Job responsibilities
Provide the first point of contact function for all enquiries regarding the Service and deal with general enquiries and resolving issues from patients, carers and other health professionals, and other external organisations, both in person and by phone, signposting where necessary.
To communicate appropriately and sensitively with patients/carers/relatives who may be fearful, anxious, vulnerable, have sensitive concerns, have special needs, and/or show challenging behaviour, i.e. physical and learning disabilities, have visual or hearing impairment, dementia, or where English is not their first language. This list is not exhaustive
Maintain patient and staff confidentiality at all times, adhering to Trust information governance and data protection policies and procedures
To manage, organise, maintain and co-ordinate electronic clinical appointment and patient record systems ensuring appointments are booked efficiently and comprehensively, maximising the clinical time available, e.g. SOEL electronic patient record system and Chronos electronic appointment systems.
To receive, process and accurately enter patient sensitive/confidential information accurately onto the electronic clinical appointment and patient record systems, ensuring all user fields are completed and updated each visit.
Document direct and indirect contact with patients in the electronic patients records in line with local policy and procedures.
Monitoring, processing and logging referrals, organising appointments directly with patients/carers via telephone and letter.
File, retrieve and archive patients referrals/records/notes.
To be responsible for the archiving of patients records in accordance with Trust policies and procedures
To provide word-processing, photocopying, scanning and faxing of documents. Collating and circulating documents. Drafting and typing of letters and documents for signature and proof reading when required.
Receive and divert telephone calls and record comprehensive and complicated messages from patients, staff and other healthcare professionals, for the dental team and other staff members. Analyse the information received and determine the appropriate action and priority for the attention of clinicians
On a daily basis identify patients eligible to pay charges/fees revenue for their dental treatment in line with current NHS regulations. Responsibility for collecting/receiving payments from patients or their carers including cash, cheques and credit card payments and issue of receipts.
To ensure all cash floats and patients charges/fees are accurately balanced and financial records are kept updated on a daily basis
Responsibility for banking of patients charge/fees revenue following the Dental patients charge revenue and petty cash standard operating procedure.
Manage and process all incoming and out-going mail, including referrals.
To co-ordinate the sale of dental resources, monitor and maintain stock levels (where applicable).
Monitor and maintain stationery stock and request procurement of resources when required.
Liaise with dental laboratories with regard to dental appliances for patients, which may include collection of and deliveries of appliances and general enquiries.
Organise and book interpreting services for patients and their carers
Demonstrate an awareness of the complaints procedure including defusing and resolving potential conflict/complaint situations to avoid escalation, when required.
To liaise effectively with patients, colleagues, patient representatives and partner agencies at all levels both within the Trust and across the NHS and in other organisations.
To organise and administrate meetings and events when required
Recognise and assist as part of the team with the management of medical emergencies should they arise.
Work as part of a team; provide assistance and support to colleagues, allocating duties to others if appropriate, providing guidance and advice to new staff and colleagues.
Work with other staff members to identify working environment risks and to report any risks immediately to ensure the environment is safe for everyone.
To work within National and Trust Policies and Procedures.
To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and their carers and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
To attend regular meetings and take minutes when required e.g. dental team/staff dental development meetings
To participate in in-service training as appropriate
To assist in the induction and training of new staff
To refer any problem areas to senior members of dental management team
To be flexible, maybe on occasions required to work in other locations within the Dental Network
To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent and reliable attendance
To comply with annual PDR and appraisal system
To participate in personal objective setting and review, including the creation of a personal development plan.
Standard Information to be included in all job specifications
Information Governance
Employees of the Trust must comply with the provisions of the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).
- The postholder must not; either during the course of their employment, or following termination of their employment, disclose any personal information relating to service users or employees, or of the lawful business practices, of the organisation.
- The postholder must comply with Trust policies that protect the personal data of service users and employees from unauthorised disclosure, modification, destruction, inappropriate access or use and must pay due regard to the requirements of the NHS Confidentiality Code of Practice.
- The postholder will be responsible for maintaining the clinical and or corporate records that fall within the remit of this role to the standards in the Trust records management policies, and data quality processes and standards.
- Postholders with elevated access to IT systems are held accountable to the highest standards of use.
Health & Safety
Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 the post-holder is required to fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
Mental Capacity Act 2005
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 applies to all Trust staff. It is the responsibility of every person to ensure that they keep up to date with the Act and that the delivery of patient care/services is conducted in line with local and national policy and the MCA Code of Practice.
Safeguarding is Everyones Business
The Trust has a responsibility to ensure that all children / young people and adults are adequately safeguarded and protected. As a consequence, all Trust employees are required to adhere to national and local safeguarding policies / procedures and to act upon any concerns in accordance with them.
Infection Control
It is Trust policy to reduce the risk of Healthcare Associated Infection by having in place Infection Prevention and Control Policies. These policies must be adhered to by all staff to ensure patients are cared for in a clean environment and receive the highest standards of clinical care.
Smoke Free NHS
The NHS is Smoke - Free. Smoking is not permitted on any of our premises or the surrounding land including car parking facilities.
Training
The post-holder must attend any training that is identified as mandatory to their role.
The range of duties and responsibilities outlined above are indicative only and are intended to give an overview of the range and type of duties that will be allocated. They are subject to modification in the light of changing service demands and the development requirements of the post-holder.
Equality and Diversity
It is the responsibility of every person to act in ways that support equality and diversity and work within the spirit and detail of legislation including the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998.
The Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer and aims to challenge discrimination, promote equality and respect human rights.
