Information Analyst Band 5

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

As a vital member of the Clinical Quality team, the post holder will play a pivotal role in supporting clinical audit and effectiveness functions, contributing significantly to clinical quality improvement initiatives. The primary objective is to assist the Clinical Audit and Effectiveness Manager in delivering a high-quality clinical audit and effectiveness service.

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborative Project Implementation: Work closely with various teams, including the Clinical Quality team, Information/Business Intelligence Team, Digital Systems Team, Clinicians, and Management, to implement clinical audit and service evaluation projects. This involves active participation in project design, data collection, analysis, and the preparation and dissemination of audit results.
• Effective Communication of Results: Communicate audit results both orally and in written form to healthcare professionals, providing invaluable insights. Additionally, offer assistance in the interpretation of audit results, fostering a collaborative environment for continual improvement.
• Expert Advice on Methodologies: Provide expert advice on audit and quality improvement methodologies to support service enhancement efforts. This includes actively contributing to the development and implementation of strategies for continuous improvement.

Qualifications and Skills:

• The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and a robust IT proficiency, including advanced use of Microsoft Office and SQL Server Management Studio.
• While knowledge of Quality Improvement (QI) methodologies is desirable, it is not essential.
• Familiarity with statistical software packages such as SPSS and R would be advantageous but is not a prerequisite.

This role offers a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of clinical quality improvement within a dynamic healthcare environment. If you possess strong analytical skills, effective communication capabilities, and a commitment to contributing to positive change in healthcare services, we invite you to apply and be an integral part of our dedicated team.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

The Information Analyst is responsible for:

• SQL Script Development for Data Extraction: Craft transactional SQL scripts to seamlessly extract data from the Trusts Patient Administration System (PAS), Electronic Patient Record (EPR), and other systems, encompassing disparate clinical databases. This ensures a robust dataset for National and Local audits.
• Data Quality Reporting for Improvement: Generate pertinent data quality reports, a crucial step in enhancing the quality of data collected for both National and local submissions. This involves providing monthly reports to clinicians, highlighting their activity, and addressing any missing data or data quality discrepancies.
• Data Accuracy and Validation Checks: Ensure the accuracy and completeness of data by continually developing validation checks. These checks are implemented before data undergoes internal analysis or is sent outside the organization, maintaining a high level of compliance with National minimum datasets and definitions.
• Timely and Accurate Data Submissions: Execute timely and accurate data submissions as mandated by the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP). This commitment ensures the absence of any single point of failure in these critical roles, including providing cross-cover when necessary.
• Expert Advice on Data Collection and Analysis: Provide expert advice on data collection, analysis methodologies, and reports to support divisions in their clinical care delivery, contributing significantly to monitoring clinical performance.
• Collaborative Presentation Preparation: Collaborate with clinical leads to prepare presentations for audit meetings, ensuring that insights and outcomes are effectively communicated.
• Implementation of Key Clinical Outcomes Reporting: Implement reporting mechanisms for key clinical outcomes, presenting these outcomes at audit meetings for comprehensive insights into clinical performance.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Relationship Building and Problem Resolution: Cultivate and maintain collaborative relationships with diverse contacts to identify and address the sources of data errors. Contribute to devising effective solutions, encouraging the initiation of corrective measures, and liaise with colleagues in the information team as needed.
• Template Development for Risk Identification: Create timely and suitable templates for clinical leads, enabling the identification of risks, organizational learning, and necessary actions for improvement upon the publication of National Clinical Audit reports. Facilitate a comprehensive review of services against national recommendations.
• Benchmarking Assistance and Quality Statements: Aid clinicians in benchmarking activities and the creation of timely quality statements for the Trusts Quality Account. Contribute to completing the audit section of the Quality account concerning national and local audit standards.
• Technology Utilization for Information Presentation: Employ available technologies and software to present information effectively and appropriately.
• Clinical Database Systems Management: Support the management of clinical database systems, assisting in the collation of data required to meet National datasets.
• System Improvement and Information Dissemination: Introduce, adapt, and enhance systems for extracting, validating, and disseminating information used in analysis.
• Raw Data Analysis and Recommendations: Receive raw data and conduct analysis using appropriate statistical techniques (e.g., Statistical Process Control charts and descriptive statistics) to generate clinically relevant outputs. Identify recommendations for improvement based on interpretation.
• Ad-Hoc Project Support: Respond to ad-hoc requests for project support within the organization, ensuring compliance with departmental policies and procedures.
• Stakeholder Communication and Training: Effectively communicate and translate complex information to various stakeholders around the trust, considering varying degrees of understanding. Provide training and advice on audit methodologies, the clinical audit cycle, and proforma design for reliable data collection when requested to support project leads.
• National Clinical Audit Dataset Integration: Collaborate in developing the integration of National Clinical Audit datasets into the EPR system, ensuring reliable, accurate, and timely data collection. Work with relevant Clinical and EPR leads to map datasets to future EPR documentation.
• External Awareness and Continuous Learning: Stay updated on external issues related to changes in national datasets, standards, and definitions, aligning them with the organization's data collection structures.
• Support for Consultant Appraisals: Assist senior Information and BI Analysts by providing data for use in Consultant appraisals.
• Quality Improvement Training and Objective Achievement: Develop knowledge and skills in Quality Improvement through training, prioritizing information for improvement efforts, and demonstrating tangible benefits.
• Workload Management and Objective Achievement: Regularly review workload to highlight priorities, acknowledge deadlines, and ensure timely completion of set and agreed objectives. Work under own initiative within departmental guidelines and Trust policies.
• Team Collaboration and Internal Awareness: Collaborate with the Clinical Audit & Effectiveness Manager and other team members as needed to support the development and delivery of the Clinical Quality forward plan. Attend departmental team briefs, staying current on internal issues and being aware of any factors that may impact this role or the team.
• Adaptable and Varied Duties: Provide support for any other duties appropriate to the grade, as agreed with the line-manager.

