Job overview
The role of a Patient Access/Spinal Database Administrator is to provide an efficient and high-quality appointment, administration and data service within the Neurosurgery, Spinal, MTC and Plastics Department. To utilise excellent time management, organisational and communication skills, and an adaptable, flexible approach to produce work of a high standard within expected targets. The Patient Access/Spinal Database Administrator will not only need to be able to work alone and use their own initiative but also as part of the wider team within the Directorate.
Responsible for identifying and supplying timely, detailed, high quality and accurate information to support the delivery and development of the Spinal Network. This will be achieved through the management of the Spinal network database, extraction and manipulation of data from the Trust and other trusts operational systems and through the analysis of the data from local and national reporting systems.
Main duties of the job
Provide administrative support for Specialist Nurses within the department to include booking and cancelling patient appointments as directed, printing and sending out clinic letters, setting up and cancelling clinics for annual leave/sickness, monitoring and responding to emails/telephone calls and assisting with data collection/collation.
Responsible for the timely collections, accurate input of all data and meet all NHSE and other national reporting deadlines required for the British Spine Registry (BSR). Respond to all NHSE data queries in a timely way and act as point of contact for Spinal data queries.
To provide regular reports as agreed with clinical and management colleagues and to assist the clinical teams with the production of reports for governance meetings and the collection of data for audit purposes.
Hold working knowledge of all systems used relating to management of patients. This includes the Patient Access Modules on the PAS Systems and responsibility for learning new systems, as these are developed e.g. RMS, ERS, Somerset, Careflow, Bluespier, G2 Patient Letter Finder, BI Dashboards
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. 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 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Provide a robust administration function that underpins the delivery of a high-quality service and maintain effective working relationships with clinical, nursing and administrative staff.
Work closely with Outpatient Booking Team and Reception team to ensure process for patients who do not attend their appointments are being adhered to, rescheduling of appointments in a timely manner and keeping the number of DNA’s below NHSE benchmark of 5%.
Maintain and monitor an up-to-date diary for Neuro meeting room requests ensuring that confirmation is given in a timely manner.
Provide administrative support to the Directorate Management Team, arranging meetings including any requirements for equipment and relevant data.
Support the Directorate team with roles relating to patient access and 18 week RTT (referral to treatment) targets.
The post holder will work in a multidisciplinary team with clinical and non-clinical colleagues.
Undertake data processing and analytical processes to support requests for information as directed. This will involve making judgements involving complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options.
Importance will be placed on the content and layout of subsequent analyses, requiring further manipulation within Microsoft Access, Excel or statistical software prior to presenting to the users. Outputs will need to be validated to ensure Spinal Surgery Database Administrator consistency. It will also be necessary to spend time with the users to ensure they understand the analyses and to provide explanation and interpretation for any areas of uncertainty.
Please see job description and person specs for full details.
Person specification
Essential and Desirable
Essential criteria
1. Detailed knowledge of the NHS, acquired through diploma or equivalent experience or training plus further specialist knowledge and experience
2. Experience of enabling delivery of the 18 week operating standard (or an equivalent) ,
3. Able to use a range of Microsoft products e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint
4. Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own workloads, Able to analyse, interpret and compare data relevant to Service, note trends and escalate to management
Desirable criteria
5. Training qualification, ECDL or equivalent experience
6. Knowledge and understanding of NHS structure and organisation, Experience of working with senior clinical staff and management
7. Working knowledge and expertise of Patient Access System (PAS), Attention to detail and data quality
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
8. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
9. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
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