Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Purpose of Post

The post holder will be part of the Anticoagulation team, and to provide a first class service to support the successful running of Anticoagulation service .

They will  support the service in the setting of clinics, and scheduling of patients appointments . This will involve a comprehensive knowledge of the service and who is responsible for the respective areas.

This role supports the delivery of a cost effective and patient focussed scheduling and follow up appointment booking service in line with the Trust’s strategic direction and service plan.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

•       To act as first point of contact on behalf of the consultant and the Trust and deal  effectively and courteously with all enquiries from GPs, patients, other departments within the Trust and all other departments.

• To ensure all government guidelines with regards to the Trust’s elective waiting times are adhered to at all times.

• To highlight to service management teams potential breaches when scheduling patient appointments.

•  To access and process letters, including those of a sometimes distressing or emotional nature.

• To deal with all telephone calls relating to the service, ensuring patient focus is maintained and enquiries are handled in a courteous, tactful and prompt manner, and respecting patient confidentiality at all times.
• To prioritise and process incoming correspondence and ensure that it is dealt with promptly by the appropriate member of staff.

• To use the appropriate IT system for checking patient information and appointments.

•  To cover for colleagues during periods of absence.

• To take an active role in initiatives to improve the administrative service provided to managers and clinicians, and the service received by patients and their families.

• To process referral letters promptly, ensuring the consultant is contacted with all clinically urgent referrals, messages and letters at all time.

• To keep up to date records of all work undertaken to provide audit trails of decisions and changes to appointments.

• To generate appointment notification letters via the Trust PAS system when scheduling and booking appointments.

• To deal with all telephone calls in a courteous, efficient and tactful manner referring to appropriate departments as necessary.

• To monitor and ensure telephone contact is made with all patients when booking short-notice appointments on the Trust PAS system.

• To book interpreter services as required and transfer the information onto the Trust PAS systems.

• To update patient details on the Trust PAS system when required.

• Prioritise the daily workload to ensure that any requests received and all urgent matters are dealt with as soon as practicable and ensure a high level of support is available.

• To ensure all government guidelines with regard to the Trust’s elective waiting times are adhered to at all times.

• To act in such a manner as to maintain and protect patient confidentiality at all times.

• To actively participate in the orientation and training of new and temporary staff as required.

• Attend any training courses required to implement changes or improve standards within the department.

Confidentiality

The post holder must ensure that personal information for patients, and all other individuals attending the Trust is accurate and up to date, kept secure and confidential at all times in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1988, the Caldicott principles and the common law duty of confidentiality.  The post holder must follow the record keeping guidelines established by the Trust to ensure compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Data Protection Act

All staff who contribute to patients’ care records are expected to be familiar with, and adhere to, the Trust’s Standards of Records Keeping Policy.  Staff should be aware that patients’ care records throughout the Trust will be subject to regular audit.

All staff who have access to patients’ care records have a responsibility to ensure that these are maintained efficiently and that confidentiality is protected in line with the Trust’s Code of Confidentiality Policy.

All staff have an obligation to ensure that care records are maintained efficiently and that confidentiality is protected.  Staff are also subject to this obligation both on an implied basis and also on the basis that, on accepting their job description, they agree to maintain both patient/client and staff confidentiality.

In addition, all health professionals are advised to compile records on the assumption that they are accessible to patients in line with the Data Protection Act.