Waiting List Administrative Assistant

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Bedford; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an administrative post to assist the Waiting List Coordinator with day-to-day management of inpatient waiting lists and theatre lists. You will interact with patients and staff, input data promptly, and coordinate across Trust systems to maintain accurate lists.

The role requires strong communication, keyboard skills, and the ability to work independently within the Waiting List team. Travel between sites may be required.

Qualifications

• Strong verbal and written communication skills for contact with patients and staff.
• Accurate data input and attention to detail in busy hospital administration.
• Ability to manage high volume phone calls and emails professionally.

Responsibilities

• Assist Waiting List Coordinator with daily tasks and list maintenance.
• Use ICE to review ETCI requests and create waiting list entries in PAS.
• Enter procedure codes and essential comments for patient management.
• Maintain accurate theatre and waiting lists across trackers and lists.
• Inform patients of admission dates and fasting instructions as required.
• Coordinate with staff and departments to optimise scheduling and cancellations.

Skills

Communication skills

Data entry

Telephone handling

Tools

ICE system

Trust PAS system

ATOM times

Job description

The postholder is responsible for assisting the Waiting List coordinator in the day-to-day coordination of inpatient waiting lists and theatre lists using multiple system applications, managing emails and phones calls in a timely manner. This requires the postholder to be the main point of contact for patients and staff at all levels. The postholder will be required to work independently as well as within the Waiting List team. Effective communication and good keyboard skills are essential for this post

Using Trust Systems on a daily basis, the postholder will be required to interpret and input data promptly and accurately, Additional duties will include telephone contact with patients, their relatives, and a broad range of staff across both the organisation, and our partner providers,

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarise yourself with all requirements of the job

The postholder will assist the Waiting List coordinator with the following responsibilities:

1. Using the ICE system on a daily basis to review ETCI requests to create accurate waiting list entries on the Trust PAS system. Including Surgeon, Speciality, Priority, List name, admission type, anaesthetic type, who can operate, Inpatient or Daycase, admitting ward, surgical procedure required. Using the surgical procedure name to look against the ATOM times to form the operation time allocated.
2. Entering the waiting list coding of the procedure into the Trust PAS system and essential comments into the waiting list for the management of the patient for example if they are suitable for weekend operating, a combined operating list, available at short notice.
3. To ensure that essential information is entered onto the operating list comments so all theatre staff are informed of required data for example wheelchair bound hoist required, latex allergies, diabetic, MRSA.
4. Assist waiting List Coordinator to act upon the confirmed theatre timetables to compile and maintain accurate and appropriate theatre lists in a timely manner using the Patient Tracking List and Waiting list to date patients giving reasonable notice which take into account factors including case mix, theatres equipment, Imaging availability, theatre time, clinical need, list order of operating list etc.
5. Ensure that patients on the elective waiting list are offered admission dates taking into account clinical priority and length of wait in accordance with the Trust's Patient Access policy actively working towards meeting the waiting list targets.
6. To ensure that all patients are informed of correct fasting instructions for their surgery in accordance with their anaesthetic type, admission time and theatre list order and that all correspondence to patients are printed from the Trust PAS system and posted on a daily basis.
7. To notify and/or negotiate with patients either directly or by telephone regarding their admission date for surgery (or other procedure) and process the necessary documentation.
8. Take the appropriate action following both patient and hospital cancellations, such that the utilisation of elective capacity is maximised.
9. Book Interpreters if required for pre-operative health checks and surgical admission dates when notified.
10. This role requires a high level of concentration to be maintained, precise, analytical, accurate detailed work and regular emotional effort when initiating and responding to patients on the telephone.
11. To develop good working relationships with the consultants, service managers and their clinical teams and medical secretaries, regularly liaise with them concerning management of their waiting lists and theatre lists.
12. To develop good working relationships with other key areas within the hospital such as Outpatients, Wards, and Theatres to ensure effective communication is maintained at all times. Referring concerns or difficult issues to the Team Leader.
13. To manage telephone calls and voicemail messages in a timely manner to ensure that operations dates or pre- op appointments are re-arranged or cancelled whilst replacing any cancellations.
14. To deal with any routine patient, GP or other staff member's enquiries in the best manner possible even if unrelated to inpatient waiting lists.
15. To maintain an accurate and up-to-date audit trail for all patients both on the computerised waiting list and by retaining manual records in an organised manner.
16. To assist in making distressing phone calls to patients informing them of the cancellation of surgery at the last minute due to reasons outside of the Trust control for example equipment failure or winter bed pressures. To remain calm and professional at all times acting with empathy and sensitivity to the patients needs.

T provide cross cover for the waiting list office during times of leave to maintain the service needs and assist in the training of new staf