Job summary
We are looking for a full time theatre scheduler to work primarily with elective recovery across the surgical division to enable the Trust to maximise theatre utilisation internally and with additional theatre sessions to reduce waiting times for patients.
You will be required to cross cover during annual leave and periods of absence, and will need excellent communication skills and organisational abilities.
Strong IT skills are desirable, along with experience of working in a pressurised environment.
You will be required to work autonomously, prioritising your own workload and acting on your own initiative.
Main duties of the job
To proactively manage the efficient scheduling of inpatient and day case procedures across the sub-division. Key responsibilities include adding patients to the waiting list, scheduling patients into appropriate theatre slots within RTT targets, support and report to Support Manager/Service Manager and escalate issues appropriately.
The post holder will be required to work with minimal supervision and have the ability to exercise sound judgement and will be required to use decision making skills.
About us
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (MCHFT) provides good quality, safe andeffective healthcare to the people of Cheshire and beyond. The Trust, which managesLeighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst IntermediateCare Centre in Winsford, was established as an NHS Trust in April 1991 and became aFoundation Trust in April 2008.
We employ almost 5,000 members of staff, provide around 540 hospital beds, with arange of services including accident and emergency, maternity, outpatients, therapies,and children's health.The Trust is also part of Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership (CCICP), a uniquelocal health partnership that provides a range of community services for people acrossSouth Cheshire and Vale Royal.
During the Coronavirus pandemic, the Trust was recognised nationally for its 'Be Safe Be EquiPPEd' campaign, which aimed to make the Trust as safe as possible for staff and patients, through supporting the correct use of PPE. The results in the 2020 national NHS Staff Survey showed improvements in all elements of the safety culture theme, with 92% of respondents feeling their role made a difference to our patients. We were also recognised nationally for our workforce health and wellbeing initiatives. At Mid Cheshire, we value our staff and appreciate that in order to give our patients the best quality, compassionate care, we also need to look after our colleagues
Job description
Job responsibilities
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Managing patients in line with Trust Access Policy and Scheduling Policy.
- Scheduling the patients into theatre lists within the 18 week RTT date; this is done in conjunction with the Consultants ensuring that all lists are fully utilised.
- The post holder will be expected to meet at least weekly with consultants to review waiting lists and theatre utilisation.
- Prioritise the patients on a clinical need basis as indicated by the Consultant whilst identifying any breach patient to the Consultants for them to date appropriately.
- Escalating potential breach patients to the Support Manager or Service Manager.
- Arrange the pre-operative assessment date for the patients to ensure that this is done in advance of the TCI date.
- Liaise with the patients via telephone and provide written communication to confirm all dates and relevant information required for the TCI.
- Communicate with patients and their representatives both verbally and in writing confirming pre-operative and admission dates.
- Responsible for the patient demographics being accurately added onto the PCS system within 7 days of the Decision to Admit.
- Ensure all relevant patient information, including GP, home address, and alternative contact numbers, holiday dates etc are accurate and recorded.
- Full compliance with Access policy.
- Monitor closely on a daily basis the Waiting List report and action accordingly, reporting on bottlenecks and avoiding patient breaches.
- Ensuring all theatre sessions are populated 2 months in advance and planned 3 months ahead.
- To proactively identify opportunities for improvement, efficiency of waiting list administration and the utilisation of elective capacity.
- Ensuring patients are given no less than three weeks notice of TCI date. Where shorter notice periods are given the reason must be recorded on PCS.
- To ensure the case mix of patients booked on lists to ensure optimal utilisation of theatre time. This is achieved through a thorough working knowledge and close working relationship with clinicians.
- To maintain the continuity of communication with the clinician in the administration of the waiting list. Liaise with clinical staff and secretaries regarding the status of patients whose waiting list entries have been recorded as deferred or suspended.
- Complete and record outcomes of offer on PCS, ensuring accurate information reflecting refusals of reasonable offers of admission for non-clinical reasons thus are providing an audit trail on all episodes.
- To rebook all hospital initiated cancellations within 28 days, taking into account the patient waiting time avoiding potential breaches and ensure all actions are communicated to relevant general managers promptly.
- Daily liaison with bed managers and wards, ensuring patients are updated on the bed situation, contacting clinicians to prioritise patients.
- Assist the PALS and complaints department with patient information.
- Comply with all Trust policies and be aware of Health & Safety in the working environment.
- To work on own initiative and communicate closely with the Access Managers, compile and present data when required.
- In accordance with the Trust Access policy, to remove patients from the waiting list and ensure full notification to relevant parties (including patient and GP).
- Weekly validation incorporated with partial and fully booked admissions, ensuring PAS data is reflective.
- Effective utilisation of all available theatre sessions, population of lists in line with PTL and clinical priority.
- Liaise with medical representatives in advance of issuing admission dates to ensure equipment will be available thus avoiding unnecessary patient cancellation and underutilisation of theatre sessions.
- When appropriate communicate and coordinate the transfer of patients between consultants and other providers ensuring all relevant parties and departments are informed and aware.
- The post holder will be the main point of contact and coordinator for the patient from the addition to the Waiting List though to their admission and discharge.
