Outpatients Administrator - Respiratory, Cardiology & Stroke

Job overview

Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey in healthcare? We have a fantastic opportunity for you to join our Reception teams within the Cardiology, Respiratory, and Stroke Departments at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (RBFT). This part-time, onsite position promises to be both rewarding and impactful!

What You'll Do: As an Outpatient Administrator, you'll be the welcoming face for all visitors, delivering exceptional service in our busy outpatient department. You’ll play a vital role in supporting our dedicated teams, ensuring a seamless experience for patients and their families. Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing outstanding service to patients and visitors.
• Offering administrative support to our Cardiology, Respiratory, and Stroke teams.
• Managing data accurately across various computer systems.
• Working collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

Who We're Looking For:

We seek an organised, highly motivated individual who thrives in a team setting. If you're confident in your communication skills and can handle pressure with grace, we want to hear from you!

Key Qualifications:

• Excellent IT skills.
• Ability to deliver high levels of customer/patient service.
• Experience in an administrative role is advantageous but not mandatory.

Main duties of the job

As the first and last point of contact with the hospital, special attention should be given at all times to ensure a positive patient experience by providing a welcoming, helpful and supportive reception service.

To meet and greet patients, carers and visitors at reception desks in line with the Trust procedures and ensure high levels of patient and clinician satisfaction by being an accessible, customer focused and a knowledgeable point of contact providing clinic details and non-clinical information to patients.

To maintain and update the Electronic patient records (EPR) following training using the training manual and procedures supplied.

To understand the complete range of administration functions, responsibilities and duties both routine and non-routine to contribute to the effective delivery of patient care, through knowledge of hospital systems and consultant practice.

The post holder will be responsible for accurately collecting demographic and personal details to ensure the Trust captures essential income. To provide a consistent approach across the Trust, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will describe how the functions of the role will be carried out, along with the timescales to which are to be adhered.

The post holder will be required to work with minimal supervision and have the ability to work under pressure, and be able to exercise sound judgement and decision making skills whilst working as part of a multi-disciplinary team or under own initiative.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will be located at our reception area and  carrying out reception and admin duties.

Outpatient Pathway

• Process referrals from GPs and send for triaging in line with Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs).
• Calling patients to inform sort notice changes in their appointments.
• Prioritize post-exacerbation referrals (PEPR) when booking initial appointments.
• Monitor waiting list and patients on hold in clinic with waiting times outlined in SOP.
• Reschedule outpatients clinics as requested – to be done in line with waiting time targets where possible.
• Input walking test assessment appointments onto Electronic Patient Record as booked by clinician.
• Ensure paperwork completed by clinicians is scanned onto the Electronic Patient Record in a timely manner.
• Use the Trust’s medical transcription system and ensure that letters and discharge summaries are processed in accordance with SOPs.
• Liaise with patient records staff, clinical colleagues, other admin teams and other organisations to ensure all medical notes, referral letters, results and discharge summaries are available for outpatient appointments and consultations.
• Checking patients in & out, cashing up clinics.

Pathway Tracking

• To understand the British Thoracic Society (BTS) guidelines for waiting times from receipt of referral to start date of Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
• Investigate and take the appropriate action where pathways are incomplete to ensure that patients are receiving timely treatment and Trust Information is robust.
• Screening patients to ensure they have been referred to their preferred location for Pulmonary Rehabilitation via a phone call.
• Support the identification and escalation of any issues to the Pulmonary Rehabilitation lead which comprises delivery of the programme, e.g. lack of capacity in classes.
• Manage and monitor outpatient scheduling making best use of capacity.

General Administrative

• Use Trust IT systems and specialty databases (Excel waiting list) to ensure relevant and accurate information is recorded.
• Support the investigation of any patient DNAs, communicating the results to the consultants and Patient Pathway Coordinator as appropriate.
• Cancellations – communicate details to the clinician ensuring all information is available.
• Handle referrals that arrive via post and the Choose & Book service.
• Manage staff diaries in accordance with SOP.
• Undertake general typing duties e.g. references and medical reports.
• Taking of meeting minutes, if available.
• Attend meetings for service development initiatives as required.
• To be able to contribute to specialty improvements and efficient processes.
• Input into Trust database with outcomes pre and post programme.
• Ensure photocopying of patients resources (i.e. consent forms, exercise and education booklets) is completed in a timely manner.
• Booking bloods for patients requiring this.
• Printing forms for patients.
• Requesting buggy services and helping patients depending on hospital transport.

Communications/Customer service

• Demonstrate high levels of customer care and be an ambassador for customer care within the Trust.
• To be the friendly, sensitive and accessible focus for patient and carer communication, ensuring that all patients have the opportunity to agree their appointment and admission dates.
• Be part of the communication hub for clinical team, other PPCs, GPs, patients and their relatives, as well as internal and external organisations.
• Promptly answer telephone inquiries, taking and relaying messages in polite, and helpful manner, taking action as appropriate.
• Ensure interpreting equipment is available when required for patient consultations.
• Inform transport department of patients who require transport following Trust protocols.
• Send written confirmation of appointments to all patients.
• Support the team in producing timely written and verbal communications with patients, clinicians, nursing staff and management.
• Ensure that all information distributed to patients is accurate and up-to-date.
• Attend clinics where appropriate to co-ordinate the patient pathway.

Health Records – Security & Management

• Ensure all Health Records are stored and processed in accordance with Trust guidelines and meets Information Governance standards.
• For non-clinical requirements, retrieve Health Records from the Trust (Other than the Health Records Library, and satellite offices where the Health Records Department will manage this process for you).

Education and Training/Self-Development

• Identify own training and development needs and undertake appropriate training/education as required.
• Participate in an annual individual performance review process where objectives will be agreed, performance monitored and personal development needs discussed.
• To attend all statutory and mandatory training as and when required.
• Act responsibly in respect of colleague’s health, safety and welfare following safe work practices and complying with the Trust’s Health and Safety Policies.