About this role
Job summary
The Outpatient Appointments Administrator supports the Outpatient Appointments team by coordinating and managing patient appointments within a call centre and administrative environment. The role involves booking and monitoring outpatient appointments, managing patient referrals in line with key performance targets, and ensuring accurate data entry across hospital systems.
The post holder provides high-quality customer service to patients, clinicians, and colleagues, handling enquiries professionally and efficiently. They are responsible for prioritising workloads, maintaining data quality and confidentiality, and supporting the smooth running of administrative processes to facilitate timely patient care. The role also requires adherence to Trust policies, values, and standards, while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
This post holder may be required to work flexibility across both County Hall and Musgrove Park Hospital.
Main duties of the job
You'll play an important role in helping patients access the care they need by providing efficient, accurate, and compassionate administrative support. Working as part of a friendly team, you will:
- Book, amend and monitor outpatient appointments in line with specialty booking procedures.
- Manage patient referrals through e-Referral systems and worklists to support timely access to care.
- Deliver excellent customer service to patients, clinicians and colleagues via telephone, email and face-to-face interactions.
- Respond to enquiries and messages promptly, resolving issues where possible and escalating when required.
- Maintain accurate patient records and ensure high-quality data across hospital systems.
- Support the rebooking of cancelled clinics, helping minimise disruption for patients.
- Process patient information in a timely and accurate manner to support effective clinical care.
- Adhere to Trust policies and procedures, particularly regarding confidentiality, information governance and data protection.
- Maintain organised administrative systems, including scanning, filing and the secure disposal of confidential information.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues, providing cross-cover and supporting the wider team when needed.
- Assist with the induction and training of new team members where appropriate.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys helping others, has excellent organisational skills, and takes pride in delivering a high-quality service that makes a real difference to patient care.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
- Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
- NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
- Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
- A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job Description & Person Specification for further details of duties and responsibilities.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- As a minimum GSCEs in English Language and Maths or functional skills
Experience
Essential
- Experience of dealing with patients/customers
- Evidence of prioritising workloads/good time management
- Proven experience of working well as part of a team
Desirable
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting/previous experience of NHS administration processes
- Recent office experience
- Experience of high volume contacts with patients/customers using the telephone
Additional Criteria
Essential
- IT literate; including recent experience of using Microsoft packages such as Word, Outlook and Excel
- Must be able to communicate in English Language, both written and verbally appropriate
- Excellent communication skills, able to communicate effectively at all levels
- Ability to maintain good quality professional relationships even when dealing with contentious matters
Desirable
- Knowledge of medical terminology
- Working knowledge of in-house hospital systems
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
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Address
County Hall
The Crescent
Taunton
Somerset
TA1 4DY
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)