Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder has responsibility to undertake the full range of duties commensurate with the role (booking/ reception / patient reminder/ general) and shall as necessary be flexible in providing cover for absent colleagues in order to maintain service provision.

The post holder shall follow all the policies and procedures of the organisation.

Booking of appointments

Liaise with secretaries and admin departments regarding booking of appointments, referral letters etc.

Using the PAS system, in chronological order, invite patients and book appointments as appropriate.

Manage appointment slot issues in line with local/national standard operating procedures; refer to line manager any issues which jeopardise 18 week pathway.

To process and prioritise the scheduling of outpatient appointments due to clinical urgency and length of wait and in accordance with departmental procedures, protocols and Trust Policies.

Receive and process telephone calls from relatives/carers of patients informing the Trust of the patient’s death and amend PAS accordingly. This may require sensitive handling.

Telephone patients to negotiate convenient outpatient appointments or receive calls from patients/relevant others (e.g. Other Hospitals) regarding booking, changing or cancelling their appointments. This involves identifying the correct appointment, clinic, session and doctor code to which the caller is referring and rescheduling or cancelling the appointment as appropriate.

Inform the appropriate Consultant/ Directorate/secretarial staff of patients who have cancelled their appointment inappropriately e.g. urgent appointments.

Receive and process telephone calls from patients to update and amend their demographic details and make the necessary changes on the PAS system.

Contact GP Practices/other Hospitals for validation of patient demographic details and to obtain information if required e.g. copy letters, NHS Number etc.

In accordance with Trust procedures, open suspended clinics, add on patients and re-suspend clinic ensuring appropriate comments are recorded on PAS.

On the instruction and authorisation of the Consultant/Clinician, overbook clinics ensuring authority to do so is recorded on PAS.
Working with guidance from clinical staff/secretaries, pro-actively fill cancelled appointment slots with patients to minimise the impact of non-attenders.

Offer patients a mutually convenient date and time for outpatient appointments on either a full or partial booking basis in accordance with local standard operating procedures.

Remind patients of their appointments via letter, text, voicemail, email or telephone call to reconfirm attendance in line with departmental protocols.

Produce and manage daily reports in line with patient reminder systems to ensure patient information is kept updated.

Contact patients as requested in order to cancel/reschedule their appointments.

Inform line manager of any system or appointment slot issues.
Reception of patients

Undertake reception duties in a professional, pleasant, tactful and understanding manner. Greet patients upon arrival, check demographic information is up to date on PAS and arrive patient on system.

On instruction from clinical staff distribute tea/coffee vouchers where appropriate.

Update information on patient display screen within reception area.
Assist patients and visitors with any problems that may arise during their visit.

Act as the first point of contact for all enquiries presenting in the reception area.

Exercise judgement when problems arise by taking appropriate action to resolve the problem or refer on to the appropriate person.

Attempt to diffuse difficult situations with angry or distressed patients/visitors and when unable to do so contact the appropriate manager or clinical staff for support.

Arrange and book interpreters for patients attending clinics as required.

Advise patients/visitors of any identified delays that occur and explain to individuals why other patients may have to be seen sooner.

During the clinic session, liaise with all clinical staff to ensure the smooth running of the clinic.

Process daily clinic activities as per procedures including; printing the clinic booking summary, the booking of appointments, completion of appointment cards, recording patient in register (diabetes and LMC only),production of appointment letters, discharging patients, recording arrival/departure times, recording ethnicity/transgender information, liaising with clinical/directorate staff regarding next available appointment and entering relevant data regarding patient appointment into PAS system.

Provide advice/guidance in relation to Friends & Family testing /
Consent for Consent.

Complete clinic outcome forms in a timely manner preferably during clinic session.

Direct patients to other areas/departments within the Trust using experiential knowledge.

Issue travel expenses claim forms to patients upon request, ensuring details entered upon the form align with the information recorded on the PAS system. In the event of a discrepancy, refer to General Office.

Prepare scanning folders for outpatient clinics following trust procedures and protocols.

Receive patient identifiable information via fax/email.

Print ID sheets/labels as necessary.