Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Deputy Patient Access Manager to join the Neurosurgery, Major Trauma and Plastics Directorate.
The successful post holder will be an experienced and proactive individual, with knowledge of patient pathways and outpatient and treatment waiting list management.
With a background in team management, you will be a credible and visible leader with excellent interpersonal skills.
You will have a key role in the delivery of a high quality, effective and flexible service in respect of patients’ pathways from referral to treatment.
This role is ideal for someone with an eye for detail and desire to help improve the patient experience, to ensure that treatment is delivered in a timely and caring way.
Prior to submission of your application for any internal secondment or fixed term post, please ensure that you have discussed this with your line manager to obtain their approval.
If you do not have written approval from your current line manager to take this position if successful as an internal secondment opportunity, it would be offered as a fixed term position.
Main duties of the job
To manage the patient’s pathway from triage, first outpatient appointment, through diagnostics, treatment planning and treatment, highlighting potential delays in the pathways to Patient Access Manager, so they can escalate to Operations Manager, Directorate Manager and Head of Booking & Clinical Administration Services, ensuring that all patients who are not on 18 week pathways also receive timely care and treatment.
Responsible for the review of the outpatient, inpatient and day case waiting lists and the continuous monitoring of all patient pathways, both patients on 18 week pathways and those awaiting planned care or who require regular follow up monitoring and review. This includes identifying blockages, bottlenecks in service delivery, a worsening treatment position and risk to patient from inadequate timescales to clinic availability.
Ensuring adherence to Trust policies and procedures, in particular the Patient Access Policy. To recommend systems and processes which improve compliance to the policy.
Work with the Booking Hub team leaders and booking appointments clerk in relation to correct adherence to the Patient Access Policy, ensuring all cancellations, DNA’s and patients affected by clinic changes are rebooked in an appropriate timely manner. Mobilise additional clinical capacity as required on behalf of the Directorate manager(s).
Responsible for the day-to-day line management of administrative staff in line with Trust policies and procedures.
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
Role Summary
This role is a key member of the administration management team, working towards the achievement of key targets for the Neurosurgery Major Trauma and Plastics Directorate.
The post holder will be responsible to the Patient Access Manager and will work within the Trusts patient access policy to deliver high quality, effective and flexible patient access, clerical and administrative services.
They will also be responsible for the line management of administrative staff, including secretaries, bookers and rota co-ordinators. This will include the allocation of work, training and development, staff appraisal and recruitment and selection.
Key Working Relationships
Internal:
Operational Managers
Patient Access Managers
Senior Management Team
Team Members and colleagues within Directorates especially Consultant body and Clinical Nurse Specialists
Diagnostic teams
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Communication
1. Contribute to meetings for the area of expertise and up-to-date knowledge of service performance in a clear, concise manner, which include both recommendations for issue resolution and corrective action.
2. Lead by example and demonstrates excellent communication and listening skills to staff and customers/patients, as the issues are often complex, highly sensitive and highly emotive as they involve waiting lists, time to treatment and delays to care, including cancellations.
3. Convey knowledge of the Patient Access Policy to a range of staff including doctors, administration teams, nurses and management representatives, and others as required e.g. Commissioners and GPs. Ensure that confidentiality is maintained at all times and that staff adhere to the Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information Act and the Caldicott Principles, especially as patient records are commonplace.
Service Delivery and Improvement
4. To deliver a high quality, effective and flexible service in respect of the patient pathway from referral to treatment.
5. Work closely with clinicians, nurses and all clinical staff to ensure that patients are actively managed through their pathways.
6. To manage the patient’s pathway from triage, first outpatient appointment, through diagnostics, treatment planning and treatment, highlighting potential delays in the pathways to Patient Access Manager, so they can escalate to Operations Manager, Directorate Manager and Head of Booking & Clinical Administration Services, ensuring that all patients who are not on 18 week pathways also receive timely care and treatment
7. To check and report on Consultant’s triaging of new referrals to ensure that the service meets the 48 hour target, ensuring that the coding proforma’s are current and up to date.
8. To identify extra capacity slots required by each Service, to meet national targets with identification of the correct staffing and skill mix required to treat the patient lists.
9. Responsible for the knowledge management of the Patient Tracking List (PTL for designated services on behalf of the Directorate.
10. Being fully updated and aware of patient demand exceeding or diminishing in relation to current capacity and communication of the position to the Directorate Management Team, including the Patient Access Manager
11. Responsible for the review of the outpatient, inpatient and day case waiting lists and the continuous monitoring of all patient pathways, both patients on 18 week pathways and those awaiting planned care or who require regular follow up monitoring and review. This includes identifying blockages, bottlenecks in service delivery, a worsening treatment position and risk to patient from inadequate timescales to clinic availability.