- Cross cover for colleagues during any absence.
- To prepare and send out admission letters and packages to parents/carers and to deal with any telephone calls relating to these, ensuring that efficient and accurate advice is given at all times and that any follow up calls are made.
- Provide an exceptional level of service to MCHFT patients, dealing with their concerns and queries in a timely, polite and sympathetic manner at all times. Provide an exceptional level of service to Trust staff and parties external to the Trust.
- Provide a thorough handover to the Support Manager before beginning any period of leave.
- Notify appropriate clinical staff when certain procedures require specialised equipment to be borrowed or hired.
- Any other duties as may be appropriate to the post.
Job description
Job responsibilities
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Managing patients in line with Trust Access Policy and Scheduling Policy.
- Scheduling the patients into theatre lists within the 18 week RTT date; this is done in conjunction with the Consultants ensuring that all lists are fully utilised.
- The post holder will be expected to meet at least weekly with consultants to review waiting lists and theatre utilisation.
- Prioritise the patients on a clinical need basis as indicated by the Consultant whilst identifying any breach patient to the Consultants for them to date appropriately.
- Escalating potential breach patients to the Support Manager or Service Manager.
- Arrange the pre-operative assessment date for the patients to ensure that this is done in advance of the TCI date.
- Liaise with the patients via telephone and provide written communication to confirm all dates and relevant information required for the TCI.
- Communicate with patients and their representatives both verbally and in writing confirming pre-operative and admission dates.
- Responsible for the patient demographics being accurately added onto the PCS system within 7 days of the Decision to Admit.
- Ensure all relevant patient information, including GP, home address, and alternative contact numbers, holiday dates etc are accurate and recorded.
- Full compliance with Access policy.
- Monitor closely on a daily basis the Waiting List report and action accordingly, reporting on bottlenecks and avoiding patient breaches.
- Ensuring all theatre sessions are populated 2 months in advance and planned 3 months ahead.
- To proactively identify opportunities for improvement, efficiency of waiting list administration and the utilisation of elective capacity.
- Ensuring patients are given no less than three weeks notice of TCI date. Where shorter notice periods are given the reason must be recorded on PCS.
- To ensure the case mix of patients booked on lists to ensure optimal utilisation of theatre time. This is achieved through a thorough working knowledge and close working relationship with clinicians.
- To maintain the continuity of communication with the clinician in the administration of the waiting list. Liaise with clinical staff and secretaries regarding the status of patients whose waiting list entries have been recorded as deferred or suspended.
- Complete and record outcomes of offer on PCS, ensuring accurate information reflecting refusals of reasonable offers of admission for non-clinical reasons thus are providing an audit trail on all episodes.
- To rebook all hospital initiated cancellations within 28 days, taking into account the patient waiting time avoiding potential breaches and ensure all actions are communicated to relevant general managers promptly.
- Daily liaison with bed managers and wards, ensuring patients are updated on the bed situation, contacting clinicians to prioritise patients.
- Assist the PALS and complaints department with patient information.
- Comply with all Trust policies and be aware of Health & Safety in the working environment.
- To work on own initiative and communicate closely with the Access Managers, compile and present data when required.
- In accordance with the Trust Access policy, to remove patients from the waiting list and ensure full notification to relevant parties (including patient and GP).
- Weekly validation incorporated with partial and fully booked admissions, ensuring PAS data is reflective.
- Effective utilisation of all available theatre sessions, population of lists in line with PTL and clinical priority.
- Liaise with medical representatives in advance of issuing admission dates to ensure equipment will be available thus avoiding unnecessary patient cancellation and underutilisation of theatre sessions.
- When appropriate communicate and coordinate the transfer of patients between consultants and other providers ensuring all relevant parties and departments are informed and aware.
- The post holder will be the main point of contact and coordinator for the patient from the addition to the Waiting List though to their admission and discharge.
- Cross cover for colleagues during any absence.
- To prepare and send out admission letters and packages to parents/carers and to deal with any telephone calls relating to these, ensuring that efficient and accurate advice is given at all times and that any follow up calls are made.
- Provide an exceptional level of service to MCHFT patients, dealing with their concerns and queries in a timely, polite and sympathetic manner at all times. Provide an exceptional level of service to Trust staff and parties external to the Trust.
- Provide a thorough handover to the Support Manager before beginning any period of leave.
- Notify appropriate clinical staff when certain procedures require specialised equipment to be borrowed or hired.
- Any other duties as may be appropriate to the post.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Excel experience
- Good level of general education
Desirable
Skills
Essential
- Knowledge of practices for waiting list management
- Knowledge of goverment and local targets
- Excellent administrative and organisational skills
Desirable
- Experience of working in Nhs
- Knowledge of PCS
Physical
Essential
- Ability to learn quickly
- Ability to work unsupervised and use own initiate
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Excel experience
- Good level of general education
Desirable
Skills
Essential
- Knowledge of practices for waiting list management
- Knowledge of goverment and local targets
- Excellent administrative and organisational skills
Desirable
- Experience of working in Nhs
- Knowledge of PCS
Physical
Essential
- Ability to learn quickly
- Ability to work unsupervised and use own initiate
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).
