About this role
Job summary
Whilst we welcome all applications from all suitable candidates, unfortunately, we will not be offering sponsorship for this role.
If you already work for HPFT on a health and care visa, you will NOT be able to transfer your visa to this role as this role is NOT eligible for Sponsorship
The post holder will provide high-quality Senior Team Administration support across Adult Community Mental Health Services. The role will provide core Senior Admin support to psychology, therapy, referral other pathway functions. This will include coordinating appointments, managing clinical correspondence, maintaining accurate electronic patient records (EPR, i.e. Paris), supporting referral processes, and providing responsive administrative support to clinicians, service users and carers. An integral part of this role will be the management of the Psychology Inbox and referrals process. The post holder will need to demonstrate the ability to prioritise workload, using initiative and mature judgement in decision making, whilst ensuring clear communication within the team. Part of the role will also include note taking for team meetings as and when required and on-going database management using the Trust's systems The post holder may be allocated to one or more additional areas of responsibility depending on service need, local arrangements, competency and training.
Main duties of the job
Provide specialist administrative support to psychology, psychological therapy and group therapy pathways.
Manage or oversee psychology appointments, therapy diaries, group letters, opt-in communication and routine pathway correspondence where this is not carried out by a Band 3 administrator. Monitor psychology inboxes and ensure queries are actioned or escalated appropriately. Open, update and close psychology referrals in line with agreed local processes and competency
Support psychology call-line or therapy-related queries within agreed boundaries, escalating clinical or risk issues promptly.
Maintain accurate appointment, referral and outcome information on EPR to support therapy pathway flow and service visibility.
Arrange, amend and cancel appointments that are outside the routine duties normally supported by a Band 3 administrator, in line with agreed local processes and service priorities.
Maintain accurate clinical records on EPR, ensuring that appointments, correspondence, outcomes and relevant documentation are recorded promptly and accurately.
Prepare and send routine and non-routine appointment letters, opt-in letters, outcome letters, discharge letters and other clinical correspondence using agreed templates.
Monitor allocated inboxes and respond to queries appropriately, escalating clinical, safeguarding, risk or complex pathway matters to the relevant clinician or manager.
About us
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from theCare Quality Commission.
Our family of over 4,500 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:
Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.
Job description Job responsibilities
Provide cross-cover for agreed Band 4 specialist administration duties within the post holders training and competency.
Work flexibly across medical secretarial, psychology, therapy, referral and first contact administration functions as required by service need.
Maintain clear boundaries between administrative responsibilities and clinical decision-making.
Escalate any clinical interpretation, safeguarding concern, risk issue, distressed caller, unclear referral outcome or non-routine clinical query to the relevant clinician, duty worker or manager.
Contribute to local process guides, competency checklists and safe cover arrangements to reduce reliance on individual post holders.
Recognise when information may indicate clinical risk, safeguarding concerns, urgency, distress or a need for clinical review, and escalate promptly in line with agreed procedures.
The post holder will not interpret clinical information or make clinical decisions but must understand when administrative information requires clinical review or escalation.
Previous administrative experience within a healthcare, mental health or clinical environment.
Experience of managing appointment systems, including EPR, correspondence, inboxes and confidential information.
Good working knowledge of digital platforms such as Microsoft Office, EPR and T-Pro; experience is desirable.
Ability to prioritise a varied workload, work independently and use initiative within agreed procedures.
Strong communication skills, including the ability to deal sensitively with service users, carers and professionals.
Understanding of confidentiality, information governance and professional boundaries.
Medical terminology, audio typing or dictation system experience desirable for medical secretarial allocation.
Experience of psychology, therapy, referral or first contact administration desirable for relevant pathway allocation.
Work independently within agreed Trust policies, local procedures and administrative processes, using initiative to prioritise work and seek guidance where information is unclear, complex or outside the remit of the role.
Manage day-to-day workload without direct supervision, balancing competing priorities across clinical correspondence, appointments, inboxes, referral administration and EPR updates.
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS/EDUCATION/TRAINING Essential
Educated to Secondary Level with GCSE qualifications or equivalent NVQ3/RSA3 or equivalent experience Willingness to complete further training and qualification identified as appropriate to the role
Desirable
Communications skills / Leadership training European Computer Driving Licence or equivalent
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE Essential
Extensive experience of working in an office environment. Knowledge of secretarial or administrative procedures and systems, some of which are non-routine and non-routine activities such as answering queries, progress chasing, task-related problem solving, acquired through experience.
Desirable
Knowledge of specialist functional / medical/legal terms, organisational policies and procedures
SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITY Essential
To be proficient in diary management. Proficient in email management To manage and organise own time and work efficiently and adhere to deadlines to enable the smooth running of the department
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.
Employer details Employer name Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Address Rosanne House
Parkway
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6HG
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.hpft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)