(*) Operational Manager - Outpatients Referral & Communication Team

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust; Wallsend; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust in Basildon seeks an Operational Manager for the Outpatients Referral & Communication Team. You will lead a team of Booking Clerks, Receptionists and Administrators and oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring proactive service delivery for patients awaiting referrals or treatments.

You will work autonomously, prioritising the workload and escalating issues to your line manager. Experience leading a team is advantageous for this role.

Qualifications

• Experience in a customer/patient focused environment.
• Experience managing a team.
• GCSE English and Maths.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day functions of the department with Supervisors.
• Coordinate and authorise rotas including annual leave and sickness; monitor sickness; conduct back-to-work interviews.
• Conduct performance appraisals and develop plans across the team.
• Utilise Trust systems including EPR, ERS and EMR.
• Schedule appointments and follow-ups in priority order; liaise with clinicians when capacity is limited.
• Ensure clinic capacity is fully utilised; manage cancellations and template changes.
• Monitor waiting times and patient tracking lists for all specialties.
• Hold team meetings and relay key information.
• Communicate with Consultants, GPs and nursing staff to maintain patient-focused service.

Skills

Team management

Customer service oriented

Education

English and Maths GCSE

Job description

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

(**) Operational Manager - Outpatients Referral & Communication Team

The closing date is 11 November 2026

We are looking for someone to join our Outpatients Referral and Communications Team as our new Operational Manager in Basildon.

As our Outpatients Operational Manager you will guide and support a friendly and hardworking team of Booking Clerks, Receptionists and Administrators whilst also managing the day-to-day function of the team, and driving positive and proactive service delivery to our patients awaiting referrals or treatments.

You will be expected to work autonomously, managing the demands of your day, prioritising both your work and the team's work and escalating concerns/ issues with your manager in a timely manner. So, experience of managing or leading a team is advantageous for this role.

Main duties of the job

If successful, some of your duties will be to:

• Manage the day to day functions of the department, coordinating management responsibilities with Supervisors
• Coordinate and authorise rotas including annual leave and sickness with Supervisors, monitoring sickness levels and conducting back to work interviews
• Conduct performance appraisals and review personal development plans across the team
• Excellent knowledge of the Trust systems and Contact Centre Systems including: Electronic Patient Record (EPR, Electronic Referral System (ERS) and Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
• Oversee that new appointments and Follow ups are booked in chronological and Priority order and liaise with Service Unit Managers and Clinicians when capacity is not available
• Ensure all clinic capacity is fully utilised, coordinating clinic cancellation requests and template changes in line with the Trust Waiting Policy
• Monitor outpatient waiting times and patient tracking lists for all specialties booked by the team
• Hold team meetings and deliver relevant messages
• Liaise with Consultants, GPs, medical and nursing staff as required to cover clinical issues and ensure a patient focused service

About us

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust.

Job responsibilities

For full details about this varied and rewarding role, please see attached job description.

Please be aware that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a suitable number of applications.

Qualifications

• English and Maths GCSE

Experience

• Experience working in a customer/patient focused environment
• Experience managing a team

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.

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

£39,959 a yearPer Annum (Pro Rata for Part Time)