Job description
Receive referral letters from GPs via the consultants and organise priority of action. To receive and welcome parents, children and visitors to the department Answering telephone enquiries in conjunction with, and under the direction of, nursing staff. Consult General Practitioners if there are discrepancies in referral letters. Register new patients on IPMS (Information Patient Management System), ensuring double registration does not occur.
Maintain out-patient waiting lists. Ensure that all referrals are put onto IPMS following the guidelines set out in the Trusts Waiting List Policy. Ensure Choose and Book patients are correctly appointed on IPMS and send confirmation letters to the patient. Prepare hospital notes and Thin Files for clinics in line with Trust Waiting List and Directorate Policies.
Invite new patients in chronological order for clinical outpatient sessions in conjunction with clinicians booking rules. Book follow-up appointments in chronological order for clinical outpatient sessions in conjunction with clinicians booking rules. Book follow-up appointments that have been requested by wards/medical secretaries in line with the follow-up waiting list procedures. As required, telephone patients with urgent/last minute appointments.
Receive and deal with confidential telephone enquiries from patients. Be able to handle patient complaints. Take appropriate actions when clinic capacity alters, e.g. cancellations, over-bookings etc.
Notify appropriate out-patient staff of changes/cancellations to clinics. Follow procedures for: requesting case notes & organizing contents of case notes, requesting and printing clinic attendance lists. Ensure all case notes and Thin Files arriving into and departing from the department are traced on IPMS. Reception for the out-patient clinics.
Book follow-up appointments when instructed to do so by the consultant or place on follow-up waiting list. To ensure there is adequate stationery and request supplies with relevant admin personnel. To assist the line manager in training other members of staff, as requested and able to cover opposing areas if requested by line manager. As required entering admissions and discharges on IPMS, including in-patients and day cases.
To carry out any other clerical duties as determined by the line manager. Work within the framework of the Trusts Waiting List Policy and AGN (Admin Guidance Notes) notifying the line manager of relevant issues in a timely manner. COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS Receive and deal with confidential and sensitive telephone enquiries from patients. Be able to handle patient complaints.
Liaise with various departments and professionals within the hospital and outside agencies via verbal and written communication. To be a team member within the office and able to multi skill within the various areas. To work closely with other admin and clerical staff within the division. WORKING CONDITIONS Communicating with distressed patients and/or parents/carers of patients, ensuring relevant information is obtained and forwarded to consultant(s)/team and/or secretary in a timely manner.
Able to communicate sympathetically with parents/carers of children with terminal illnesses. Extra care taken in ensuring confidential information is given to legal guardian of patient only. Able to maintain concentration on task during periods of interruption. OTHER Requirement to exert physical effort when dealing with vast quantities of notes and X-rays.
Sitting in a restricted position for long periods of time and working in cramped conditions. Exceptionally busy workload