Care Navigator in Retford

We are looking for a dedicated and professional Care Navigator to join our friendly team at Crown House Surgery. This is a new, full time permanent position. The Care Navigator plays a vital role in ensuring each patient accesses the right care, saving time and appointments by identifying patients' needs and directing them to the right service or person. You will work as part of a strong and supportive team within the surgery having direct patient contact both on reception and the telephone, assisting with administrative tasks, prescriptions, referrals, and follow-ups, contributing to a smooth and responsive patient journey. Strong communication skills, empathy, discretion, and an ability to work under pressure are essential for this busy role. Other employment benefits include NHS Pension, 6 weeks annual leave, free parking and uniform provided. Working hours are 37 per week on a rota to be confirmed. Shifts will fall within our opening hours and will include early starts from 7:15am and late finishes up to 6:45pm. Flexibility will be required to cover periods of sickness and annual leave.

Main duties of the job:

• Provide clear concise information to patients and understand the importance of discretion and confidentiality.
• Good communication skills and a calm manner. Be able to put patients rapidly at their ease and give them the space and time to explain their needs.
• After appropriate training employ a variety of questioning techniques in order to develop a full picture of the nature of the patients' problem.
• Identify potentially serious problems and bring those to the immediate attention of the correct clinician.
• For less serious problems negotiate with the patient and identify an appropriate professional to see them.
• Build strong relationships with all direct team members, clinicians and recognised healthcare professionals in the practice as a scarce resource to be used appropriately.
• Develop and maintain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the services provided in the practice and in the wider health community, be able to use this knowledge to guide the patient to the service which is most likely to meet their needs, whether inside or outside the practice.

This is a varied role that may develop over time in response to service needs. The post holder will be expected to undertake other reasonable duties within the scope of the role.

About us: Crown House Surgery has a practice population of approximately 11600 patients. We are located in the town of Retford, Nottinghamshire and are committed to delivering high quality patient care with a focus on continuity.

Job responsibilities:

• Answering the telephone, dealing with patient enquiries, booking appointments, undertaking tasks for our clinical teams, signposting patients to internal and external services and generally providing a high standard of patient liaison.
• The post holder will be able to demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills, be able to organise and prioritise a busy workload and work to tight deadlines whilst maintaining confidentiality and demonstrating tact and diplomacy.
• Attention to detail is of paramount importance as there will be a high level of contact with patients and their individual data. Some data will be of a highly sensitive nature.
• The post holder will need to be able to work within and understand the importance of policies and procedures around patient information, data sharing, information governance and confidentiality.

Please be aware that this job is demanding. You will be dealing with patients who are ill and potentially stressed. You will be their first port of call. Empathy and understanding with a willingness to help provide a solution following Practice Protocols is the key to this very important role.

Responsible to: Operations Manager

MAIN DUTIES:

• Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way.
• Provide general assistance to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone.
• Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the practice.
• Deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments.
• Using your own judgment and communication skills ensure that patients with no prior appointment, but who need urgent consultation are seen in a calm logical and non-disruptive manner.
• Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed.
• Receive and make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
• Enter requests for home visits onto the appointment system, ensuring careful recording of all relevant details and refer to usual or Duty Doctor as per practice procedure.
• Action repeat prescription requests and ensure that they are ready within 48 hours.
• Be able to cover all reception positions as necessary.
• Advise patients of relevant charges for private services, (non General Medical Services), accept payment and issue receipts for same.
• Enter accurate patient information on to the computer system as required.
• Monitor, action and respond to emails received via the generic NHSmail account.
• Update patient demographics i.e. addresses, contact information and liaise with patients where discrepancies are found through PDS updates or informed by relevant persons.
• Clinical safety netting of pathology results where a clinician has indicated an action needs to be taken i.e. repeat test or book an appointment.
• Book patients for coils and implants, minor surgery.
• Open up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm and make all necessary preparations to receive patients.
• When last to leave at the end of the day, ensure that the practice is totally secured.
• Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by management or partners.

This list is not exhaustive and will also include, from time-to-time, reasonable management requests which are not included in the above.

MINIMUM PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS & COMPETENCIES:

Confidentiality:

While seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately. In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential. Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Health & Safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines.
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills.
• Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised.
• Keeping own work areas and general/patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holder’s role.
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually).
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Infection Control:

All staff are responsible for protecting themselves and others against infection risks. All staff regardless of whether clinical or not are expected to comply with current infection control policies and procedures and to report any problems with regard to this to the manager. All staff undertaking patient care activities must attend infection control training and updates as required by this organisation.

Equality and Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.
• Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance.
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs.
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Communication:

The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members.
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance.
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work.
• Participate in audit where appropriate.

Person Specification:

Experience:

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Experience working in a customer service role.
• Experience of good patient/customer care.
• Experience using Microsoft Office skills, Outlook, Word and Excel.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Effective time management (planning and organising).
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure.
• Polite and confident.
• Flexible and cooperative.
• Motivated.
• Problem-solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required.
• High levels of integrity and loyalty.
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations.
• Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations.
• Able to communicate effectively and understand the needs of the patient.
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team.
• Experience of working in a primary care environment.
• Experience of working in a healthcare setting.
• Experience of Clinical knowledge and terminology.

Qualifications:

• Ideally Educated to A Level or equivalent GCSE Mathematics & English (Grade A to C).
• Active signposting or Care Navigator training qualification.

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.