep up to date with current issues and development within the division.
- Attend and complete all mandatory training and update sessions including mandatory modules on the National Learning Management System (NLMS, previously known as VLE).
- To undertake to comply with all Trust policies and departmental procedures and with particular regard to Health & Safety and fire prevention and not to do anything that endangers yourself or others.
- Be able to use all appropriate office equipment and to ensure that adequate stationery levels are maintained.
- Be able to use all appropriate office equipment and to ensure that adequate stationery levels are maintained
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Responsible for processing all referrals sent to the Appointments Office. Register details on HISS in a timely manner and check for duplication of referrals. Liaise with the appropriate departments for missing information or queries and ensure referrals have been allocated to the correct specialty and consultant. Communicating with patients who fail to contact the Trust within agreed timescales or cancel/DNA their appointment, according to national and local standards
- Deal with incoming and outgoing telephone calls, providing a quality telephone service for patients, GP surgeries and other stakeholders and be able to utilise the Appointments telephony system to its full potential.
- Responsible for registering and/or linking on HISS all follow-up appointments to the correct pathway to ensure referral to treatment data is recorded correctly.
- Telephone patients to negotiate all patient appointments, offering a choice of dates and time whilst adhering to clinical requirements e.g., correct clinic code, length of time for appointment, observing all booking rules and waiting time targets.
- Responsible for the reduction and/or cancellation of clinic schedules on HISS and eReferrals upon receipt of notification, liaising with the patient and any necessary Trust personnel. Contact patients in relation to short notice hospital cancellations by telephone and arrange hand delivered letters where phone contact cannot be made; still ensuring that patients are seen within national and local targets. If targets cannot be achieved, liaise with team supervisor.
- Responsible for adding patients to the Outpatient waiting lists where appropriate.
- Responsible for booking appointments for patients in chronological order from the waiting list.
- Check all patient demographics when contact is made with patients on the telephone and update the HISS system. Access the Summary Care Record in order to maintain accurate patient details.
- Accurate collection and recording of data, ensuring any errors are clearly identified and corrected, including patient demographics. Ensure high levels of accuracy are maintained for data quality.
- To ensure clinic capacity is fully utilised and that any under or over capacity is identified to the relevant Supervisor.
- To understand the principles of eReferral adhering to the national guidance around 'Choice'.
- To understand how eReferral appointments differ from booking paper referrals; specifically the variable administration processes for managing these appointments.
- Monitor and action eReferral worklists on a daily basis, supporting the Appointments team and working to agreed contingency measures in the event of the automated system not being available for HISS or eReferrals.
- Be committed to continuous improvement of data quality, taking personal responsibility for the quality of service provided and to contribute towards and support service improvement.
- Participate in system for reminding patients of their appointment dates
- Ensure DNA's are actioned in line with Trust Policy.
- Effectively manage incoming and outgoing post within the department, redirecting mail where necessary including the retrieval and delivery of post to various departments as and when required.
- General clerical duties including, filing, faxing, photocopying, scanning and electronic filing and storage and retrieval on the Trusts shared drives, as well as delivery of referrals to various departments.
- To undertake to carry out the above duties in accordance with the Trust Confidentiality Policy and be aware of the Data Protection Act, Caldicott and Freedom of Information Policies.
- Provide flexibility in terms of hours worked in accordance with the needs of the service. Offer a telephone service between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm.
- Have the ability to concentrate on various tasks and prioritise whilst working in an unpredictable environment.
- Have a good level of keyboard and word processing skills.
- To provide cover for colleagues by being flexible.
- Responsible for the completion of Incident Reports where necessary (IR1s/Datix).
- Be available and aware of major incident procedures.
- Liaise with the relevant staff to ensure that referrals, appointments, and queries are processed efficiently and correctly and in a timely manner.
- To undertake to act in a professional and polite manner ensuring good customer care at all times. To liaise with patients, relatives and other disciplines of staff and departments internally and externally maintaining confidentiality, using tact and persuasive skills.
- Maintain good relationships communicating with all disciplines within the Trust and maintain good relationships and effective communication with patients, relatives, and carers. The main methods of communication will be via the telephone, letter, or email.
- Actively participate in departmental and in other group meetings.
- To have a good level of knowledge of Microsoft office packages such as Word, Excel, and Outlook in order to manage referrals and booking requests.
- To undertake to use the HISS System, eReferrals, Appointments telephony system, scanners, Envoy, and other departmental systems.
- To undertake to attend relevant training courses internal and external and to participate in the Personal Development Plan process.
- Take responsibility for pursuing his/her own development in accordance with an agreed Personal Development Plan and keep up to date with current issues and development within the division.
- Attend and complete all mandatory training and update sessions including mandatory modules on the National Learning Management System (NLMS, previously known as VLE).
- To undertake to comply with all Trust policies and departmental procedures and with particular regard to Health & Safety and fire prevention and not to do anything that endangers yourself or others.
- Be able to use all appropriate office equipment and to ensure that adequate stationery levels are maintained.
- Be able to use all appropriate office equipment and to ensure that adequate stationery levels are maintained
Person Specification
Qualifications and Education
Essential
- Minimum 5 GCSE's at Grade C or above
Desirable
- ECDL
- NVQ Level 2 or equivalent in Customer Services.
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Previous clerical experience in NHS organisation with particular emphasis within an Appointments booking setting.
Desirable
- Clerical experience in an NHS organisation.
Skills and Ability
Essential
- Able to work unsupervised.
- Ability to prioritise workload.
- Effective communication skills both verbal and written, at all levels within the organisation.
- Good literacy and numeracy skills.
- Good organisational skills.
- Ability to work as an effective Team Member.
- Efficient & Enthusiastic, Accurate, Diplomatic and Patient.
- Good Telephone Manner.
- Able to work under pressure.
Desirable
- Typing skills.
- Knowledge of RTT pathways and 18w targets
- Knowledge of Data Protection, Codes of Confidentiality etc.
- Working knowledge of the Trust's PAS/ ERS/ Envoy/ NHS Portal/ Nexus systems.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Education
Essential
- Minimum 5 GCSE's at Grade C or above
Desirable
- ECDL
- NVQ Level 2 or equivalent in Customer Services.
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Previous clerical experience in NHS organisation with particular emphasis within an Appointments booking setting.
Desirable
- Clerical experience in an NHS organisation.
Skills and Ability
Essential
- Able to work unsupervised.
- Ability to prioritise workload.
- Effective communication skills both verbal and written, at all levels within the organisation.
- Good literacy and numeracy skills.
- Good organisational skills.
- Ability to work as an effective Team Member.
- Efficient & Enthusiastic, Accurate, Diplomatic and Patient.
- Good Telephone Manner.
- Able to work under pressure.
Desirable
- Typing skills.
- Knowledge of RTT pathways and 18w targets
- Knowledge of Data Protection, Codes of Confidentiality etc.
- Working knowledge of the Trust's PAS/ ERS/ Envoy/ NHS Portal/ Nexus systems.
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Blackpool Football Stadium
Bloomfield Road, Seasiders Way
Blackpool
FY1 6JJ
Employer's website
https://www.bfwh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
