PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this post
We are seeking highly motivated individuals to join our friendly Outpatient administration team to deliver first‑class customer service to patients and provide a comprehensive administrative service, working flexibly on rotation incorporating the Outpatients Booking Office, Call Centre and Reception areas, forming a solid foundation to support the Outpatients departments across Lewisham Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Bexleyheath & Greenwich Community sites.
The post holder will be one of a team providing an excellent customer and administrative service, delivering smooth, safe and high‑quality care to enable the trust to achieve key targets.
Attributes and experience required include:
* Customer focused, with excellent customer service skills
* Positive attitude and ability to work well within a team
* Reliability and excellent time‑keeping
* Comfortable speaking to people on telephone and face to face
* Efficient organisational skills
* IT literate
* Energetic, hard‑working and flexible to support the team and services
Working hours will be on a rota basis 0800‑1800 Monday to Friday.
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Main duties of the job
Main Purpose of Post
To provide a comprehensive administrative service working flexibly on rotation incorporating the Outpatients Booking Office, Call Centre and Reception areas, forming a solid foundation to support the Outpatients departments across Lewisham Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Bexleyheath & Greenwich Community sites. The post holder will be one of a team providing an excellent customer and administrative service, delivering smooth, safe and high‑quality care to enable the trust to achieve key targets.
The post holder will be expected to establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships with other staff members in line with our Trust values, characterised by respect, compassion, inclusion and open, honest communication.
PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this post We reserve the right to close the post before the stated closing date. Please apply early.
About us
Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivating a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the five aspirations:
* Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
* Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
* Improving the experience of staff with disability
* Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
* Making equalities mainstream
Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
* Assist in any administrative duties required to ensure a full outpatient service is provided in the Outpatient reception, Outpatient Call centre and the Booking Teams.
* Be flexible to a wide range of duties and appropriate tasks on rotation as designated by the Outpatients Supervisor to ensure the smooth running of the department, including covering for colleagues in times of sickness/absence and high workloads.
* Greet patients and visitors in a pleasant and professional manner, providing a courteous reception service.
* Excellent communication skills and ability to deal with queries from patients, relatives and carers. Proactively deal with potential situations of conflict, diffuse and prevent patient complaints, regularly engage with patients either face to face or via telephone or email who may be emotional or challenging.
* Liaise with staff both within and outside of the department, GP surgeries and other healthcare professionals on matters relating to patient referrals/queries.
* Answer all telephone calls into the department promptly in line with the Outpatient Call centre KPIs, speaking to our patients and callers with respect and courtesy, be positive and helpful in providing excellent service and assistance.
* Participate in call reviews and monitoring to achieve department KPIs.
* Monitor and act on all incoming emails to generic outpatient team inboxes.
* Ensure all patient demographics are captured accurately and any changes are updated on the Trust PAS when notified.
* Manage new referrals and outpatient appointment waiting lists in line with RTT national targets.
* Receive and respond to appointment requests, booking, cancelling and rescheduling all new and follow‑up outpatient appointments in line with the Access Policy and agreed clinic booking rules via the Trust’s PAS systems.
* Liaise with relevant specialty service managers and teams to escalate capacity, waiting list and service issues that require urgent action.
* Check patients in and out of their appointments in real time via the Trust’s PAS systems, complete the checkout process, record the appropriate outcome and 18‑week RTT status on the outcome form and book any respective appointments, ensuring all clinics are cashed up at the end of each day.
* Assist with liaison where outcomes are incomplete or missing.
* Check case note availability prior to clinic, escalating to the appropriate teams for missing records.
* Keep patients informed of any delays in outpatient clinics in conjunction with the nursing team.
* Maintain patient confidentiality and be aware of data protection issues when entering all patient information on all Trust administration and clinical information systems.
* Book interpreter services/transport as and when required and maintain and provide access to interpreter tablets.
* Maintain good working knowledge of all office procedures and be on board with the implementation of new processes within the outpatient departments.
* Be competent and efficient in using the trust IT and PAS systems as required and maintain and update a variety of systems used within the call centre and kiosks.
* Assist in the induction and training of new and temporary staff members in the department.
* Participate in the PDR process to ensure personal skills are enhanced.
* Attend team meetings and contribute to the setting of achievable standards to promote improvements in patient care and service development.
* Undertake minutes/actions of meetings as required.
* Understand when to elevate issues and report incidents on the Trusts Ulysses system.
* Work from outpatient reports such as demographics reports, PIFU lists and any new reports introduced to support outpatients transformation.
* Maintain stock levels, collect, store and keep stationary secure.
* Duties and responsibilities may be reassigned to reflect developments within the trust or operational needs within Outpatient transformation.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Training
* Good basic educational background
* GCSE English and Maths or equivalent
* NVQ Level 3 in a related subject (e.g. healthcare, customer service, business administration) or equivalent experience
* ECDL
* IT Qualifications
Experience
* Customer Service experience or equivalent work experience.
* Computer literacy and keyboard skills.
* Willingness to develop computer skills.
* Working to deadlines and targets.
* NHS Experience.
* Knowledge of PAS.
* Call Centre or Switchboard experience.
* Experience of Access Database/Excel spreadsheets.
Knowledge & Skills
* Good verbal and written communication skills.
* Ability to prioritise.
* Able to take responsibility for own work and work without direct supervision where appropriate.
* Flexible approach to working hours.
* Respect for confidentiality.
* Ability to deal with sensitive issues appropriately.
* Ability to plan and co‑ordinate work.
* Evidence of interacting with a wide range of people.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer name
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
Address
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Lewisham Hospital and Community
£25,760 to £27,476 a year plus HCAS (pro rata if part‑time)
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full‑time
Reference number
197-AO8166
Job locations
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Lewisham Hospital and Community
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