The post holder will work as a member of the Administration Hub, providing an efficient, effective and comprehensive reception, telephone and appointment booking service, using EMIS, for the patients, the public, all other departments and stakeholders to ensure the smooth running of the service for colleagues, patients and service users alike. Assist with the day‑to‑day smooth running of the department, liaising with clinical staff as necessary. Being first point of contact for service users for all queries and acting in a professional manner at all times. The duties will include administrative, clerical and secretarial support for clinical teams. The post holder, whilst working as a team member, will be expected to work autonomously using own initiative in the absence of the Team Leader and on occasions may be required to work alone.
Main duties of the job
- To provide a professional, efficient and comprehensive administrative, clerical and secretarial and support clinical services for patients, the general public, health care professionals and other staff
- To receive and prioritise all incoming mail (including email), ensuring queries are dealt with efficiently, and where appropriate, initiating action and draft responses to maintain service levels and meet deadlines in the absence of the Team Leader. As this will on occasions involve issues of a sensitive or contentious nature, confidentiality is paramount.
- To deal with all aspects of incoming and outgoing and external and internal mail. Including sorting and accurately re‑directing and forwarding to the correct department. To ensure outgoing mail is stamped or franked depending on priority and liaising with the Building Centre staff if required. Also to carry external post to the Post Office when required
- To provide an efficient and effective message taking service in response to all enquiries from patients, visitors and staff and redirecting accordingly.
- To electronically schedule, arrange and book patient appointments for patients requiring care, using EMIS either over the telephone, by post or face to face at reception, in a sensitive, competent and confidential manner, and ensuring that patient clinical records are available for the relevant health professionals when required.
Working for our organisation
When you walk through the door, one of the first things you’ll notice is that this Trust is full of talented people. Not just in the fields of medicine, nursing or diagnostics but in every part of the organisation. We are professional and passionate people who are all working together in an open and supportive culture. We are committed to offering you a rewarding career and ensuring you feel a part of a flexible workforce that constantly seeks fresh ways of delivering the best care for our patients. We don’t just look at you for who you are now; we look at you for who you could be in the future. We take training seriously, and encourage you to do the same. As a Trust we want to recruit, develop and retain skilled and motivated people to maintain a high performance culture.
- To provide general advice by issuing appropriate Service information leaflets, re-stock and order supplies as necessary.
- To communicate with multi‑disciplinary colleagues at all levels and with outside agencies for example health departments, social care, contractors. This involves verbal, written and electronic communication.
- To use telephone, e‑mail and letters to communicate with staff, Team Leader and other key stakeholders with the Trust and outside organisations.
- To communicate complex information, e.g. explanation of referral criteria, emergency clinic access.
- To provide a communication link between the Team Leader, Management and staff within ELHT, GP’s, Local Authority staff and other admin staff.
- To communicate with emergency services staff, delivery men and contractors.
- Liaise with internal or external agencies and stake holders on a daily basis, on a wide range of issues such as ambulance transport.
- To communicate with building management, caretakers and other officers. Attend Building User group meetings.
- To arrange when necessary, access to an interpreter/translator for patients who require communication assistance.
- To attend and participate in staff meetings taking minutes as requested ensuring information is shared within the team.
Additional responsibilities and skills
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.
- To communicate with the general public where there may be barriers of understanding e.g. hard of hearing, the elderly, and people with learning difficulties or people whose first language is not English. Tact and persuasive skills may be required when arranging, cancelling or rearranging appointments with the patient.
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
- To demonstrate, communicate and use tact and diplomacy in order to diffuse situations where people are upset or angry.
- To have the ability to diffuse confrontational/ conflict/ stressful situations and adhere to the Trust Complaints policy.
- Able to engender trust and use good customer service communication skills in your interactions with the public, professionals and other agencies.
- English GCSE Grade A-C
- Maths GCSE grade A-C
- ECDL or equivalent IT experience, Good communication skills
- Ability to prioritise
- Advanced computing skills (e.g. MS office, outlook)
- Use of email systems, Experience in providing secretarial/clerical/reception support
- Experience of dealing with general public
Desirable criteria
- EMIS knowledge
- Experience of working in NHS
Employer information
At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.
The Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to improving the working lives of our staff and operates a “Zero Tolerance” policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. In addition, our aim is to help protect children and vulnerable adults by providing a first‑class service to the recruitment of people into positions of trust. We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background. We especially welcome applications from members of our black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, as we have identified that ELHT has an under‑representation of BAME employees. Appointments will be made on merit.
Application details
- It is important you are made aware of the following as regards your application to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust: Please note that the salary advertised is for full time hours. If this post is less than 37.5 hours per week, the salary will be pro‑ra. For posts on Agenda for Change pay‑scales, new entrants to the NHS will normally commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.
- This vacancy may close before the closing date if the recruiting manager deems sufficient applications have been received. Therefore it is advised to complete your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
- Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.
- Please note that shortlisting is completed anonymously with candidates being assessed against the essential criteria for the post. Therefore only applicants, who can clearly demonstrate how they meet our person specification criteria in their application, will be short‑listed.
Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS)
If the role you are applying for is identified as either controlled or regulated activity as defined in in the Safeguarding vulnerable Groups Act (2006) any offer of employment is provisional upon a satisfactory DBS check being obtained. The healthcare sector is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. In line with other NHS organisations in the North West Region, the Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Candidates can choose whether to pay this over 1‑3 months as a deduction from the monthly salary. However, if you are applying for a post as a BANK worker, the payment must be made in full at the time of employment checks. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed. The cost for an Enhanced DBS, is £45.90 and for a Basic & Standard, this is £24.90 this cost includes a £4.90 admin fee.
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