Senior Clinical Coder

Job overview

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the right to work in the UK independently, with a visa or immigration status that allows them to fulfil the full duration and type of contract offered. The Trust is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Are you an experienced Clinical Coder either working towards or having achieved the National Clinical Coding Qualification?

Following investment in the team, we are seeking experienced Clinical Coders to join our growing department. Do you have a strong desire to develop your career within a supportive and friendly environment with a team working toward team excellence and where each individual’s efforts are recognised?

Dartford and Gravesham Clinical Coding Service would love to hear from you!

As a department we can offer coders a comprehensive training and development structure through strong leadership, training and audit programme, and cpd for coders and ACC coders, developing existing skills and learning new ones.

A Recruitment and Retention Premium is offered to Accredited Clinical Coders.

The department offers a flexible approach to varied working patterns to suit individual personal commitments and believes fully in a healthy work/life balance.

We have a hybrid working pattern with remote and some onsite working expected.

We are located in an easily accessible location that is well served by road and rail links from Kent and London.

Previous applicants need not apply

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be required to abstract, analyse and accurately code clinical information from patient records (paper and electronic) across all specialities using ICD-10 and OPCS-4 Classifications in accordance with National Standards and the Trust's Policy and Procedures guidelines. The role requires the successful candidate to produce consistent, accurate, complete and timely coded clinical data, for use by the Trust’s Finance Department among others and to meet increasingly demanding deadlines whilst maintaining accurate coding at all times.

Our source documentation for coding is a mix of electronic and some paper documents, with an emphasis on moving towards a fully electronic patient record.

Applicants are required to:

Possess the National Clinical Coding Qualification (NCCQ) UK or be working towards it

Have experience of using ICD-10 and OPCS-4 classifications (current version) in an acute hospital setting

Have extensive knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology Be experienced in clinical coding for a wide range of specialties

Be proactive, flexible and supportive towards an electronic way of working as the Trust develops its electronic patient record

Have a strong team working ethos

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To ensure accurate extraction of complex clinical details relating to diagnoses and operative procedures for each consultant episode from patient medical records

To engage and support the internal continuous audit process ensuring that a personal IG level 2 audit result is achieved and maintain

To assist in the daily supervision of trainee and less experienced clinical coding staff providing mentorship and cultivating a supportive learning environment

To interpret histology and radiology reports to ensure accuracy of the coding process

To undertake the coding of extracted information ensuring adherence to National Standards and local policies

To accurately enter the clinical codes onto the Trust information system PAS/Medicode

To identify insufficient/incorrect clinical data in source documentation and using own initiative to raise the query for resolution with other relevant departments

To share and assist other colleagues with personal coding experience and promote a learning environment at workplace

To organise daily workload efficiently so that personal coding targets are met, including allocated Consultant backlog list, supporting the coding team in achieving high standards of coding completeness and accuracy at agreed timescales

To take responsibility for self-development on a continuous basis by studying for the Auditor and/or Trainer qualification, if required by the Trust.

To participate in ongoing coding training and testing to meet National Standards and Trust requirements. This may require travelling to other organisations outside core working hours

To liaise with Clinicians and their support staff concerning interpretation of case note documentation affecting coding

To investigate and correct coded clinical data rejected or queried by recipient information systems

To communicate complex coding rules to clinical coding staff, medical, clinical and administrative staff and external agencies.

Implement agreed local policy directives and assist in the   development of local coding policies which impact on the various service areas

Undertake/Participate in complex audits

To work across all specialities