Patient Administrator - Supportive and Palliative Care

University Hospital Southampton NHS FT; Southampton; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospital Southampton NHS FT is seeking a proactive Patient Administrator for the Supportive and Palliative Care team. The role focuses on efficient administrative support along the patient pathway, maintaining records, coordinating appointments and liaising with clinical staff to ensure timely patient journeys.

The post promotes flexible working considerations, with a strong emphasis on accurate documentation, confidentiality, and professional patient interaction within a leading NHS

Qualifications

• Good standard of secondary education with literacy and numeracy skills demonstrable to GCSE pass level or equivalent.
• Level 3 qualification in administration/customer service or equivalent experience; customer-focused environment.
• Experience as an administrator or secretary and ability to use judgement to resolve non-routine enquiries.

Responsibilities

• Implement administrative processes along the patient pathway to ensure timely care.
• Utilise computerised systems to locate notes and update patient information.
• Support Private Patient Coordinators to ensure a seamless patient journey.
• Monitor referral requests and log outcomes in the information system.
• Provide administrative service for regional clinics.
• Receive enquiries professionally and maintain accurate records.
• Process incoming correspondence and maintain filing systems.
• Take minutes at meetings and distribute accordingly.
• Maintain stationery and arrange inpatient appointments as needed.
• Manage waiting lists and communicate appointment changes effectively.
• Provide cover for other Patient Administrators to ensure consistent service.

Skills

Customer service

Administrative duties

Communication skills

Decision making

Education

GCSE or equivalent

Level 3 administration/customer service

Job description

Job Overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (please change where appropriate e.g. Health Innovation Wessex (HIW) etc) is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Job Title: Patient Administrator - Supportive and Palliative Care

Contract Type: Permanent

Under current Home Office rules, this role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship.

Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications

Main duties of the job

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team in the supportive and palliative care admin team, we are looking for a highly motivated an proactive individual to fulfil the role of Patient Administrator.

The role of the Admin Team is to provide administrative support to the clinician in the team.

Working for our organisation

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.

We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 30% lower than London and 17 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• The successful candidate will be responsible for implementing all administrative processes along the patient pathway to ensure the patient’s journey is managed efficiently and in accordance with targets and agreed timescales.
• Utilise computerised systems to locate case note and investigation results and to ensure patient information is maintained and updated.
• Liaising with Private Patient Coordinators where appropriate you will ensure a seamless patient journey.
• Monitor and process referral requests and ensure referral grading outcomes are logged on the appropriate patient information system escalating issues as required.
• Provide patient administration service for regional clinics.
• Courteously and efficiently receive all enquiries ensuring that accurate records are maintained, and the appropriate action is taken in a timely manner.
• Receive and process all incoming correspondence ensuring it reaches the appropriate place within the required deadlines.
• Responsible for maintaining an up to date filing system ensuring the accuracy of patient case notes.
• Take formal minutes or notes at meetings and distribute appropriately.
• Order and maintain stationary / materials in accordance with Trust policy.
• Arrange inpatient appointments, confirming, cancelling, and changing appointments as necessary for both pre-assessment and admission.
• Create, maintain, and make additions to waiting lists.
• Ensure patients are communicated with effectively in relation to their appointments/admissions and that appointments are in line with the Trusts access policy, highlighting issues and taking corrective action where necessary.
• Process requests for clinic/ admission changes, cancellations and creations and monitor attendance at appointments rearranging further appointments as required.
• Provide administrative support for a number of consultants within the clinical speciality area or for the management team, including maintenance of diaries, appointments, co-ordination of leave, co-ordination of expense forms, correspondence derived from any educational / supervisory or research activity.
• Required to provide cover for other Patient Administrators to ensure a consistent and effective administration service is always maintained

Person specification

Qualifications, Knowledge And Experience

• Good standard of secondary education with literacy and numeracy skills demonstrable to GCSE pass level or equivalent standard.
• Either- Level 3 qualification in administration/ customer service or equivalent experience Or- Vocational Level 2 qualification in administration/customer service or an equivalent level of experience. And Experience as an administrator or secretary in an organisation with a customer focused environment And Able to use judgement to make decisions in order to solve problems/enquiries some of which are non-routine and not straight forward
• Knowledge and experience of secretarial or administrative procedures
• Experience as an administrator or secretary in an organisation with a customer focused environment

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Courses / further study attended to demonstrate evidence of personal development.
• Vocational Level 3 qualification in administration/word processing/typing or an equivalent level of experience
• Diploma level qualification or an equivalent level of experience
• Experience as a medical or patient services secretary linked to a clinical service or customer focused environment
• Proficient in the use of all hospital computerised patient systems.
• Experience in understanding and analysing patient pathways.
• Knowledge of both local and national targets relating to RTT and cancer pathways

Trust Values

Essential criteria

• Patient First
• Working Together
• Always Improving