Job summary
The post holder will be responsible for ensuring the provision of an excellent standard of customer service to the international patient and hospital colleagues
Main duties of the job
The International Patient Liaison Officer is responsible for providing professional Arabic translation and liaison services to support both existing and new relationships with local Embassies, third party sponsors and Health Offices who refer patients for private medical care and/or treatment at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Trust.
To support delivery of an effective and responsive liaison service between private patient, hospital admissions, Trust consultants and London embassies/Health Offices, third party sponsors and insurance organisations. The post holder will be expected to work with referring organisations in order to streamline access to Trust services, manage patient pathways efficiently and ensure all required deposits, full payments or Letters of Guarantee are in place prior to any admissions, consultation or diagnostics.
About us
At the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH), we are committed to achieving the best staff experience in the NHS. In the 2023 NHS Staff Survey, we proudly:
- Scored above the national average for the People Promises: "We are recognised and rewarded," "We are always learning," "We work flexibly," "We are a team," and for staff engagement.
- Ranked #1 among all Trusts in North and Central London for all People Promises and themes.
- Ranked #1 among all Acute Specialist Trusts for "We work flexibly."
At RNOH, we're committed to being actively anti-discriminatory and actively inclusive. We recognise our brilliant people do brilliant work, and we offer rewarding careers, no matter what their background. We continue to strive to break down barriers to be the Trust where people come together because what they do matters, makes a difference and where they can thrive.
Joining our organisation means enjoying a wide range of staff benefits, including:
- 24/7 access to wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme.
- A Rewards & Recognition platform, offering opportunities to thank colleagues, send gifts, and access exclusive discounts.
- A dedicated Staff Wellbeing Hub, providing a space to relax and recharge away from the work environment.
- Salary sacrifice schemes for transport (season ticket loans, car and bike), electrical goods, and childcare
At RNOH, we are more than a workplace--we are committed to patients, to excellence and the wellbeing of our staff.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide a full Arabic interpreting service, both oral and written, including cultural support to the international patient and their families within a demanding environment. The role involves complex medical interpreting including sensitive interpretation of terminal conditions direct to the patient and their families.
- Ensure consent is understood by the patient or their chosen advocate.
- Provide interpreting/translating services to the hospital staff when requested
- Respond to phone, email and any other queries
- Provide cultural training to the patients and the hospital team
- Support the clinical team
Referral administration
When required in Arabic, to ensure all the appropriate information is collected from the referrer so that a full and effective clinical assessment can be made. When required in Arabic, to work with the admissions team to communicate the proposed care plan and costs to the patient, embassy or insurer. If a direct referral is received, ensure it is logged with this admission teams. Support the Trust and senior management teams to build positive relations with Middle Eastern Embassys resulting in increased referrals.
Patient administration
The post holder is expected to liaise with patients, clinical staff and admissions, to ensure that patient activity is collected and documented daily. Provide updates to Embassies, families or other referring institution. Informing them of patient progress. Ensure that payment is being documented and collected throughout the patients stay. Ensure all authorisations and letters of guarantee are logged and securely stored. Ensure that patients and visitors are well informed and that messages are communicated promptly. Respond to enquiries in a courteous and efficient manner ensuring that a high standard of customer care is provided at all times. Provide a courteous and efficient point of contact for patients both face to face and over the telephone. Resolve queries in a timely manner, seeking assistance and appropriately escalate issues as required. Ensure all patients demographic details are checked with the patient and any amendments/corrections are made in an accurate and timely fashion. Ensure all patient data and pricing information is kept confidential. Be responsible for ensuring that any personal information belonging to staff or patients that they access must be stored, processed and forwarded in a secure and appropriate manner.
