Job overview
The post holder will provide reception cover, general administration support as well as patient bookings for the busy Dermatology Department at Brighton General Hospital.
The role requires a candidate who is confident liaising with members of the public as well as health professionals both over the phone and face to face.
You form part of a small team of administrators, working together to ensure all daily administration tasks are completed, ensuring any data captured is accurate and added into Trusts systems within strict timelines.
The ideal candidate for this position is someone who can remain calm under pressure and who can use their initiative to identify tasks that need to be completed.
Main duties of the job
1. providing reception cover, greeting and directing patients, checking patients into clinics.
2. booking patient appointments by assessing clinic space and waiting lists.
3. scanning patient documentation into their electronic patient record
4. working across multiple Trust systems to ensure all data captured and entered is correct.
5. Answering the main phone line into the department, directing or answering patient queries with confidence.
6. using initiative to identify tasks that need to be completed.
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
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.
· Good communication and interpersonal skills to interact with tact and diplomacy with patients, physicians and staff at all levels.
· Provide and receive information which may be complex, in relation to being able to manage the organisation of clinic lists, ensuring all patients meet the Trust Access requirements ensuring that the needs of patients are met.
· The post holder would also need to be sensitive and delicate in communicating with patients, as they will need to negotiate appointment dates and will be involved in providing unpleasant news of cancelling appointment dates.
· Ability to exercise discretion to ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained, and a professional, respectful hospital environment always exists.
· Ability to maintain composure, efficiency, and a positive customer-service orientated manner, during periods of peak workload, with frequent interruptions, under tight deadlines, and when interacting with patients who are ill, angry or emotionally distressed.
· Ability to engage in collaborative problem solving with co-workers and staff. The post holder must have the ability to function as a "team player", being considerate and flexible, and taking the needs of your peers into consideration.
· The ability to work to deadlines is essential to meet government waiting time targets and ensure that the Trust’s Access policy is adhered to.
· Plan, organise and accomplish a variety of concurrent assignments relating to the management of waiting lists for a variety of consultants and ensuring all clinic templates are effectively utilised with the appropriate cases for the skills/sub-speciality of the clinician doing the clinic. Some of this information may be complex and unpredictable.
· Organise and prioritise assignments to complete work in a timely and efficient manner, particularly when there are changes in workload or assignments.
· Remain flexible and adaptable to alterations in policies and procedures, proposing changes where appropriate.
· Good written and oral communication skills Use written and oral communication skills to provide information, explanations, and instructions clearly and concisely to, and elicit information from others with varying levels of ability to understand.
· Use terminology and phrasing which is responsive to and appropriate for patient's age, language skills and emotional state.
· Problem-solving skills. Independently assess a range of facts or situations that requires analysis and identify the resources.
· Create, analyse, and compare viable solutions and take the action necessary to implement them, following through to ensure the problem is resolved to the satisfaction of all parties.
· A high level of motivation and initiative, seeking assistance from others where appropriate.
· Maintain up-to-date knowledge and skill levels in area of expertise to ensure provision of the highest quality patient care services.
· Establish working knowledge of procedures and practices, some of which are non-routine, including medical records systems, medical terminology, appointment and admission scheduling, department policies and in particular the Trust’s Patient Access policy.
· Recommend changes to policies, procedures and department environment to enhance departments’ ability to provide optimum service to all patients.
· Efficiently use computer-based systems to enter pertinent patient information, organise admissions and appointments, and maintain clinical database. High standard of computer proficiency is needed to use all aspects of Microsoft Office applications.
· Accurately update and create spreadsheets regarding patient waiting list times and communicate and respond to a large volume of e-mail enquiries from other employees throughout the trust, dealing with all enquiries in a tactful and diplomatic manner.
· Liaise with medical and secretarial staff always ensuring the patients best interests.
· An efficient and methodical approach to the maintenance of waiting lists, statistics and admission diaries is essential.
· Must be able to, on an as needed basis, to adhere to flexible hours given reasonable notice. Knowledge Skills and Abilities
· Use the electronic PTL to book patient in chronological order according to their clinical need. · Provide efficient reception duties and prepping of clinic notes as required for clinics and booking follow up appointments as necessary.
· Follow the Patient Access Policy ensuring the 18-week guidance is adhered to.
· Organise interpreters where necessary, for patient’s appointments Maintain records of such bookings and pass information regarding each booking to relevant staff.
· Flag up the need for cover when annual leave is booked or cancelling clinics accordingly.
· Maintain and update the speciality waiting lists. Prioritise urgent patients, and make sure government targets for the routine waiting lists are being met. Highlight immediately and in a timely fashion any conflicts that might mean patient waiting time targets could be breached.
· Be aware of, and able to adapt to any changes in trust policy and general operating systems.
· Compile and update patient’s personal details on PAS database and amend their files accordingly. Create files for new patients and request notes from other trust hospitals for patients that have been seen at different hospitals.
· Comprehensive knowledge of clinic booking, and procedure management is essential. Ability to liaise and if necessary, book patients into clinics appointments in the outpatient’s department, produce letters and cancel and rebook as needed.
· Track all case note movements as necessary on the computerized tracking system.
· Understand outpatient activity within the hospital.
· To know the standard operating procedures for all consultants in order to answer queries from patients/GPs and other trust staff.
· To be able to provide cross-cover for other admission’s officers when they are on planned annual leave or are away with sickness.
· Manage systems for accurate filing referral letters, so they can be retrieved at any given time.
· Deal with large volumes of day-to-day enquiries from patients/GPs/Trust staff in a courteous, sympathetic manner. Communicate with all patients due to be admitted by any provider unit used by BSUH.
· Manage an efficient waiting list system in accordance with Trust policy. Fully understand the Trust’s Patient Access policy relating to ‘patient’s choice’ and be able to implement systems and answer questions from patient’s regarding this.
Person specification
Suitability for the role
Essential criteria
7. Experience working with members of the public
8. Experience using IT systems
Desirable criteria
9. NHS experience
10. Reception experience
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
11. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
12. 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