Senior Clinical Coder in Dartford

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the right to work in the UK independently, with a visa or immigration status that allows them to fulfil the full duration and type of contract offered. The Trust is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Are you an experienced Clinical Coder either working towards or having achieved the National Clinical Coding Qualification? Following investment in the team, we are seeking experienced Clinical Coders to join our growing department. Do you have a strong desire to develop your career within a supportive and friendly environment with a team working toward team excellence and where each individual's efforts are recognised? Dartford and Gravesham Clinical Coding Service would love to hear from you!

As a department we can offer coders a comprehensive training and development structure through strong leadership, training and audit programme, and CPD for coders and ACC coders, developing existing skills and learning new ones. A Recruitment and Retention Premium is offered to Accredited Clinical Coders. The department offers a flexible approach to varied working patterns to suit individual personal commitments and believes fully in a healthy work/life balance. We have a hybrid working pattern with remote and some onsite working expected. We are located in an easily accessible location that is well served by road and rail links from Kent and London.

Main duties of the job:

• The post holder will be required to abstract, analyse and accurately code clinical information from patient records (paper and electronic) across all specialities using ICD-10 and OPCS-4 Classifications in accordance with National Standards and the Trust's Policy and Procedures guidelines.
• The role requires the successful candidate to produce consistent, accurate, complete and timely coded clinical data, for use by the Trust's Finance Department among others and to meet increasingly demanding deadlines whilst maintaining accurate coding at all times.
• Our source documentation for coding is a mix of electronic and some paper documents, with an emphasis on moving towards a fully electronic patient record.

Applicants are required to:

• Possess the National Clinical Coding Qualification (NCCQ) UK or be working towards it
• Have experience of using ICD-10 and OPCS-4 classifications (current version) in an acute hospital setting
• Have extensive knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology
• Be experienced in clinical coding for a wide range of specialties
• Be proactive, flexible and supportive towards an electronic way of working as the Trust develops its electronic patient record
• Have a strong team working ethos

We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer. We strive to employ people who reflect the communities we serve, and aim to create an inclusive culture where everyone can reach their full potential. Whatever your race, ethnicity, belief, generation, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, disability or experience, you'll appreciate the opportunities we give you to work in an inclusive atmosphere. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to build on the progress we've achieved to make our Trust diverse and the best place to work.

If you are considering applying for a role, please be aware that as an NHS Employee you may have contact with vulnerable service users. We strongly encourage that all our staff are vaccinated against COVID-19 and are vaccinated annually against Flu, in order to protect the health and safety of our staff and patients. Your commitment will help us to put the safety and care of our patients first, as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues.

Job responsibilities:

• To ensure accurate extraction of complex clinical details relating to diagnoses and operative procedures for each consultant episode from patient medical records
• To engage and support the internal continuous audit process ensuring that a personal IG level 2 audit result is achieved and maintained
• To assist in the daily supervision of trainee and less experienced clinical coding staff providing mentorship and cultivating a supportive learning environment
• To interpret histology and radiology reports to ensure accuracy of the coding process
• To undertake the coding of extracted information ensuring adherence to National Standards and local policies
• To accurately enter the clinical codes onto the Trust information system PAS/Medicode
• To identify insufficient/incorrect clinical data in source documentation and using own initiative to raise the query for resolution with other relevant departments
• To share and assist other colleagues with personal coding experience and promote a learning environment at workplace
• To organise daily workload efficiently so that personal coding targets are met, including allocated Consultant backlog list, supporting the coding team in achieving high standards of coding completeness and accuracy at agreed timescales
• To take responsibility for self-development on a continuous basis by studying for the Auditor and/or Trainer qualification, if required by the Trust.
• To participate in ongoing coding training and testing to meet National Standards and Trust requirements. This may require travelling to other organisations outside core working hours
• To liaise with Clinicians and their support staff concerning interpretation of case note documentation affecting coding
• To investigate and correct coded clinical data rejected or queried by recipient information systems
• To communicate complex coding rules to clinical coding staff, medical, clinical and administrative staff and external agencies.
• Implement agreed local policy directives and assist in the development of local coding policies which impact on the various service areas
• Undertake/Participate in complex audits
• To work across all specialities

Person Specification:

• Education and Training
• Essential: Accredited Clinical Coder qualification, Coding Standards Course, Recent Refresher workshop, Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Desirable: Accredited Clinical Coding Auditor/Trainer qualification

• Knowledge
• Essential: Knowledge of medical terminology, anatomical and physiological terms: acquired through work-based training. Good knowledge and use of information / informatics systems used within the NHS. Knowledge of computer use, coding procedures & conventions

• Experience
• Essential: Recent Clinical coding experience in an Acute NHS Trust
• Desirable: Use of Patient Centre PAS, Use of supportive systems such as Telepath, Supervisory/leading team experience

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: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust

Address: Darent Valley Hospital, Darenth Wood Road, Dartford, DA2 8DA, United Kingdom