Patient Liaison
To welcome and escort Arabic-speaking patients attending appointments or admissions at the Trust, explaining the facilities and procedures including all relevant health and safety information. Provide day to day liaison support between administrative staff, clinical staff, Embassys, sponsors, families and Middle Eastern private patients. Notify relevant managers of any embassy hospital visit and support the relevant management in chaperoning embassy visits to the hospital. Notify relevant manager of any Middle Eastern patient complaints or embassy concerns in line with agreed escalation process and contribute to formulating a response. Support relevant Trust staff in establishing and undertaking embassy engagement events.
Finance
Lead on the tracking of international and embassy-sponsored activity in order to facilitate accuracy and for timely billing to be completed. Liaise between admissions, clinical staff and embassy to secure accurate letters of guarantee. Ensure all authorisations and letters of guarantee are logged and securely stored. Ensure that payment is documented and collected throughout the patient journey. Ensure all patient data and pricing information is kept confidential.
Patient Relations:
- To assist patients to communicate with all parties involved in the care of the patient.
- Assist the patient with cross-cultural orientation to understand the nuances of medical care delivery within The Royal National Orthopedic hospital.
- Engage with family members as care partners.
- Help patients maintain confidence and self-esteem by supporting dignity and respect through personalised care planning.
- To orientate the patient to the hospital and to coordinate the patient journey throughout their treatment.
- Continuous care of and communication with the patients. Update the clinical team and line manager of any feedback and endeavour to solve any problems as soon as possible.
- Deal with any concern raised by the ward nurses and aim to find solutions
- Attend or make sure all outpatients appointments are attended by an interpreter
- Make sure all follow-up appointments and tests are booked as soon as possible
- Work with the nursing team to plan education/orientation sessions for the patients
- Report and raise any concern from international patients
Embassy Relations
- Send regular updates of inpatients (and sometimes outpatients) to the sponsoring embassies or organizations
- Send inpatient discharge summaries to the patients sponsoring embassies
- Liaise with the consultants and their secretaries to arrange for the latest inpatient/ outpatient medical reports
- Respond to enquiries raised by the sponsoring embassies
- Update the letter of guarantee team of any short notice bookings (outpatient appointments and inpatient procedures)
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide a full Arabic interpreting service, both oral and written, including cultural support to the international patient and their families within a demanding environment. The role involves complex medical interpreting including sensitive interpretation of terminal conditions direct to the patient and their families.
- Ensure consent is understood by the patient or their chosen advocate.
- Provide interpreting/translating services to the hospital staff when requested
- Respond to phone, email and any other queries
- Provide cultural training to the patients and the hospital team
- Support the clinical team
Referral administration
When required in Arabic, to ensure all the appropriate information is collected from the referrer so that a full and effective clinical assessment can be made. When required in Arabic, to work with the admissions team to communicate the proposed care plan and costs to the patient, embassy or insurer. If a direct referral is received, ensure it is logged with this admission teams. Support the Trust and senior management teams to build positive relations with Middle Eastern Embassys resulting in increased referrals.
Patient administration
The post holder is expected to liaise with patients, clinical staff and admissions, to ensure that patient activity is collected and documented daily. Provide updates to Embassies, families or other referring institution. Informing them of patient progress. Ensure that payment is being documented and collected throughout the patients stay. Ensure all authorisations and letters of guarantee are logged and securely stored. Ensure that patients and visitors are well informed and that messages are communicated promptly. Respond to enquiries in a courteous and efficient manner ensuring that a high standard of customer care is provided at all times. Provide a courteous and efficient point of contact for patients both face to face and over the telephone. Resolve queries in a timely manner, seeking assistance and appropriately escalate issues as required. Ensure all patients demographic details are checked with the patient and any amendments/corrections are made in an accurate and timely fashion. Ensure all patient data and pricing information is kept confidential. Be responsible for ensuring that any personal information belonging to staff or patients that they access must be stored, processed and forwarded in a secure and appropriate manner.
