Job summary
- Main area
- Digital Services
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 297-7747725
- Employer
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital
- Town
- Gateshead
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 13/03/2026 23:59
Employer heading
System Administrator
NHS AfC: Band 5
In the event of excessive applications being received this vacancy may close earlier than the stated closing date, you are encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible
IMPORTANT NOTE ON COMPLETION OF REFERENCE SECTION OF APPLICATION FORM
All references from current and previous employers will be sought and MUST cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Where possible this should be from two separate employers. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.
PLEASE NOTE it is a requirement of this Trust that all successful applicants pay for their DBS certificate if a check is required for the post. This will be done through deduction from your monthly pay over a maximum of three months. It is also a requirement that all successful applicants register or are registered with the DBS update service where a DBS is required.
All new entrants to the NHS will be appointed on the minimum of the pay scale in line with Terms & Conditions.
Job overview
A fantastic opportunity has arisen to join our Digital Services Systems Team as a System Administrator.
We are looking for someone with solid experience who can hit the ground running. This role requires a reliable, confident individual who can stand on their own two feet, use their initiative, and manage day‑to‑day responsibilities with minimal supervision.
As part of the Digital Systems Team at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, you’ll be providing essential operational support, administration, and assistance to colleagues using the CareFlow and BigHand systems. While you don’t need deep technical expertise, you do need to be comfortable working independently, solving practical problems, and taking ownership of tasks from start to finish.
This is a great opportunity for someone who takes pride in their work, enjoys supporting others, and is ready to bring their experience into a role where they can make a real and positive impact. You will also have access to development opportunities and exposure to wider NHS initiatives as you grow.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be part of the Digital Systems Team and will be involved in the day to day system management and maintenance of the Trusts Patient Administration System, and the Digital Dictation system. This includes managing user access requests, training, and giving support and guidance on all aspects of the systems.
You will play a key role in assisting with system upgrades, making sure full end to end system testing is completed. A flexible approach to working arrangements is required to be able to meet service needs, which may include working evenings, early mornings and weekends if the project requires.
Experience of change management and delivering training programmes is essential. You must have good interpersonal and communication skills, as well as a sound working knowledge of acute NHS information systems, data collection and validation. Knowledge of NHS Data Flows and NHS Data Definitions would also be an advantage.
Working for our organisation
Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.
Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.
We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.
Our values should be the ‘golden thread’ which runs through everything we do – they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronym ICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.
We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women’s Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.
The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our ‘Balance’ programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Work with the CareFlow Systems Manager, Senior Systems Officer and system suppliers to manage the CareFlow and BigHand systems and associated functionality across the Trust, including developing / updating plans, monitoring and undertaking data quality exercises, highlighting any risks and issues, attending project team meetings, system testing and training.
- On a day-to-day basis act as system administrator for CareFlow and BigHand. Maintaining system security, providing advice and guidance, resolving software and system operational problems.
- Undertake and maintain system configuration to ensure the availability of up to date and timely data items within systems.
- Preparation of documentation, e-learning and training guides associated with system upgrades. Schedule software installation into training and live environments following thorough testing, using standard test scripts.
- Liaise with the Trust’s Digital Security Officer and Information Governance Officer to develop and maintain system security policies.
- Ensure all new system users receive adequate training and have appropriate system access levels to enable them to fulfil their role. Make certain all users complete and sign ‘user access agreement’ documentation.
- Act as first and second line support for systems users, providing advice and guidance, resolving software problems where possible.
- Liaise with other digital teams for technical support and the roll-out of systems to new users and departments, and the resolution of hardware and networking issues.
- Liaise with system suppliers on software problems to ensure effective solutions where possible.
- Discuss and agree any planned system downtime with Change Advisory Board (CAB), system suppliers and all system users to ensure minimal disruption. Make certain all departments have robust back up arrangements to maintain adequate provision of services.
- Assist with the ongoing specification and implementation of Trust information systems.
- Attend the system user groups to share knowledge / experiences of other Trusts and identify areas of improvement / development.
Person specification
Person Criteria
Essential criteria
- Extensive working knowledge of computer based and other types of information systems
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational and presentation skills
- System development, implementation and management
- Able to demonstrate recent interest in own personal development
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
- Flexible in work patterns
Desirable criteria
- Awareness of the current NHS IM&T and modernisation agenda
Skills and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Good working knowledge of CareFlow and Winscribe
- At least 2 years of extensive operational working in a Trust department
- Experience of creating and delivering training packages
Desirable criteria
- Project Management PRINCE II
- Agile Project Management
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Emma Dick
- Job title
- Systems Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0191 4455627
- Additional information
For informal enquiries please contact Emma Dick, Systems Manager via Teams/email ([email protected]) or Vikki Slaughter, Senior Systems Officer via Teams/email ([email protected])
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