Employer King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Town London Salary £30,546 - £32,207 per annum, including high cost allowance Salary period Yearly Closing 14/10/2025 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.
The Assessment Help Desk Operator plays a key role in supporting the Trust’s PatientTransport Service. The postholder will work directly with patients, carers, staff and transport providers, ensuring safe, professional and efficient transport arrangements to and from the hospital.
A core responsibility of this role is to assess patient eligibility for transport in line with NHS and Trust guidance, using structured criteria to make fair, consistent, and transparent decisions. Strong communication skills, customer service, and accuracy are essential to help patients understand the outcome of their assessment and to guide them towards alternative travel options where appropriate.
Main duties of the job
Primary objectives:
* Deliver first-class customer service and effective communication.
* Accurately assess transport eligibility and process bookings in line with agreed criteria.
* Provide clear and empathetic advice to patients on decisions and alternative options.
* Ensure accurate data entry, records, and reporting.
* Support the Trust in delivering quality, sustainable and patient-focused care.
The Assessment Help Desk Operator will be responsible for:
* Working directly with patients and customers to resolve queries, using excellent communication skills to ensure customer satisfaction.
* Facilitating the daily operations of the Patient Transport Service.
* Liaising with patients, staff, and transport providers to ensure patients are transported safely and professionally to and from the hospital.
* Receiving and processing all transport bookings in line with established eligibility criteria.
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
Customer Service
* Provide a consistently high standard of service to all customers, identifying their needs and assisting them to access services provided by the Trust and its partners.
* Answer enquiries pleasantly, efficiently and effectively (face-to-face, by telephone, or electronically) in line with departmental standards.
* Resolve problems and queries promptly, ensuring effective management and timely responses.
* Handle a high volume of enquiries, prioritising workload appropriately and using initiative when required.
* Contribute to continuous improvement within the team, identifying and recommending enhancements to existing processes (e.g. patient assessments) to increase effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
Data and Systems Management
* Operate key departmental systems and ensure accurate data entry across all platforms (e.g. Cleric, EPIC).
* Maintain accurate records for all tasks undertaken.
* Monitor and track the progress of queries to ensure completion within agreed timeframes.
* Prepare activity and performance reports, highlighting areas for improvement.
* Process all transport bookings in accordance with Trust procedures and eligibility criteria.
* Conduct telephone interviews with patients to establish transport needs and make eligibility decisions using agreed criteria.
* Advise patients on outcomes and available alternatives where appropriate.
* Carry out outpatient cancellation checks on EPIC and inform transport providers of cancellations.
* Validate double-crew and bariatric journeys on Cleric for outpatient appointments.
* Manage Extra Contractual Referral (ECR) journeys, booking with the relevant transport service according to patient condition, distance, and medical requirements.
Applications and Service Desk Support
* Find a Patient: Use Cleric and EPIC to locate patients following established processes.
* Patient Reminder / Cancellation Service: Contact patients by telephone to confirm or cancel appointments.
* Managed Service Partners: Answer all calls within SLA and direct as appropriate.
* Act as a central information point for Facilities.
* Provide first-line resolution of incidents, allocate unresolved incidents to relevant groups, and manage Priority 1 incidents.
* Own, track, escalate, and ensure resolution of all incidents within scope and within SLA.
* Log all service desk interactions and follow up to ensure satisfactory closure.
* Provide accurate and timely information to Trust users, obtaining closure sign-off where required.
* Actively research questions using available information resources and provide accurate responses.
Administration and Team Support
* Deal with internal and external enquiries from patients, staff, and other stakeholders, in person or by telephone.
* Maintain a professional and well-organised office environment.
* Support colleagues in the Customer Services Team, ensuring efficient operations and a strong focus on helping Trust staff deliver patient care.
* Participate in covering shifts, including short-notice overtime and Public Holidays, as required.
* Adhere to all departmental standards, Trust policies, and processes.
Person specification
* GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and Maths.
* Ability to use electronic systems such as EPIC, Cleric, or similar patient/transport management systems. Previous experience of working in a healthcare, transport, or service-desk setting
* Experience of working in a customer service or helpdesk environment. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
* Professional, courteous, and approachable manner. Team player, with the ability to build positive relationships with colleagues, patients, and external partners.
* Strong IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other MS Office applications. IT qualifications (e.g. ECDL) or equivalent experience.
* Previous experience of working in a healthcare, transport, or service-desk setting.
* Data entry and database management experience
* Experience of handling a high volume of enquiries and resolving queries effectively.
* Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
* Awareness of the importance of patient care and customer satisfaction in a healthcare environment
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.
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Annual Reports and Other Corporate Publications
King's Health Partners Academic Health Science Centre Website
King's College Hospital is part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between King's College London, and Guy's and St Thomas', King's 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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