Clinical Coding Lead

Job overview

We are seeking an experienced Clinical Coding Lead to oversee the strategy, planning, and delivery of high-quality clinical coding services across the organisation. This role ensures compliance with national standards (ICD and OPCS) and supports accurate patient data, performance reporting, and financial flows.

You will lead an operational team of experienced managers and coders, driving excellence, continuous improvement, and professional development. You will also have accountability for the training and improvement function within the service. Responsibilities include overseeing complex coding, leading audit and quality assurance programmes, and ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness. You will also support service development, including the adoption of new technologies and AI.

Working with clinicians, operational teams, and information stakeholders, you will provide expert guidance, resolve complex queries, and improve clinical documentation and data quality. You will analyse audit findings, identify trends, and implement targeted improvements, while supporting governance and compliance with audit requirements.

The ideal candidate must be an accredited clinical coder with strong leadership skills and experience, attention to detail, and a passion for data quality and improvement. Experience in automation or AI adoption is highly desirable.

Main duties of the job

Reporting directly to the Director of Business Intelligence (CDO), the Clinical Coding Lead is responsible for the strategy and operational delivery of Clinical Coding services to ensure the Group achieves its clinical and business objectives. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring accurate and timely coding of all admitted patient activity and providing subject matter expertise and leadership in support of clinical coding in other settings, such as outpatients.

The post holder will be expected to work with a high degree of professional confidence and autonomy and be an integral part of the leadership and management of the Business Intelligence portfolio. The post holder will be expected to identify and advance ways in which the Group can better collect and utilise clinical information to meet its objectives and develop its business, and will be required to lead on Group-wide or function-wide projects and initiatives as directed.

Information generated by this department is crucial to the national performance ratings and financial well-being of the Group, and the role takes full responsibility for the training, audit, and development activities within the Clinical Coding department.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.