Talking Therapies Patient Administrator in Dorking

Hours per week: Full-time / Part-time considered (22.5 hours minimum). An exciting opportunity to be a part of our forward-thinking community-based NHS provider. We are looking for motivated individuals who are looking for a more involved and interesting role than your standard administration job. You will be responsible for patient administration for our team of therapists. This is an important and rewarding role as the admin team is the first point of contact for people seeking help with their emotional health and you can make a real difference in the delivery of our treatment and waiting times. You would be required to liaise with patients, GPs, therapists, and external agencies and will join a well-established team with a genuine care for their staff and clients. The post would suit someone looking to make a difference in an administrative career or perhaps looking for experience to progress their career into therapy. DHC Talking Therapies is a fast moving, dynamic, yet caring environment in which to work. If you are looking for a challenge that is both rewarding and offers the potential for development, then we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

As a successful applicant should possess excellent communication skills and proven organizational skills. It is essential that you possess good administration & IT skills. Previous experience in a health or care environment would be ideal but not necessarily required, however you will be hard-working and committed with a genuine interest in helping people.

About us

DHC Talking Therapies is a patient focused and pro-active community-based NHS provider with strong links to both GPs and our colleagues in DHC's physical health services. We have an excellent reputation for a quality and well-run service with great recovery rates as well as great Clinical supervision and CPD. We have a strong commitment to delivering high quality community-oriented services, and to working in partnership with service users, carers, health and social care agencies and voluntary agencies. You will be part of a supportive and experienced team, covering a range of modalities, who value staff wellbeing and development.

27 to 33 days Annual Leave plus bank holidays (dependent on NHS related experience). Opportunity to buy or sell annual leave days. We provide opportunities for training and career development. Membership of the NHS pension scheme.

Job responsibilities

Provide administrative support to the Talking Therapies team and being a key role in supporting the therapy team. Using own initiative, managing, prioritising, planning and organising own time, using extensive knowledge, skills and experience. Accurately co-ordinating information to expedite the continuing care of the patients. Responsible for the continuance of the service in the office, maintaining the highest standards of data quality to the mutual benefit of the patients and DHC. It is essential that the post holder exercises initiative and independent judgement whilst always maintaining a high level of confidentiality and diplomacy. In addition, the post holder is co-responsible for managing, maintaining and administering various data sources, which may include waiting lists, caseloads, or clinical reporting. Responsible for ensuring accurate data is recorded for national target requirements. This is primarily a client-focused, non-face-to-face role. You will be part of a team responsible for processing and screening online and telephone referrals into the service, as well as managing day-to-day queries and the client waitlist. Your work will have a real and positive impact on the care and experience our clients receive.

Role of department

The post holder is expected to work accurately under pressure with the ability to manage and prioritise their own workload and that of the department; providing and receiving information which may require tact, diplomacy and persuasive skills as there may be barriers to understanding either due to a cultural difference or knowledge of the process. The primary purpose of this post is to actively manage the administrative processes of the IAPT service to ensure all the relevant documentation is in place, ensuring a smooth and efficient service for patients throughout their treatment by DHC.

Key working relationships

• Therapists and other medical staff
• Administration staff
• Patients & Relatives
• Local authorities

Please Note: This list is not exhaustive as the Post Holder is required to communicate with a wide range of external internal departments and agencies at all levels.

Duties and responsibilities of the post

Organisation

• Organise the Talking Therapies therapists diaries efficiently in a complex, changing environment.
• Manage multiple tasks, a number of which are non-routine, ensuring that timeframes are met.
• Prioritise and organise own workload; making decisions and initiating action where necessary, ensuring the smooth running of the office team through shared knowledge and cover.
• Maintain a regular forward look of therapists diaries, ensuring all referral details are present and correct.
• Using the in-house electronic patient notes systems ensure that all notes are appropriately up to date.
• Scanning documents to update patients records when required.
• Administrative support for the Service Manager.
• Develop office practices to continually improve departmental service delivery in line with best practice to enable all local and national targets to be met.

