Main area Patient Advice and Liaison Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Weekend shifts and Bank Holidays) Job ref 213-CORP-7740187
Employer Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Town London Salary £30,546 - £32,207 per annum, including high cost allowance Salary period Yearly Closing 04/02/2026 23:59
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1.8 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across 5 main sites in South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King’s College Hospital (KCH) sites at Denmark Hill in Camberwell and at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) site in the London Borough of Bromley.
We encourage all our staff to have a healthy work/life balance. In doing so, you can apply for flexible working from the beginning of your employment. We offer a range of options which are designed to suit different circumstances and priorities in line with service requirements.
As a Help Desk Advisor (Receptionist) you will provide a welcoming and comprehensive reception service to King’s College Hospital. The post holder will need to demonstrate exemplary customer service to patients and visitors and strong administrative skills. The post holder will be expected to work flexibly within a team to ensure that all duties are covered which includes a weekend shift pattern (daytime). This is NOT an ICT Help Desk position.
As a member of the team, the post holder will be responsible for answering and directing phone calls, responding to patient/visitor requests, providing admin support to book interpreters, responding to requests and supporting new applications for Subject Access.
A high level of professionalism is essential and a courteous and polite approach is always expected.
Main duties of the job
To welcome patients and visitors to King’s College Hospital and to provide them with assistance in an efficient, amiable and confident manner. This may include giving helpful directions to wards, clinics or departments and signposting to relevant services where required. To use initiative in resolving problems for patients or visitors
To book porters with wheelchairs for patients on request, using EPIC to retrieve information pertaining to patient locations, admissions, discharges, scans and appointments always adhering to the Data Protection Act and patient confidentiality. To liaise with appropriate services to obtain additional information and support out of hours, such as Accident and Emergency Department, Medical Records or Clinical Site Manager.
To defuse situations where hostile or aggressive behaviour is presented. To ensure the personal safety of self and others by access to security alarms and personnel.
To provide help, support and information to volunteers who are supporting the Help Desk. To delegate appropriate tasks to volunteers and work with the Support Officer and Helpdesk Lead and the volunteer function to develop new volunteers’ roles.
To book interpreters as indicated, to manage emails and ensure they are responded to correctly and in timely way. To support with applications made in person, to access medical records.
Working for our organisation
The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.
We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.
King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To support the delivery of Patient Advice and Liaison Service
To process information requests, compliments and feedback in line with the Standard Operating Procedure for Patient Advice and Liaison Service, using available templates and documents
To resolve MyChart enquiries or Subject Access applications (requests for copy records) either in person or email.
To handle basic casework as instructed by the Support Officer and Helpdesk Lead or the leadership team of the Patient Advice and Liaison Service
To record contacts using the Trust’s risk management system (Inphase) in line with Key Performance Indicators specified
To support the delivery of the interpreting contract
As directed, to be responsible for booking process interpreters and other communication aids/support (e.g. BSL, Braille, audio) ensuring that the service operates effectively and professionally, in line with the operational guidelines.
To document in the patient record (EPIC) any communication preferences and to promote staff awareness of recording communication preferences to ensure patients receive information in appropriate formats to meet their needs. This is required for the Trust to meet its duties under equalities legislation and the Accessible Information Standards
To deal with telephone enquiries relating to interpreting and communication aids, support requests for support with the telephone handsets and interpreters on wheels, reporting faults or repairs to Patient Advice and Liaison Service Manager
Over the weekends, to support of the delivery of the volunteering function
To open and close the volunteers’ hub when required.
To issue meal vouchers to volunteers on shifts when required. To ensure that information about vouchers issued is recorded and shared appropriately
General
The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.
To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of Kings College Hospital NHS Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.
To live and role model the King’s Values of:
Kind: we show compassion and understanding and bring a positive attitude to our work.
Respectful : we promote equality, are inclusive and honest speaking up when needed.
Team : We support each other, communicate openly and are reassuringly professional
To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.
To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.
This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.
All employees must hold an nhs.net email account which will be the Trusts formal route for email communication.
Everyone is responsible for promoting inclusion no matter their role or team. At King’s, we want to create an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and welcomed
Safeguarding
The Trust takes the issues of Safeguarding Children, Adults and addressing Domestic Abuse very seriously. All employees have a responsibilityto support the organisation in our duties by;
* attending mandatory training on safeguarding children and adults
* familiarising themselves with the Trusts processes for reporting concerns
* reportingany safeguarding child or adult concerns appropriately
Infection Control Statement
The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene procedures and requirements when in clinical areas.
The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to make to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements of this role.
These requirements are set out in the National Code of Practice on Infection Control and in local policies and procedures which will be made clear during your induction and subsequent refresher training. These standards must be strictly complied with at all times.
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
* Good standard of general education to at least grade A-C or equivalent in English and Maths.
* Administration experience within an NHS hospital environment to a required standard.
Knowledge and Experience
* Proven experience of communicating complex and sensitive information with a range of staff internally
* Experience in dealing with difficult situations including aggressive behaviour and exercising judgement when needed.
* Knowledge of the Data Protection Act and confidentiality issues
* Experience using Inphase or similar data system
Skills and Competencies
* Good computer literacy. Willingness to learn new computer software packages.
* Ability to communicate with people whose first language is not English and disabled people that may affect their communication
* Ability to demonstrate tact and diplomacy when handling sensitive issues combined with an ability to defuse hostility and aggression
* Ability to work under pressure analysing information to seek solutions to problems
IMPORTANT
* Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
* If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
* To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
* Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
* Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust’s criminal records checking policy
* All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
* Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Kings College Hospital is part of Kings Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between Kings College London, and Guys and St Thomas, Kings College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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