About this role
Job summary
Are you a natural organiser who loves making things run smoothly and supporting people when it really matters? Join our Palliative Care team as a Pathway Co-ordinator and play a vital role in shaping the patient journey during some of life's most important moments.
As the administrative heartbeat of the Palliative Care HUB, you're the central point of contact for patients, their families and loved ones, and healthcare providers. You'll connect them with our clinical team, ensuring they get the right support as efficiently as possible. You'll process referrals and appointments, keep patient records accurate, coordinate daily tasks for the admin team, and keep communication flowing so our clinicians can deliver exceptional, patient-centred care.
No two days are the same -- one moment you'll be supporting teaching sessions or audits, the next improving data quality or navigating a new process. You'll balance priorities, solve problems, and bring calm structure to a fast-moving, emotionally meaningful environment.
Who you are:
You're proactive, calm under pressure, and thrive on creating order from complexity. You care deeply about people and take pride in doing your best work for them.
You'll bring:
Excellent IT and organisational skills A confident, compassionate communication style Team spirit with the ability to work independently A positive, solution-focused mindset
Main duties of the job
Coordinate administrative servicesfor the Palliative Care HUB, ensuring smooth communication and effective support across hospital, community, and hospice teams.
Lead and superviseAssistant Pathway Co-ordinators - including training, appraisals, and day-to-day guidance - to maintain a high-performing and supportive team.
Maintain accurate patient recordson the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system, ensuring data quality and confidentiality at all times.
Manage administrative processessuch as registering patients, booking appointments, producing reports, and maintaining departmental systems and procedures.
Ensure efficient office operations, including managing supplies, IT access for new staff, and supporting technology needs for the team.
Handle complex enquiriesfrom patients, families, and staff, providing clear information, guidance, and reassurance.
Support education and improvement, helping prepare materials for teaching, audits, and research, and contributing to service development and process improvements.
Provide cross-cover and flexibility, supporting colleagues during absence and contributing to a cohesive, adaptable admin team.
Uphold confidentiality and data protectionstandards, always maintaining professionalism and sensitivity in all interactions.
Participate in meetings, reviews, and continuous improvement, ensuring the service remains responsive, efficient, and patient-focused.
About us
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.
We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence, and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.
These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.
In 2023NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the ten core principles
Oxford University Hospitals promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment.
If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.
Job description Job responsibilities
To co-ordinate and be responsible for the provision of full administrative services to the HUB, Community and Hospital Teams.
2.Implement policies and procedures to maintain efficient department/office and filing systems to facilitate the smooth running of the administrative services.
3.To coordinate the day-to-day activities of Assistant Pathway Co-ordinators:
a.Train and supervise members of their team in all aspects of patient administration service and exceptional customer service, motivating, improving performance and promoting team values to achieve required outcomes. Contribute to the identification and planning of development needs for the team and individuals.
b.Contribute to the assessment of staff performance against values-based objectives and be responsible for the performance development reviews of individuals. On a day-to-day basis support individual learning and development.
c.To potentially be actively involved in the recruitment process.
4.To ensure that joint working and close co-operation is developed and maintained with staff both internal and external, providing the clinical/operational services to maintain a complete and seamless service to patients.
5.To take responsibility for data quality within a defined area; investigating issues, rectifying processes, and providing training as required.
6.Deal with complex enquires from staff/patients/relatives/visitors investigating and researching matters thereby providing information/guidance and advice to others to ensure their queries have been dealt with.
7.To liaise with other departments as required.
8.Undertake general administrative duties including taking minutes.
9.Ensure adequate supplies of stationery and supplies to enable the team to function efficiently.
10.Communication and Technology support for nursing and administrative staff.
11.Responsible for new starters within the department having sufficient equipment prior to their start with the Trust, i.e., laptop, telephone, IT access, badge etc.
12.Responsible for registering patients on EPR (OUH Trust patient administration system), booking appointments, recording activities, and updating status codes.
13.Responsible for producing regular reports and statistics for the teams and ensure the distribution of these to other departments as appropriate.
14.Keep an accurate and updated organisational manual regarding the administrative procedures of the service, and Standard Operational Procedure (SOP).
15.Office duties as required.
16.Assist with any research or audit projects undertaken by the team, for example, by helping prepare questionnaires, collate and summarise data.
17.Undertake any further training where necessaryand responsible for scheduling monthly 1:1 review with line manager, including participating in an annual review/appraisal.
18.Attend team and other meetings (including supervision) as required and be involved in the development of service initiatives.
19.Be a participating member of the admin team, working flexibly and providing cover for the team as required. Help to create and implement new processes within the service, to achieve an evolving streamlined efficient service.
20.Be able to prioritise workload on a daily basis and work independently with a limited amount of supervision.
21.Assist with provision of cover for absent colleagues as requested by the Team Lead/Manager which may sometimes be at short notice, requiring a flexible approach to work.
22.Respect and maintain the confidentiality of patients and staff information.
23.To comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act, Access to Health Records and any other legislation issued in relation to confidential data.
24.Any other duties as directed by the Team Lead/Consultant. This may cover a wide range of duties including providing cover for other teams.
This job description should be regarded only as a guide to the duties required and is not intended to be definitive. It may be reviewed in the light of the changing circumstances following consultation with the post holder. The job description does not form part of the contract of employment.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications Essential
Good general level of education (5 GCSEs grade 4 or above or equivalent)
Desirable
EPR trained IT qualifications
Experience Essential
Previous admin/secretarial experience Up-to-date experience of MS Office Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
Desirable
Previous experience within the NHS/public sector Knowledge of medical terminology
Special Skills/Aptitudes Essential
Ability to prioritise Ability to work independently, but also as a member of a team Flexible approach
Desirable
Line Management experience
Personal Qualities Essential
Excellent interpersonal skills Ability to communicate effectively with individuals at all levels Able to demonstrate initiative Ability to cope effectively under pressure Accurate attention to detail Ability to work to tight deadlines and prioritise own workload
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 Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address Sobell House Hospice or Katharine House Hospice
Old Road
Oxford
OX37LE
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)