Communication

• Using MS Office applications provide an accurate, high quality and complete administrative service including word processing, filing, photocopying, and ensuring all data is added to the patient record either internally or by GP practices with a shared record.
• Dealing with all telephone enquiries from Talking Therapies patients in a sensitive, professional and timely manner.
• Respond appropriately to contentious, sensitive and difficult enquiries to ensure a satisfactory conclusion.
• Communicate appropriately with a range of people at different levels of the organisation and with patients on a daily basis.
• Promote the dissemination of quality patient information.
• To attend regular meetings within DHC and the Talking Therapies team, etc. where necessary to maintain and keep up to date with working procedures.
• Proactively identify emerging issues that may cause delays in the treatment of patients, informing the Service Manager when urgent action is required.

Information

• Keep up to date with technological developments with regard to developing appropriate skills in the use of current office technology following appropriate consultation and training e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, databases, electronic mail, presentations etc.
• Manage and maintain comprehensive office systems including bring forward systems (e.g. reminders) and prompt access to information.
• Manage and maintain electronic systems (e.g. Spreadsheet), clinical reporting, containing patient-related information, analysing as required.
• Able to embrace technology to develop the administrative aspect of patient care e.g. electronic patient record.

Work setting and review

To manage own workload efficiently and effectively on a daily basis. Maintain confidentiality at all times. Make decisions pertaining to the smooth and efficient running of the department acting independently but where necessary referring problems to management or the appropriate consultant via the quickest route possible. Be able to work with a degree of autonomy, which comes from experience. Work to objectives as set by the Service Manager.

Individual responsibilities

• Adhere to DHC policies and procedures and relevant legislation including the requirements of any professional bodies attend mandatory training as identified by the DHC.
• Apply and adhere to agreed policies, procedures, protocols including national initiatives and propose changes on improvements to departmental working practices.
• Participate in reflection, self-evaluation and continuous professional development including performance review. Ensure mandatory training is up-to-date at all times.
• Contribute to ongoing projects as required.
• Maintain and encourage safe working practices and environment in accordance with local Health and Safety policies.
• Comply with the requirements of the Caldicott Report, Data Protection Act, Access to Health Records Act and subsequent legislation issued in relation to confidential data.

Special conditions

• Undertake other administrative duties as required, which are commensurate with the nature of the post.
• This job description represents an outline of the responsibilities of the post and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties or tasks. It will change and develop in line with organisational needs and may be amended following agreement with the post-holder.
• Show due diligence in the adherence to and perpetuation of DHC policies and procedures.

Confidentiality

The post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients staff and DHC business in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Caldicott principles.

Infection control

In order to comply with the Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance (2015) it is the responsibility of every member of staff to prevent and control the spread of infection following DHCs infection control policies. These are available on the intranet in the document library under clinical policies and guidelines, infection control.

Health and safety

All Managers have a general accountability for ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of the employees under their direction at work. Each employee is responsible to take reasonable care for his or her own acts or omissions and the effect that these may have upon the safety of themselves or any other person. Every employee must use safety equipment or clothing in a proper manner and for the purpose intended. Any employee who intentionally or recklessly misuses anything supplied in the interests of health and safety will be subject to disciplinary procedures. Every employee must work in accordance with any health and safety procedures, instructions or training that has been given. No employee may undertake any task for which they have not been authorised and for which they are not adequately trained. Every employee is required to bring to the attention of a responsible person any perceived shortcoming in our safety arrangements or any defects in work equipment. All employees are under a duty to familiarise themselves with the Risk Management/Fire, Health & Safety Policies.

Equal opportunities

DHC has adopted an equal opportunities policy and all employees must be aware of their obligations to abide by the spirit and nature of the policy to avoid direct and indirect discrimination.

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Good typing skills.
• Numerate and good standard of English.
• Ability to work with a diverse group of people at all levels.
• High quality standards in all communication.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, and internet/web skills or equivalent.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Commitment to Continuing Professional Development.

Skills and Aptitudes

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• A methodical and organised approach to work.
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet tight deadlines.
• Work without supervision.
• Good time management.
• Ability to prioritise tasks / duties to ensure local/national targets are met.
• Analytical skills.
• Understanding of Talking Therapies Service.

Experience

• Excellent administration and organisational skills.
• Previous NHS experience in an administration role.

Other requirements

• Presentable appearance.
• Good team worker.
• Reliable.
• Flexible; covers for absent colleagues.
• Trustworthy.
• Pro-active and committed.

Qualifications

• Good standard of general education.
• Good knowledge of a range of software programmes.

Personal Circumstances

• Satisfactory health clearance.
• Flexible approach to timekeeping.

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.

£24,666.62 a year.