Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity for a Bank Band 3 Administrator to join the new Dorset Sleep Service which will be providing Sleep Diagnostics and CPAP Therapy for Dorset county. The role is 30h per week over office hours; flexible working is available, and job-sharing would be considered.
Disclaimer: As a Bank Worker, the nature of your engagement will be seen as on a day-to-day basis. You are entitled to choose whether to accept engagements which will be offered to you. A statement does not constitute a contract of employment, nor is the Trust under any obligation to offer you any engagement or further engagement under these terms. The job description for this Bank role relates to the equivalent substantive position. Whilst engaged by the Trust you would be expected to operate within the requirements of the job description.
Main duties of the job
The job will consist of making, rearranging, and booking patients into appointments; receiving and managing telephone and email enquiries; typing of medical letters; issuing of equipment for patient collection and receiving returned equipment; managing incoming and outgoing post; and undertaking routine office duties such as photocopying, filing, and updating patient records.
We’re looking for someone with at least 3 GCSE qualifications including English and has good computer skills; who has experience of working independently in a busy office environment; and who has great interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and the public. Experience of working in a healthcare setting would be useful but is not essential as full training will be provided.
Working for our organisation
At DCHFT, we pride ourselves on the care we provide for our patients, and on the culture, we are creating for our staff. We work hard to create a fair, inclusive environment for our staff
Our Mission is to work in partnership to provide high quality, compassionate services and to nurture an environment where people can be at their best. Our vision is healthier lives, empowered citizens, thriving communities.
We are a Trust that celebrates diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from people in all under-represented groups.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Dorset Sleep Service opened in Autumn 2023 and provides diagnostic sleep studies for patients in catchment to Dorset County Hospital, and CPAP treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea for Dorset’s entire population of around 380,000 residents. We perform around 1,700 sleep studies a year and are in the process of taking over the care of about 5,000 patients already on CPAP therapy; we expect this to rise to about 2,000 sleep studies a year and over 8,000 CPAP patients over the next five years.
The team will consist of Administrators, Sleep Practitioners at Associate, Practitioner, and Senior level, a Head of Department, and is overseen by a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine. We are open mostly during office hours, with potential scope for early starts/late ends and possibly some weekends to support Flexible Working in the future (we have no plans for night shifts yet). The department is currently based at Vespasian House in Dorchester, but from July 2025 will be moving to two new sites: one in Weymouth, and a temporary site in Ringwood until we find a permanent premises in either Bournemouth or Poole.
The Service is still fresh and new, and almost all staff have joined it with no previous experience in Sleep Medicine; we hope to train and develop staff to further their careers within the Sleep Service wherever we can. We value collaboration towards continual improvement, innovation and new ways of thinking to solve problems and you will be an integral part of creating and refining responsive and effective procedures. We aim to create a diverse, inclusive, and supportive environment where everyone – colleagues and patients alike – are treated with respect and consideration.
Administrative Responsibilities
* Creating, rearranging, booking in, and coding patient appointments
* Receiving, managing, and prioritising telephone calls and emails from patients, carers, GPs, consultants, secretaries, and other professionals in a proficient manner
* Creation of formal medical letters from notes or audio in a timely manner and with an understanding of responsibilities around complex and sensitive private information
* Issuing of equipment that has been set aside for patients to collect and receiving equipment being returned, including checking patient identity, and escalating to senior staff if there is a problem
* Opening, date-stamping, and distributing incoming post, and sending outgoing post according to priority
* Providing routine administrative support such as photocopying, filing, updating patient records, maintaining the department diary, provision of information leaflets, etc.
* Working independently and prioritising own workload, adhering to National, Trust, and Departmental policies
* Taking part in education, training, and professional development as necessary
Service Development Responsibilities
* Collaborating with colleagues by contributing ideas and suggestions to develop departmental procedures, processes, and guidelines
* Promoting our ethos of continuous improvement
* Actively participating in team meetings and disseminating new knowledge to the team
Physical and Financial Resources Responsibilities
* Assisting with tracking of sleep study equipment
* Overseeing stock levels of stationery and request ordering of items in a timely manner
* Engaging with effective use of resources to deliver the best value for money
Human Resources Responsibilities
* Fully participating in the Trust’s appraisal system and personal development planning process
* Taking a proactive role in managing risk in the workplace, in accordance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
* Participating in welcome, induction, mentoring and training of new staff as appropriate.
Information Resources Responsibilities
* Training to use Office, Trust, and Departmental software and maintain accurate, timely and legible records in accordance with Trust policy
* Upholding excellent standards of information governance and confidentiality at all times
Research and Audit Responsibilities
* Participating in research projects, service audits, or staff surveys as necessary
Teamworking Responsibilities
* Maintaining service delivery by assisting colleagues during absences and peaks of work
* Undertaking other reasonable administrative duties as and when required as directed by line manager
Person specification
Education, Qualifications & Training
Essential criteria
* 3 GCSEs including English
Desirable criteria
* ECDL Certificate
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
* Proficient with the Microsoft Office
Desirable criteria
* Office and/or clerical experience
* Customer Service experience
* Familiar with medical terminology
* Familiar with healthcare software
* Experience of working in a healthcare environment
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
* Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with patients, both verbally and in writing
* Good organisation and attention to detail
* Physically able to work at a computer and to move around the department as necessary for the demands of the job
Desirable criteria
* Good initiative and problem-solving skills
* Enthusiastic about developing a new service
* Able to travel to work at other sites across Dorset
Our Mission
Outstanding care for people in ways which matter to them.
Our Vision
Dorset County Hospital, working with our health and social care partners, will be at the heart of improving the well-being of our communities.
Our Values
Integrity, Respect, Teamwork, Excellence
We are a Trust that celebrates diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We would welcome applications from people in all under-represented groups.
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT INFORMATION CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
Please read the job description and person specification carefully to ensure your application reflects the knowledge, skills and experience required.
The closing date/interview date is subject to amendment; this vacancy may therefore expire at short notice, so we recommend that you submit an application at your earliest convenience. We reserve the right to close any vacancies without notice.
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted via email; therefore it is important that you check your personal email account regularly.
Unfortunately we are unable to respond to every application; if we do not contact you within 4 weeks of the closing date, please be advised that you not have been shortlisted on this occasion.
You can contact us on 01305 254655 to find out whether you have been shortlisted or if you would like feedback.