General Elements

The post requires the near constant use of a computer and proficient use of a keyboard leading to lengthy periods of sitting / standing.

When supporting survey work involving patients or their carers there may be occasions when contact is made by them concerning the questionnaire.

During data collection and attendance at relevant MDT meetings there may be exposure to information that is distressing or emotional.

The post holder must be prepared to complete urgent work requirements, working flexible hours to meet the demands of the service.

MANAGERIAL/LEADERSHIP

Required to manage allocated workload

Practice and promote efficient use of all resources

In the light of future local and national developments these details may be modified, after consultation with the post-holder.

ORGANISATIONAL

Attend induction course / orientation course and mandatory training days.

Attend course appropriate to the post and maintain awareness of relevant changes in policies or reporting requirements that are relevant to the role.

Ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Caldecott Guidelines at all times.

To maintain accurate documentation in line with local policies and procedures

Participate in monthly team brief and departmental activities

PROFESSIONAL

Maintain exemplary standards of professional and general conduct with regards to handling complex and sensitive data.

Participate in annual appraisal and regular performance reviews under the direction of line manager.

Undertake appropriate mandatory training.

Take every reasonable opportunity to maintain and improve own professional knowledge and competence.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level Or equivalent, relevant experience.
• Numerate and literate.

Desirable

• Evidence of ongoing professional development/ study.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in an NHS Provider Trust within a Clinical Audit/Quality or an Information/BI setting with experience of using SQL for data extraction.
• Experience of using descriptive statistics.
• Knowledge of NHS Data protection requirements, Caldicott principles and Information governance standards.

Desirable

• An understanding of NHS datasets, data sources, data flows and data definitions, including CQUINs and Quality Accounts.
• Knowledge and experience of Electronic Patient Record systems.
• Knowledge of the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP) statutory demands and national agendas within the NHS.
• Experience of applying criteria for best practice in local clinical audit.
• Experience of Cardiothoracic data analysis.

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Competent in the use of PC based applications, particularly with Microsoft Excel and SQL.
• Able to manipulate, analyse and interpret data in a structured manner and draw conclusions.
• Problem solving skills.
• Have an eye for detail readily being able to identify potential inaccuracies or inconsistencies in sets of highly complex data.
• Must be highly efficient in prioritising own workload in an environment where priorities constantly change and often conflict.
• Ability to maintain high levels of concentration for prolonged periods of time whilst subject to interruptions from colleagues provide analysis on complex datasets and information.
• Team player but can use and act on own initiative.
• Customer focussed with strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Experience of working with managers and staff at various and different levels.
• Highly motivated, flexible, adaptable and reliable.
• Efficient presentation skills to report findings from analysis to stakeholders with different levels of understanding.
• Efficient communication skills to translate the outcome of complex information analysis to stakeholders with different levels of understanding.

Desirable

• Experience of working closely with clinicians on audit and quality improvement projects and with staff at various and different levels.
• Quality Improvement knowledge, methodologies & experience of applying in practice.
• Experience of using data visualisation software tools e.g. SSRS, R, Python, Power BI.

Values and Behaviours

Essential

• Patient and Family Centred -Treating everybody fairly and affording individuals respect, dignity and courtesy, regardless of their role, background, personal circumstances or appearance.
• Accountability - Being accountable for your own work and behaviour and lead by example.
• Continuous Improvement - Self-motivated and able to motivate
• Others.
• Teamwork - Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team.

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

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital

Address

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital

Thomas Drive

Liverpool

Merseyside

L14 3PE

Employer's website

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