Main area Specialist Palliative Care – Inpatient Unit (Priscilla Bacon Lodge) Grade Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Part time - 25 hours per week (Monday to Friday: 15:00 - 20:00) Job ref 839-7507273-MP
Employer Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Priscilla Bacon Lodge (PBL) Town Colney Salary £24,937 - £26,598 pa pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 29/10/2025 23:59 Interview date 11/11/2025
Band 3
NCH&C is proud to be the first standalone NHS community trust in the UK to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our focus is on continually improving the quality of care we offer to local people and on improving access to that care, helping people to move seamlessly from one service to another. Praising NCH&C’s “compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership at all levels”, the CQC observed that our staff are well supported to make positive changes and innovations.
Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust is committed to continuing to create a modern and inclusive work environment. As part of this commitment we actively promote flexible working opportunities where possible, to meet the needs and wishes of our workforce to maintain and improve their wellbeing. The trust offers a range of flexibility, including flexible working patterns, and we would encourage you to discuss this with the recruiting manager before or during the application process if this would interest you.
We welcome applications from people who share our values and can help us deliver outstanding care in our local community.
Before applying for this vacancy, please make sure you’re familiar with ongoing GOV.uk sponsorship eligibility criteria which will impact the organisations ability to provide sponsorship, whether this is currently or in the future.
Specifically for band 3 roles within healthcare please be aware of the salary threshold required for a certificate of sponsorship to be granted, and that unfortunately overseas applicants who are new to care will not reach the minimum salary threshold to obtain a certificate of sponsorship and therefore your application will be withdrawn.
Job overview
We are looking for a compassionate and organised Ward Clerk / Receptionist to join our Specialist Palliative Care team at Priscilla Bacon Lodge. You will be the first point of contact for patients, relatives and visitors, providing a professional welcome and supporting our clinical teams with admissions, records and the smooth running of the ward. This is a rewarding role where your work will make a real difference to patients and families every day.
In return, you will be part of a supportive organisation that values your contribution, encourages your development and offers the chance to work across the wider Community Operations Administration Services (COAS).
Main duties of the job
As Ward Clerk / Receptionist you will be the first point of contact on the ward, welcoming patients, relatives, carers and visitors with professionalism and compassion. You will support the smooth running of the inpatient unit by managing patient records, coordinating admissions and discharges, and assisting with day‑to‑day ward processes such as transport, supplies and equipment requests.
You will provide clerical support to the ward team, including handling correspondence, managing emails, photocopying and filing, and ensuring accurate and timely documentation. The role also involves liaising with relatives, particularly at sensitive times, so strong communication skills and empathy are essential.
We are looking for someone who is highly organised, confident using IT systems, and able to prioritise their workload. You should be calm under pressure, a strong team player and motivated to deliver a safe, professional and compassionate service that makes a real difference to patients and their families.
Working for our organisation
At Priscilla Bacon Lodge you’ll join a compassionate and supportive team dedicated to specialist palliative care, where teamwork, respect and kindness guide everything we do.
As a Ward Clerk you’ll play a vital role in supporting patients, families and staff with professional, welcoming administration, with strong leadership and encouragement to develop your skills.
Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust values flexibility, wellbeing and growth, offering NHS benefits, generous leave and learning opportunities — all while making a real difference every day.
Find out more about working for our organisation here:
Please note, the selection processes at Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right values and skills, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain watchful of candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn’t accurately reflect their skills.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
As Ward Clerk / Receptionist at Priscilla Bacon Lodge you will play an important role in supporting the smooth running of our specialist palliative care inpatient unit. You will be the first point of contact for patients, relatives, carers, visitors and professionals, providing a warm welcome and ensuring that enquiries are handled with professionalism, tact and compassion.
You will be responsible for a wide range of administrative and clerical duties, including managing patient records, booking admissions, transfers and discharges, and maintaining accurate documentation. You will also support the ward team with day‑to‑day processes such as arranging transport, coordinating supplies, handling correspondence, and maintaining filing systems.
The role requires close working with consultants, doctors, nurses and wider multidisciplinary colleagues, as well as regular communication with patients and families. At times this will involve sensitive conversations, so the ability to remain calm, empathetic and professional is essential.
In addition to ward‑based responsibilities, you will contribute to the wider Community Operations Administration Services (COAS), supporting colleagues across inpatient and community services to ensure safe, efficient and high‑quality care.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Numerate and literate, with GCSE Maths and English (Grade C or above) or equivalent.
* NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration, or equivalent experience
Experience
* Proven experience of working in busy office environment.
* Proven experience of working as part of a team.
* Knowledge and understanding of computerised patient’s administration systems e.g. SystmOne, PAS
* NHS medical terminology.
* Knowledge of NHS ordering systems.
Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
* Comprehensive working knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Word, Excel and Outlook.
* Good organisational and communications skills.
* Proven ability to work on own initiative, without direct supervision, prioritising and managing own workload.
* Articulate, calm, polite and well‑motivated with a positive attitude to customer care.
* Customer care skills.
Communication
* Able to communicate effectively using the English Language in both written and verbal forms.
Personal and People Development
* Enthusiastic and motivated.
* Committed to providing the best possible service to patients.
* Tact and diplomacy.
* Team player.
Personal Attributes / Behaviours
* Able to identify with the Trust’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults.
Other
* Flexible attitude and approach to work to meet patient/service needs.
* Able to make own transport arrangements to meet the needs of the service.
Equal Opportunities– We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race or religion. Additionally, people with disabilities that fall under the Disability Confident Scheme will be offered an interview providing they meet the minimum criteria for the post (outlined in the Person Specification). All sites are Smoke Free.
If you need this application in an offline format, please let us know.
Immigration Status - Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust is a diverse employer and welcomes all job applications. However, potential applicants should note that although the Trust is registered with the Home Office as a sponsor organisation for migrant workers, sponsorship can only be offered against Skilled Worker visas. If you are an applicant from outside the UK and do not already hold a self‑generated right to work, we recommend you check the Home Office eligibility requirements before making an application.
Please note: Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for some job roles, and this will be identified through filtering questions at the start of any job application on the Trac recruitment system.
Redeployment– Please note that in the first instance priority for this vacancy will be given to NCH&C staff who are on the Trusts Redeployment Register.
DBS– If this post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and you are not a current employee of Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust or being recruited as an Apprentice then the cost of the DBS check will be automatically removed from your first month’s salary. However if you are registered with the update service this may not be required.
Closing and Interview Dates–This vacancy may close early if sufficient applicants are received.
Data Protection– A privacy notice detailing how we will handle your data is attached to this advert as a document. Your application will be transferred to our recruitment management system (Trac) once the advert has closed and you will receive notification then detailing how Trac will handle your data.
On April 1st 2025, the Boards of Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust and Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust will come together to deliver services as a group, with a singular board operating across both organisations. Both trusts are high performing specialist community health and care providers working in the East of England. Both have a strong track record, with the highest ratings from the Care Quality Commission, best in class NHS staff survey outcomes, and a decade of experience in innovation and clinical development.
The group model provides health and care services to a population of 3.2 million in their homes and neighbourhoods. We provide care that supports people from the very beginning to the very end of their lives.
We will remain two separate employers until further notice, and this role being advertised will be employed by Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust.
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.
Name Lisa Rose
Job title Admin Service Manager
Email address lisa.rose@nchc.nhs.uk
Telephone number 07595 424115
I am available Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00. If I am unavailable or in meetings, please leave a message with your contact details and I will return your call as soon as possible.
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