County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Patient Support Officer
The closing date is 30 October 2026
We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated Patient Support Officer to join our friendly team in this Administrative and Clerical role. The Principal hospitals within County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust are Darlington Memorial Hospital, University Hospital of North Durham, Bishop Auckland Hospital and Shotley Bridge Hospital. The Cardiology and Respiratory Investigation Units comprise a Team of approximately 50 staff who provide a broad range of invasive and non invasive procedures. The successful candidate will coordinate and maintain high quality appointment systems for Cardiology and Respiratory diagnostic services in Darlington Memorial and Bishop Auckland Hospitals in this patient facing role. The nominal base for this post is Darlington Memorial Hospital, however the successful candidate can expect to work across other sites at times for their development and the service needs. We are committed to providing learning and development opportunities to all our staff.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will work as part of a team in a busy Cardio-Respiratory Department. They will be responsible for coordinating and maintaining high quality appointment systems for Cardiology and Respiratory Diagnostic Services, ensuring best utilisation of resources available. Experience of hospital-based patient management systems will be desirable. They will be expected to take a leading role within a small administrative team, to ensure clinical services operate in a smooth and efficient manner.
About us
We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.
You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.
Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.
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Job responsibilities
The successful candidate will work as part of a team in a busy Cardio-Respiratory Department. They will be responsible for coordinating and maintaining high quality appointment systems for Cardiology and Respiratory Diagnostic Services, ensuring best utilisation of resources available. Experience of hospital-based patient management systems will be desirable. They will be expected to take a leading role in a small administrative team, to ensure clinical services operate in a smooth and efficient manner.
Special Skills & Knowledge
- Organizational skills
- Ability to prioritise workload in order to meet deadlines
- Good communication skills written and verbal, with the ability to obtain information and pass on comprehensive and confidential messages
- Ability to communicate accurately in a courteous and effective manner with a wide range of staff, professionals and members of the public
- Able to provide day to day supervision of section
- Knowledge of computer packages e.g. Word, Excel, Outlook
- Ability to analyse data and present data using Excel packages
- Knowledge of Data Protection and Caldicott principles and an understanding of the need to maintain patient confidentiality
- Ability to accurately transfer data from one source to another
- Ability to use discretion and use own initiative to resolve routine queries in line with departmental procedures
- Flexible approach to work and adaptable to change.
- Knowledge of medical terminology
- Supervisory experience
- Ability to train other staff of all levels
- Knowledge of PRISM and EPR
- Knowledge of Diagnostic waiting times and activity requirements.
Special Requirements
- Approachable and friendly
- Ability to travel to other sites as service requires
- Present a professional image at all times
Experience
- Experience of an administrative role providing a service in a challenging and constantly changing environment.
- Experience of providing administrative support to a team.
- Experience of working in an NHS environment
- Experience of audit and quality assurance programmes
Qualifications
- Good standard of education - minimum of 3 GCSE's at Grade C or above (or equivalent) including English Language
- NVQ level 3 in Business Administration or equivalent knowledge and experience.
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.
Employer name
County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
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Patient Support Officer employer: Cddft
At County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and dynamic work environment for our Specialty Doctors in Emergency Medicine. Our commitment to professional development is evident through flexible working hours, opportunities for research funding, and a culture that encourages continuous learning and collaboration within a dedicated team. Join us in making a meaningful impact in the community while advancing your career in a vibrant healthcare setting.
