About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen within our busy Rheumatology Department for a highly motivated, flexible and dynamic person to join our administration team. We aim to deliver a highly effective and efficient service to ensure high standards of patient care and you will be required to support all administrative aspects of the service to achieve these outcomes. The successful candidate will be innovative, resourceful with a 'can-do' approach and flexible towards the needs of a developing service.
Main duties of the job
Administrative assistant for the Rheumatology Team at Luton and Dunstable Hosptial. The administration assistant will provide an essential clerical support service to the Rheumatology Team contributing to the overall efficient and effective running of the department.
The post holder will be required to communicate effectively with all levels of staff and deal sensitively with queries from patients. The department is a busy expanding unit and therefore flexibility and the ability to work well under pressure is essential.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job
Job description Job responsibilities
Provide a friendly, welcoming and professional first point of contact to patients and a range of health care professionals. Telephone calls should be dealt with in a sensitive and tactful manner especially when liaising with distressed, angry or confused patients and/or relatives.
Deal with telephone calls and emails, responding in a timely manner and taking appropriate action as required. Provide non-clinical information to patients as appropriate recognising when to redirect calls to senior staff.
Use information systems effectively ensuring a high standard of information recording is maintained.
Support other administrative staff with the organisation of clinics and appointments and provide other administrative duties appropriate to role.
Record and update patient information on hospital IT systems accurately. To use departmental database (Infoflex) to log calls coming into the department via the nurse advice line and update patient treatment records.
Organise the admission of patients for procedures/treatments, liaising with the relevant department and contacting the patient to inform them of the admission arrangements.
Liaise with GPs and other referrers when necessary to obtain further information for the clinicians prior to the patients appointment.
Print and distribute clinical correspondence accurately within Trust timescales, ensuring that all instructions and enclosures are actioned prior to distribution.
Ensure all documents that require scanning onto the electronic patient record are uploaded accurately and appropriately in a timely manner so that patient information is available to clinical staff.
Record and update patient information on hospital IT systems accurately.
Perform basic data entry for departmental database.
Sort, prioritise and distribute incoming mail to the appropriate members of staff.
Maintain stock of stationery equipment and patient information material in the department and clinical rooms.
Provide cover for and undertake duties of absent colleagues appropriate to experience and competence.
Take an active role within the department attending staff meetings and participate in discussions to improve and evaluate the service
Undertake relevant training identified in conjunction with line manager.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
oGood general education
Desirable
oNVQ / Level 2 qualification in administrative area
Knowledge Essential
oKnowledge of Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, Outlook oGood working knowledge of office procedures
Desirable
oKnowledge of NHS processes and systems
Experience Essential
oExperience of carrying out administrative tasks, e.g., data input, receiving and making telephone calls. oAble to input data accurately and Efficiently oExperience handling confidential and sensitive information
Desirable
oExperience of working in an NHS/health care setting. oExperience of processing NHS/health care documentation. oExperience of working with paper-based and electronic filing systems.
Personal Skills Essential
oTeam player oAble to work in accordance with Trust values oAble to plan and prioritise own workload oGood communication and interpersonal skills, both verbal and written, face-to-face and non-facing customers oConfident in completing repetitive tasks whilst maintaining attention to detail. oEmpathetic and able to support vulnerable patients in resolving queries
Desirable
oAbility to maintain and update patient information database(s).
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address Rheumatology, Zone T, Luton & Dunstable Hospital
641 Dunstable Road
Luton
LU4 8RQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/ (Opens in a new tab)