Job summary
This role is combined to give a flexible workforce: covering screening technician and administrative as required.
To undertake abdominal ultrasound scanning as part of the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Programme.
Explain and reassure patients. Ensure that members of the public attending clinics are informed and aware of the implications of AAA screening.
To have responsibility for the Programme administration and be the first point of contact between the patient and the administration office. The work involves administering and processing patient invitations and appointments, and recording information and updating manual and computerised data systems relating to results and patient outcome and ordering supplies.
Main duties of the job
To work as an assistant practitioner carrying out ultrasound techniques within standard operating procedures.
To work on a range of administrative tasks supporting the screening service using own initiative, within standard operating procedures.
Work generally without direct supervision, manages own work and advice is available from more senior staff when needed.
Work in different clinics and locations and not one regular base
About us
Why Work With Us
The South Devon & Exeter AAA screening programme is a consistently high achieving service providing abdominal aortic aneurysm screening to a large geographical area of Devon. You will be part of a very committed small team offering a high-quality service to patients.
This is a developing role where you will achieve a Level 3 Diploma in the workplace
You will be visiting many areas of Devon with lots of variety at work
Job description
Job responsibilities
Communication and Working Relationships
This position requires empathy and tact when dealing with patients that may be anxious regarding any aspect of their care. You will need to communicate effectively in writing and verbally with:
- AAA Programme Managers
- Vascular Consultants
- Clinical Skills Trainers/Vascular Technologists
- Nursing staff
- Screening Technicians
- Patients and Carers
- Members of the general public
- G.P. Practices
- Hospital staff (including community hospitals)
You will need to
- Put patients at their ease, explain reasons for their invitation and answer queries.
- Keep the Clinical Skills Trainers and AAA Programme Manager informed of caseload and any difficulties arising, seeking advice where necessary.
- Contact patients and arrange and manage appointments system for the screening programme. This will include negotiating re-arrangement of admissions / appointments over the telephone.
- Recognise where communication difficulties arise and overcome barriers to understanding.
- Contact patients who fail to attend appointments, eliciting reasons for their non-attendance.
- Deal with anxious patients and their relatives with tact, patience, persuasion, and discretion.
- Ensure that communications are accurately recorded on IT system.
- Deal with messages from clinicians and GPs as required, ensuring that the Manager is kept informed.
- Keep the AAA Programme Manager informed of the progress of work and any difficulties arising.
- Act on complaints, seeking advice where necessary.
Planning and organisation
You will be expected to
- Organise and carry out ultrasound scans of the abdominal aorta in accordance with the current guidelines for the AAA Programme.
- Ensure that scan results are despatched as soon as possible from off-site screening clinics to the screening office in a safe and confidential way.
- Prepare and distribute results to patients at clinic, giving further information and offering support.
- Deal with medical and patient enquiries as appropriate, taking the initiative to prioritise work and to bring to the attention of medical or administrative staff any patient whose condition warrants it.
- Handle incidents and medical emergencies in a professional manner, supporting other staff if appropriate.
- Provide a comprehensive service for arranging appointments for the AAA Programme without supervision.
- Re-arrange admissions/appointments for patients where these have to be cancelled or postponed either by the AAA Programme or when the patient phones to re-arrange.
- Be responsible for optimal utilisation of clinics and staff time. Check patient and participant lists and data for accuracy, and contact GPs to resolve anomalies if required.
- Required to send abnormal ultrasound results to the vascular specialist for reporting on a regular basis (in line with clear guidelines) and check that any outstanding reports are returned within a reasonable period, notifying the Manager when delays arise.
- Circulate result letters to the appropriate GPs, alerting them to abnormal measurements and to patients who failed to attend appointments.
- File results and copy correspondence appropriately in patients records. Maintain an accurate filing system.
- Draft staff rotas and venues for screening clinics, in association with the AAA Programme Manager. Check current availability and book venues.
Analytical and judgement
- You will need to assess your images to decide whether there is an aneurysm present and images are of suitable quality.
- Analyse scan data to ensure the quality and other factors meet with agreed protocols.
- You willl be required to deal directly with a variety of enquiries from patients regarding appointments admissions, cancellations, re-bookings, procedures etc. and keep records of any complaints
Responsibility and accountability
- Work within agreed protocols and operating procedures for scanning and care of patients.
Responsibility for patients and client care
- Undertake ultrasound scanning on patients in accordance with protocols and standard operating procedures.
- There will be frequent regular contact with patients in respect of their appointments with the AAA Programme.
Policy and service responsibility
- Participate in service reviews and actively put forward suggestions for improvement for own work area.
