Clerical Officer - SPA

NTH; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust seeks an efficient administrator to support District Nursing PCNs and SPA operations at University Hospitals Tees. You will handle data entry, appointments, and frontline reception tasks across multiple sites.

The role requires strong IT skills, experience with Windows/Office, and the ability to work in a busy, rotating shift pattern including weekends and holidays.

Qualifications

• NVQ Business Administration Level 2 or equivalent.
• GCSE English language at C or above.
• Typing/word processing qualification.
• ECDL certification.
• Willingness to train / develop further skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain an efficient office management system / procedures to support clinical teams.
• Process incoming calls and outgoing calls and provide information to patients and health professionals.
• Coordinate patient data / appointment systems and input data accurately.
• Process new referrals into the patient records and send out appointments.
• Prepare patient files and service records for archiving in line with policies.
• Provide ad-hoc switchboard / reception coverage and customer service to the public.

Skills

Information systems

Microsoft Office

Telephony systems

Data entry & accuracy

Teamwork

Education

NVQ Business Administration Level 2

GCSE English

Typing / word processing qualification

ECDL certification

Tools

System One / Trakcare

Job description

Find out about the current vacancies available at the Trust and take the next step in your career with us.

Reporting to the SPA Office Manager, the post holder will assist in providing an efficient, effective and comprehensive clerical support service for the District Nursing Primary Care Networks (PCN’s) / Specialist Nursing and Therapy Services and Health Centres managed by the Single Point of Access, which is based in the University Hospital of Hartlepool.

Work to a rostered Shift Pattern, covering 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, inclusive of Bank Holidays.

Provide effective and efficient use and co-ordination of patient data / appointment systems.

Processing of new referrals into the services within SPA into the patients appointment system.

Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office Packages and IT / Email systems.

Act as a telephone operator, answering incoming calls and making outgoing calls

Work on own initiative, and as part of a Team, with direct supervision from Team Lead / Supervisors / Office Manager and leadership by the Service Leads.

Provide factual, non-clinical information to patients, callers and health professionals both face to face and over the telephone.

Provide ad-hoc switchboard / reception cover and customer service of the highest standard, at times at short notice, to the general public and other service users at the Health Centres within the SPA remit.

Must be proactive and have a flexible approach as this post requires rotation of staff across locations to ensure the effective delivery of services.

Main duties of the job

To maintain an efficient office management system / procedures to enable the department / clinical team to optimise their customer / patient care by ensuring that the data entered onto the systems is accurate, complete and up-to-date, identifying issues and acting accordingly.

To receiving incoming calls and making outgoing calls, communicating with patients and health professionals as required or determined by service needs

Effective and efficient use and co-ordination of patient data / appointment systems.

Processing new referrals – (Urgent and Routine), into the patient record for the requested service

Responsible for sending out appointments to relevant patients and health professionals as requested, in a timely manner

Printing clinical request forms for collection by clinical staff each morning in a timely manner,

Typing of letters, reports and other correspondence, and the input and checking of data and information into IT systems.

To retrieve and generate information to assist in the effective organisation of all patients in accordance with local and national policies and targets

General office duties including opening and distributing of post,

To ensure all routine and / or urgent enquiries are effectively actioned within a prompt timescale using service processes and procedures and an accurate record is maintained.

Working for our organisation

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust have come together to form University Hospitals Tees. As a result, post holders may be required to work across sites within both organisations.

Across University Hospitals Tees, our ambition is to be the best place to work, ensuring we have the right staff in the right roles at the right time to deliver outstanding patient care and experience.

We are committed to supporting our staff through an inclusive and supportive working environment, offering health and wellbeing initiatives, staff benefits, and opportunities for personal and professional development.

We support the 'Making Every Contact Count' approach to behaviour change in the promotion of health and wellbeing of individuals and communities

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Ensure that all administration requirements are carried out to a high standard of quality, which meets all departmental, and organisation requirements / procedures and policies

To maintain an efficient office management system / procedures to enable the department / clinical team to optimise their customer / patient care by ensuring that the data entered onto the systems is accurate, complete and up-to-date, identifying issues and acting accordingly.

To receiving incoming calls and making outgoing calls, communicating with patients and health professionals as required or determined by service needs. Provide factual, non-clinical information to patients both face to face and over the telephone

Ability to work in a fast paced and demanding environment.

Effective and efficient use and co-ordination of patient data / appointment systems.

Processing new referrals – (Urgent and Routine), into the patient record for the requested service, complying to the services KPI requirements / processes and policies.

Responsible for sending out appointments / journal entries to relevant patients and health professionals as requested, in a timely manner following service processes.

Printing clinical request forms for collection by clinical staff each morning in a timely manner, to meet the departmental and organisation requirements.

Prepare patient files / service records for archiving, ensuring compliance with Trust Archiving and Record Management Policies and Procedures.

Typing of letters, reports and other correspondence, and the input and checking of data and information into IT systems.

To retrieve and generate information to assist in the effective organisation of all patients in accordance with local and national policies and targets

General office duties including opening and distributing of post, good housekeeping, filing, photocopying and monitoring and maintaining of supplies and stationery.

To ensure all routine and / or urgent enquiries are effectively actioned within a prompt timescale using service processes and procedures and an accurate record is maintained.

Support new team members by demonstrating and explaining routine dept. practices and procedures, undertaking appropriate training and development with new and existing staff ensuring standards of practice are maintained at all times.