12. Ensuring adherence to Trust policies and procedures, in particular the Patient Access Policy. To recommend systems and processes which improve compliance to the policy.
13. Minimising clinic cancellations by ensuring a 6 week look forward of consultant availability is tracked to the clinic templates available, therefore avoiding late cancellations and where possible, arranging alternative availability.
14. To work closely with Patient Access Manager, Operations Manager and Directorate Manager to develop and refine policies and procedures to ensure seamless management of the patient pathway from referral to treatment.
15. Maintain up to date knowledge of all applicable targets and processes relating to the patient pathway and to be a point of reference within the directorate.
16. Actively manage the service’s waiting lists and maintain a clear overview of all patients currently active in their pathway.
17. Predict and prevent breaches of waiting time targets and delays due to problems in capacity, through liaison with clinicians. This includes highlighting performance risks and potential breaches to the Directorate Management team including the Patient Access Manager
18. Ensure outpatient utilisation is on target by analysing the look forward reports and taking appropriate action with the clinicians.
19. Work with reception teams to ensure all outpatient clinic outcomes are recorded within 1 working day of the clinics.
20. Ensure all diagnostics are booked within pathway target times.
21. Review all waiting lists and take appropriate action in working with “The Booking Hub” in the booking of outstanding patients.
22. Work with the Booking Hub team leaders and booking appointments clerk in relation to correct adherence to the Patient Access Policy, ensuring all cancellations, DNA’s and patients affected by clinic changes are rebooked in an appropriate timely manner. Mobilise additional clinical capacity as required on behalf of the Directorate manager(s).
23. Analyse, investigate and resolve complex queries relating to the service.
24. Keep up to date with relevant Patient Pathway guidance, Patient Access Policy, best practice and impending changes which could impact on the way of working.
25. Providing support to the Patient Access Manager for the attendance at key meetings in regard to the access target and PTL list, as required.
People Management and Development
26. Assist Patient Access Manager in training of new staff, designing and monitoring the induction programme for the individual, including conveying knowledge of the service performance and systems and processes within the Trust which contribute to this.
27. Responsible for the day-to-day line management of administrative staff in line with Trust policies and procedures.
28. To maintain accurate annual leave and sickness records on behalf of the Patient Access Manager.
29. To offer support and guidance through training and regular 1:1s with administration staff.
Learning and Development
30. Attend mandatory training updates as required.
31. Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
32. Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
33. Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager
34. Participate in the Trust’s appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.
This job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time due to the needs of the service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent with your role and banding, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.
The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and the organisation.
Mission and values
The mission of University Hospitals Sussex – what we are striving to achieve – is to provide:
‘excellent care every time’
All our efforts to do this put the interests of our patients first and foremost, and are underpinned by our values:
35. Compassion
36. Communication
37. Teamwork
38. Respect
39. Professionalism
40. Inclusion
These values were selected by our staff, patients and public when we were talking about the merger and the sort of organisation we want University Hospitals Sussex to be.
Our mission and values are extremely important to us and we expect everyone who works at University Hospitals Sussex in any capacity to share and uphold them.
Patient First
Patient First is our Trust-wide approach to improving the quality of care for patients and to build and embed a culture where staff can be confident that their views matter and will be heard.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
The Trust is committed to supporting Inclusion as can be seen by our Patient First Triangle with a clear value being Inclusion. We all have a responsibility to treat our colleagues, patients and service users with respect and dignity irrespective of; age, race, disability, gender reassignment/identity, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
We are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and part of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Champions programme.
All staff have a duty to report any behaviours which contravene this to their managers.
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.
Person specification
Experience/ Qualifications
Essential criteria
41. NHS experience
Desirable criteria
42. Working knowledge and expertise of Careflow
43. Knowledge of Patient Access Policy
Skills
Essential criteria
44. Ability to communicate across a variety of platforms
45. Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own workloads.
46. Able to establish and maintain working relationships with colleagues from a variety of professional and organisational backgrounds.
Desirable criteria
47. Proven ability to train others of varying abilities
48. Knowledge of University Hospital Sussex Trust IT systems
People Management and Development
Essential criteria
49. Effective leadership skills with the ability to manage and direct people
Desirable criteria
50. Experience of undertaking performance and development reviews
51. Experience of working with teams across sites
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
52. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles
53. 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