Responsibility for finance, equipment and other resources
- Ensure the safe use and storage of expensive ultrasound equipment including transporting portable equipment to various screening locations.
- Monitor equipment used in the course of the role, ensure it is kept clean, and record / report any faults.
- Monitor stock levels of supplies and consumables. Ensure that the AAA Programme office is notified well in advance when supplies need to be replenished.
- Monitor office and clinical consumables and raise purchase orders for supplies using the electronic hospital system. Ensure that supplies are despatched to off-site screening clinics, and ensure that the Manager is notified when difficulties arise.
- Observe the requirements of the Infection Control Policy in ensuring the cleanliness and tidiness of clinic rooms. Ensure that all clinic waste is disposed of in the correct manner. Wear required PPE
Responsibility for supervision, leadership and management
- May be required to demonstrate or train new members of staff in their own activities.
Information technology and administrative duties
- Download data electronically, inspect for abnormalities flag / record as appropriate, decide on course of action from available options, and send data to the screening office. Ensure that the screening office is notified as soon as possible about any results that are at variance with specified criteria or that are of concern.
- Record clinical measurements and other information as required.
- Issue accurate scan reports for use in the AAA Programme and for inspection by the Vascular Specialist as required.
- Tabulate and input data onto databases and spread sheet systems for recording patient information, results, patient outcome and clinic activity for the screening programme and for audit and research purposes. These data systems are on-going and updated many times a day.
- Record deaths and enter data on to appropriate printouts, spread sheets and databases.
- Use patient administration system for extracting patient information when required, and for locating and obtaining and tracking patient notes.
- Attend meetings as required.
Responsbility for research and development
- It will be expected that the post holder will participate in the extraction of local clinical data for research purposes in line with the AAA Programme.
- Assist the AAA Programme Manager with other vascular department projects including obtaining data from hospital notes and IT systems for national vascular audits.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Communication and Working Relationships
This position requires empathy and tact when dealing with patients that may be anxious regarding any aspect of their care. You will need to communicate effectively in writing and verbally with:
- AAA Programme Managers
- Vascular Consultants
- Clinical Skills Trainers/Vascular Technologists
- Nursing staff
- Screening Technicians
- Patients and Carers
- Members of the general public
- G.P. Practices
- Hospital staff (including community hospitals)
You will need to
- Put patients at their ease, explain reasons for their invitation and answer queries.
- Keep the Clinical Skills Trainers and AAA Programme Manager informed of caseload and any difficulties arising, seeking advice where necessary.
- Contact patients and arrange and manage appointments system for the screening programme. This will include negotiating re-arrangement of admissions / appointments over the telephone.
- Recognise where communication difficulties arise and overcome barriers to understanding.
- Contact patients who fail to attend appointments, eliciting reasons for their non-attendance.
- Deal with anxious patients and their relatives with tact, patience, persuasion, and discretion.
- Ensure that communications are accurately recorded on IT system.
- Deal with messages from clinicians and GPs as required, ensuring that the Manager is kept informed.
- Keep the AAA Programme Manager informed of the progress of work and any difficulties arising.
- Act on complaints, seeking advice where necessary.
Planning and organisation
You will be expected to
- Organise and carry out ultrasound scans of the abdominal aorta in accordance with the current guidelines for the AAA Programme.
- Ensure that scan results are despatched as soon as possible from off-site screening clinics to the screening office in a safe and confidential way.
- Prepare and distribute results to patients at clinic, giving further information and offering support.
- Deal with medical and patient enquiries as appropriate, taking the initiative to prioritise work and to bring to the attention of medical or administrative staff any patient whose condition warrants it.
- Handle incidents and medical emergencies in a professional manner, supporting other staff if appropriate.
- Provide a comprehensive service for arranging appointments for the AAA Programme without supervision.
- Re-arrange admissions/appointments for patients where these have to be cancelled or postponed either by the AAA Programme or when the patient phones to re-arrange.
- Be responsible for optimal utilisation of clinics and staff time. Check patient and participant lists and data for accuracy, and contact GPs to resolve anomalies if required.
- Required to send abnormal ultrasound results to the vascular specialist for reporting on a regular basis (in line with clear guidelines) and check that any outstanding reports are returned within a reasonable period, notifying the Manager when delays arise.
- Circulate result letters to the appropriate GPs, alerting them to abnormal measurements and to patients who failed to attend appointments.
- File results and copy correspondence appropriately in patients records. Maintain an accurate filing system.
- Draft staff rotas and venues for screening clinics, in association with the AAA Programme Manager. Check current availability and book venues.