Ensure that all tasks are carried out to a high standard of quality which meets all departmental and organisation requirements

Provide ad-hoc switchboard / reception cover and customer service of the highest standard, at times at short notice, to the general public and other service users at the Health Centres within the SPA remit.

Take responsibility for personal development and education and the development of a Personal Development Plan

Person specification

Qualifications

• NVQ Business Administration Level 2 or equivalent
• GCSE in English Language level C or above
• Typing or word processing qualification
• ECDL certification
• Willingness to train / develop further skills

Experience

• Experience and good working knowledge of Information and Appointment Systems
• Good working knowledge of Windows based computer systems and be capable of using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Experience and good working knowledge of Telephony systems.
• Proven experience in delivering a range of administration tasks to a high standard
• Good understanding of general office procedures
• Good literacy and numeric skills
• Experience of the delivery of objectives within a constantly changing environment
• Experience of working in a healthcare environment
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of using audio transcription systems
• System One / Trakcare knowledge

Skills and Aptitude

• Ability to work in a fast paced and demanding environment
• Demonstrate willingness to contribute to the delivery of an effective and efficient administrative and clerical service.
• Empathetic approach in resolving enquiries
• Able to recognise issues and refer where appropriate
• Ability to be flexible and to work in other areas throughout the Trust, in Health Centres and North of Tees as and when required in accordance with operational service needs.
• Be able to work to a rostered shift pattern covering 365 days a year, 24 hours a day
• Ability to work on own initiative and be a good team player
• Demonstrate ability to pay good attention to detail
• Reliably check and record data and identify anomalies
• Able to self-check completed work
• Good keyboard and IT skills
• Experience of dealing with members of the public / reception cover
• Be willing to participate in the promotion of effective team working
• Be proactive in contributing to service improvement

Disposition

• Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s values.
• Flexible, calm, able to cope with different work environments
• Ability to work under pressure/meet tight deadlines whilst delivering high quality work
• Demonstrate a responsible, dependable, enthusiastic and honest character along with a caring and sensitive nature.
• Show a keenness to learn and to apply appropriate working practices.
• To be responsible for own personal development and taking advantage of any appropriate training and development opportunities which would enhance the service

Other

• Car Owner/Driver
• Ability to travel between bases and other geographical areas
• Valid license to drive and access to a car for business use

Important - Once sufficient applications have been received this vacancy may close early.

Disclosure and Barring Checks (DBS)

It is the policy of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, that all successful candidates who are new to the Trust who require DBS clearance for the post they have been offered, are required to pay the cost for their DBS certificate. The method of payment for this is via salary deduction from your first month's pay on commencement with the Trust. The DBs check will be undertaken during the pre-employment check screening.

Qualifications

Please note the essential qualifications required for the post are outlined within the Person Specification. You are required to provide original evidence of the necessary qualifications for the post at interview should you be shortlisted. You will also be required to provide original copies as part of the pre-employment check screening.

New Starters – Probationary Period

For any new employees commencing employment with North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, you will be subject to satisfactory completion of a 6 month probationary period. Please note that internal applications and individuals that are appointed to fixed term appointments of less than 6 months duration are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or a bank member of staff).

Employment References

As part of our pre-employment screening process, all applicants are required to provide references covering their last three years employment history including any gaps. Applicants are requested to ensure e-mail addresses for all referees are included on their application form. Personal references are not acceptable.

Working Hours

If the hours advertised for the post are up to full time (37.5 hours per week), applications are still welcomed from individuals who may be seeking to work less than full-time hours and all requests will be considered in line with the post being appointed to for the successful applicant.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Everything we do is shaped by our values: Respect, Support, and Collaborate.

At University Hospitals Tees we want our workspaces to be places where everyone feels welcome, valued and safe. We treat people with respect, and we celebrate the differences that make each of us unique.

We welcome applications from everyone, no matter your age, background, race, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family circumstances or beliefs.

We are here to support you throughout your application and at every stage of your career with us. We believe we work best when we collaborate, learn from each other and build teams that reflect the communities we serve.

Disability

We are a Disability Confident Lead employer. This means we give fair and full consideration to applicants and will offer reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. If you need help with your application, or need the information in a different format, please contact our recruitment team and we will support you.

Right to Work in the UK

The Trust welcomes applications from all candidates who meet the criteria for the role. Please note that from January 2021, to work in the UK all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship unless they have permission to work via another route. Non UK/RoI candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here: Work in the UK - GOV.UK ( www.gov.uk )

Please provide full and accurate details of your current immigration status on the application form. Your current immigration status will not be considered as part of the shortlisting or interview process.

Please note that not everyone needs a ‘Skilled Worker’ visa. If you are applying for health or social care, you may be eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead.

As a supporter of the Armed Forces and an employer of Reservists, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust are proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a promise by the nation to ensure that those who serve or who have served in the UK Armed Forces (and their families) are treated fairly.

We recognise that reservists and veterans bring a variety of transferable skills and qualities to our workplace, developed through their military careers. Our commitment to supporting the Armed Forces Community has been recognised through the Armed Forces Covenant as a Silver Employer.

Further Important Information

Please check your email on a regular basis for updates on your application. If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be invited to email via this method.

Please ensure you read the ‘Guidance Notes for Applicants’ document attached to this advert before completing and submitting your application.

Unfortunately, we are unable to respond to all applicants and those who are not contacted within six weeks of the closing date should assume that their application has been unsuccessful.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.