Patient Liaison
To welcome and escort Arabic-speaking patients attending appointments or admissions at the Trust, explaining the facilities and procedures including all relevant health and safety information. Provide day to day liaison support between administrative staff, clinical staff, Embassys, sponsors, families and Middle Eastern private patients. Notify relevant managers of any embassy hospital visit and support the relevant management in chaperoning embassy visits to the hospital. Notify relevant manager of any Middle Eastern patient complaints or embassy concerns in line with agreed escalation process and contribute to formulating a response. Support relevant Trust staff in establishing and undertaking embassy engagement events.
Finance
Lead on the tracking of international and embassy-sponsored activity in order to facilitate accuracy and for timely billing to be completed. Liaise between admissions, clinical staff and embassy to secure accurate letters of guarantee. Ensure all authorisations and letters of guarantee are logged and securely stored. Ensure that payment is documented and collected throughout the patient journey. Ensure all patient data and pricing information is kept confidential.
Patient Relations:
- To assist patients to communicate with all parties involved in the care of the patient.
- Assist the patient with cross-cultural orientation to understand the nuances of medical care delivery within The Royal National Orthopedic hospital.
- Engage with family members as care partners.
- Help patients maintain confidence and self-esteem by supporting dignity and respect through personalised care planning.
- To orientate the patient to the hospital and to coordinate the patient journey throughout their treatment.
- Continuous care of and communication with the patients. Update the clinical team and line manager of any feedback and endeavour to solve any problems as soon as possible.
- Deal with any concern raised by the ward nurses and aim to find solutions
- Attend or make sure all outpatients appointments are attended by an interpreter
- Make sure all follow-up appointments and tests are booked as soon as possible
- Work with the nursing team to plan education/orientation sessions for the patients
- Report and raise any concern from international patients
Embassy Relations
- Send regular updates of inpatients (and sometimes outpatients) to the sponsoring embassies or organizations
- Send inpatient discharge summaries to the patients sponsoring embassies
- Liaise with the consultants and their secretaries to arrange for the latest inpatient/ outpatient medical reports
- Respond to enquiries raised by the sponsoring embassies
- Update the letter of guarantee team of any short notice bookings (outpatient appointments and inpatient procedures)
Person Specification
Communication & Relationship Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication skills and use of written and spoken English
- Ability to accurately write and present reports and other documentation
- Ability to build meaningful relationships and influence key stakeholders at all levels of the organisation and externally
- Fluent in Both English and Arabic
Desirable
- Qualification in Interpretation
Knowledge, Training & Experience
Essential
- A minimum of three years' experience of working as a medical interpreter / International Liaison within Private Health
- ECDL qualification or equivalent qualification/experience - able to set up spreadsheets and documents as well as input data onto pre-prepared spreadsheets and word documents
- Knowledge of cultural differences
Desirable
- Qualification in Interpretation
Planning & Organisational Skills
Essential
- Good time management and organisational skills
- Ability to prioritise tasks and deal with competing tasks simultaneously
- Confident and motivated self-starter, able to work autonomously or as part of a team
Desirable
- Qualification in Interpretation
Person Specification
Communication & Relationship Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication skills and use of written and spoken English
- Ability to accurately write and present reports and other documentation
- Ability to build meaningful relationships and influence key stakeholders at all levels of the organisation and externally
- Fluent in Both English and Arabic
Desirable
- Qualification in Interpretation
Knowledge, Training & Experience
Essential
- A minimum of three years' experience of working as a medical interpreter / International Liaison within Private Health
- ECDL qualification or equivalent qualification/experience - able to set up spreadsheets and documents as well as input data onto pre-prepared spreadsheets and word documents
- Knowledge of cultural differences
Desirable
- Qualification in Interpretation
Planning & Organisational Skills
Essential
- Good time management and organisational skills
- Ability to prioritise tasks and deal with competing tasks simultaneously
- Confident and motivated self-starter, able to work autonomously or as part of a team
Desirable
- Qualification in Interpretation
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).