Analytical and judgement
- You will need to assess your images to decide whether there is an aneurysm present and images are of suitable quality.
- Analyse scan data to ensure the quality and other factors meet with agreed protocols.
- You willl be required to deal directly with a variety of enquiries from patients regarding appointments admissions, cancellations, re-bookings, procedures etc. and keep records of any complaints
Responsibility and accountability
- Work within agreed protocols and operating procedures for scanning and care of patients.
Responsibility for patients and client care
- Undertake ultrasound scanning on patients in accordance with protocols and standard operating procedures.
- There will be frequent regular contact with patients in respect of their appointments with the AAA Programme.
Policy and service responsibility
- Participate in service reviews and actively put forward suggestions for improvement for own work area.
Responsibility for finance, equipment and other resources
- Ensure the safe use and storage of expensive ultrasound equipment including transporting portable equipment to various screening locations.
- Monitor equipment used in the course of the role, ensure it is kept clean, and record / report any faults.
- Monitor stock levels of supplies and consumables. Ensure that the AAA Programme office is notified well in advance when supplies need to be replenished.
- Monitor office and clinical consumables and raise purchase orders for supplies using the electronic hospital system. Ensure that supplies are despatched to off-site screening clinics, and ensure that the Manager is notified when difficulties arise.
- Observe the requirements of the Infection Control Policy in ensuring the cleanliness and tidiness of clinic rooms. Ensure that all clinic waste is disposed of in the correct manner. Wear required PPE
Responsibility for supervision, leadership and management
- May be required to demonstrate or train new members of staff in their own activities.
Information technology and administrative duties
- Download data electronically, inspect for abnormalities flag / record as appropriate, decide on course of action from available options, and send data to the screening office. Ensure that the screening office is notified as soon as possible about any results that are at variance with specified criteria or that are of concern.
- Record clinical measurements and other information as required.
- Issue accurate scan reports for use in the AAA Programme and for inspection by the Vascular Specialist as required.
- Tabulate and input data onto databases and spread sheet systems for recording patient information, results, patient outcome and clinic activity for the screening programme and for audit and research purposes. These data systems are on-going and updated many times a day.
- Record deaths and enter data on to appropriate printouts, spread sheets and databases.
- Use patient administration system for extracting patient information when required, and for locating and obtaining and tracking patient notes.
- Attend meetings as required.
Responsbility for research and development
- It will be expected that the post holder will participate in the extraction of local clinical data for research purposes in line with the AAA Programme.
- Assist the AAA Programme Manager with other vascular department projects including obtaining data from hospital notes and IT systems for national vascular audits.
Person Specification
Qualifications and training
Essential
- Level 3 Health Screeners Diploma (gained in the first 12 months of role)
- Good standard of general education (5 GCSE or equivalent, inc Human Biology)
Desirable
- Assistant Practitioner qualification/accreditation or similar
Specific Skills
Essential
- Proven ability to use E-mail, Outlook, IT, Word, databases and excel.
- Experience of working within a clinical environment
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Understanding of hospital environment and patient care & confidentiality.
- Accurate data entry skills.
Physical and Mental effort
Essential
- Excellent concentration and powers of perception, ability to multi-task. Ability to take frequent interruptions and change jobs mid-stream.
- Awareness of patient concerns. Ability to show empathy, compassion and understanding to patients who may be confused, anxious or need extra time to participate in their health care appointment
- Manoeuvre equipment and patients for ultrasound scans. The ultrasound equipment is delicate and weighs 13kg. There are associated clinic consumables which need lifting into each clinic daily.
Person Specification
Qualifications and training
Essential
- Level 3 Health Screeners Diploma (gained in the first 12 months of role)
- Good standard of general education (5 GCSE or equivalent, inc Human Biology)
Desirable
- Assistant Practitioner qualification/accreditation or similar
Specific Skills
Essential
- Proven ability to use E-mail, Outlook, IT, Word, databases and excel.
- Experience of working within a clinical environment
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Understanding of hospital environment and patient care & confidentiality.
- Accurate data entry skills.
Physical and Mental effort
Essential
- Excellent concentration and powers of perception, ability to multi-task. Ability to take frequent interruptions and change jobs mid-stream.
- Awareness of patient concerns. Ability to show empathy, compassion and understanding to patients who may be confused, anxious or need extra time to participate in their health care appointment
- Manoeuvre equipment and patients for ultrasound scans. The ultrasound equipment is delicate and weighs 13kg. There are associated clinic consumables which need lifting into each clinic daily.
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).
