Job overview
We require a highly motivated, flexible and enthusiastic individual with excellent customer service skills to join our administration team working in a friendly, positive and supportive environment within the Breast Cancer Unit. The available post will be based at the Park Centre for Breast Care Centre in Brighton
Please ensure that you discuss with your line manager your application for internal secondment or fixed term contract prior to submission
Patient Access Clerk, Band 3:
1. 33 Hours per week - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 8am start
2. You will be working within an established administration team supporting the clinical and nursing team within Breast Surgery & Oncology, You will have administrative experience, a good general level of education and be computer literate. You will have experience of working with the general public and will have a good telephone manner. You must be able to work well both within a team and unsupervised, with good communication and organisational skills and the ability to work effectively under pressure.
You will work in close collaboration with Consultants, Clinicians, radiographers, nursing staff and the operational management team to facilitate the management of the outpatient waiting lists and recording of activity for the service. Working closely with the Patient Access Manager for Breast Surgery, you will ensure compliance with BSUH Trust Patient Access Policy and 18-week referral to treatment and cancer waiting time targets.
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
Please ensure that you discuss with your line manager your application for internal secondment or fixed term contract prior to submission.
Main duties of the job
To support the Patient Access Manager in the provision of an effective and efficient patient access service for the Breast Surgery and Oncology services that includes working in reception areas and appointments offices.
To be responsible for managing the booking of patients from referral to outpatient attendance and to discharge from clinic or from treatment, working in collaboration with medical, nursing, paramedical, management and administrative staff across University Hospitals Sussex sites.
To analyse and validate Patient Targeting Lists (PTL), patient outcome data and cancer waiting time and 18-week validation reports and report issues to the Patient Access Manager.
To work as a member of a team in providing a flexible, efficient and high quality administration service for patients attending the hospital and to assist medical staff, allied healthcare professionals and nurses in the management of the diagnostic and treatment service for Breast Cancer patients.
To recommend changes to policies and procedures in order to provide an optimum patient access service.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
Candidate Pack
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Appointments
·Receive and register referral letters from multiple sources on PAS in accordance with Trust policy. Recording referrals received from the Referral Management System in an accurate and timely manner.
·To ensure that referral letters are processed, appointments then made and communicated to the patient’s within the timescale set down in the Cancer Waiting Times directive and the Trust’s Access Policy.
·Add patients to the clinic list, send appointments or acknowledgement letters as appropriate within defined clinic rules and procedures.
·To provide a friendly patient focused service for appointment enquiries in person and by telephone.
·When required take requests from secretaries and nursing/medical staff to make appropriate follow-up appointments ensuring that any interpreting or additional requirements are ascertained and recording the reason for the appointment booking. Ensure details are accurately recorded on PAS.
·Receive and respond to telephone calls from patients wishing to change or cancel their appointments. Advising patients of importance of attending where appropriate and ensuring requests for changes are within waiting times targets.
·Make telephone bookings from staff working in clinical areas e.g. ward clerks or A&E Dept.
·To autonomously process all referrals Cancer Target and routine patients in accordance with the Access Policy. Maintain and ensure that at all time appointments are offered within the government target waiting times for outpatient appointments.
Reception Duties
·Greet patients in a courteous and helpful manner. Establish and confirm each patient’s demographic details and update PAS as necessary.
·Direct patients to waiting areas or other clinics and departments as required.
·Liaise with transport when patients arrive by hospital transport.
·Inform patients of approximate clinic waiting times, and in conjunction with clinical staff keep patients informed as and when situations change.
·Issue follow-up appointments when required, including identifying and supplying relevant information / literature.
·Complete all outcome coding information on PAS and ensure that clinics are fully reconciled. This includes confirming attendance, completing outcome, and inputting all the data recorded on clinic attendance sheets.
·To coordinate the running of reception while resolving queries from the Consultants and Nursing staff, patients and members of the public ensuring that all receive an equitable service in a timely manner.
Communication
•To engage in collaborative problem solving with co-workers and staff and other outside agencies.
•To ensure that all telephone and email communications are dealt with in a timely and professional manner.
•To ensure that all telephone voicemail messages are updated, clear and concise and that all messages are dealt with promptly.
•To ensure that when on leave an out of office message is left detailing who to contact.
•To function as a ‘team player’, being considerate and flexible, taking the needs of peers into consideration.
•To exercise discretion to ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained and a professional, respectful hospital environment exists at all times.
•To provide and receive complex and sensitive information via telephone, face to face, or in writing, some of which may be contentious in nature, requiring interpersonal and communication skills to promptly assess each situation, escalating to or seeking advice from a health professional as necessary.
•To have good written and oral communication skills to enable clear and concise information, explanations and instructions are provided.
•To answer a range of complex and sensitive patient enquiries promptly and politely (via telephone and in person) and where necessary refer to the Patient Access Manager for advice/support.
•To advise patients of any delays to being seen for their appointment/treatment within the service.
•To ensure that all patients are given the opportunity to speak to a senior manager if they wish to make a complaint about the service that they have received.
•To be able to establish and maintain effective communication with all members of the public, including those with challenging behaviour, learning disabilities and those whose first language is not English, ensuring interpreters are booked for appointments as soon as the need is identified to comply with legislation.
•To liaise with clinical /nursing staff, porters and ambulance staff.
•To deal with all non-clinical queries in an efficient and courteous manner using judgement and prioritisation.
•To develop and maintain effective working relationships with nursing, medical, Allied Health Professionals and managerial staff within the department.
•To work with colleagues to ensure that relevant information is disseminated effectively and appropriately in a timely manner.
•To take clear and accurate messages and ensure prompt delivery to the appropriate person.
This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants. If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
Person specification
Experience and Skills
Essential criteria
3. •Substantial experience of admin/clerical work
4. •Experience of working with the general public
5. •Computer literate with knowledge of Microsoft products to include Word & Excel
6. •To be able to handle complex enquiries from patients, some of whom may distressed/anxious about their care
7. •Ability to work unsupervised, plan, prioritise and manage own workload
Desirable criteria
8. •Experience in a hospital or healthcare setting
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
9. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles
10. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues.
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications