Enhanced Care Support Specialist

The role of the Enhanced Care Support Specialist is to act as the first point of contact on behalf of the East Lancashire Diabetic Eye Screening Programme's patients.

They are directly responsible for the oversight of patient management from front-end registration to ensuring adequate call and recall targets are maintained by the creation and editing of clinical locations, database validation and cleansing, and to issue all communication in a timely fashion ensuring notification of information to patients and healthcare professionals are received.

• The creation, editing, and maintenance of clinical locations and the appointment schedule ensuring all eligible patients are offered annual screening as per national guidelines and guidance. This will involve the booking, rearrangement, and cancellation of appointments via telephone in accordance with programme requirements.
• Maintaining an up-to-date and accurate patient database by undertaking and participating in continual data validation through multiple levels of data analysis.
• Timely issuing of all accurate clinical data and screening results to patients and healthcare professionals adhering to national guidelines at all times, in a secure and auditable environment.
• Maintain and make available any and all policy documents, audit trails, and office legislative compliance documentation accessible for inspection at all times.
• Communicate with healthcare professionals, including ophthalmologists, optometrists, diabetic nurses, and GPs, to determine best levels of care and clinical decisions are followed for patients in line with guidance from the Administration Team Leader.
• Ensure all office stationery materials are kept stocked and raise any requirements to the Administration Team Leader for timely replenishment.
• Identify areas of underperformance or concerns within the programme on a clinical level and to communicate these to the Administration Team Leader and Programme Management.

The East Lancashire Diabetic Eye Screening Programme serves the needs of over 100,000 people with diabetes across the Lancashire area, screening from 34 community clinic locations which include long-stay custodial environments, GP-led health centres, and community hubs.

The Administration team is based at the Holden Centre in Barrowford and manages the call and recall of the diabetic population on an annual basis.

The East Lancashire Diabetic Eye Screening Programme is provided by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

Working with other administrators, you'll be mentored and supported by our established and experienced team, to ensure you understand and learn everything you need to deliver an exceptional service to our patients.

We want to make sure you are set for success; this isn't all about your skills, and that's why we would love to talk to you even if perhaps you don't fit all of the below.

• Customer-focused with brilliant interpersonal skills
• Willingness to learn
• Organized and able to prioritize tasks
• Good problem-solving skills
• Able to work under pressure
• Any previous experience working with the public is ideal either face-to-face or in a call centre environment
• Minimum of 2 GCSEs including grades A-C in English, Maths, and a Science subject or equivalent

1) Maintain an up-to-date and accurate database reflecting the diabetic retinal screening population of East Lancashire (people with diabetes aged 12 and over registered with an East Lancashire General Practice) such as will support an effective call/recall system. This will include:

1. New diagnoses
2. New registrations
3. Change of contact details
4. Change of GP
5. Deaths
6. Moves out of the area

Exclusions

1. Ensure that the database accurately reflects the eligibility for screening of the population.
2. Understand and apply appropriately exclusion criteria to the registered screening population:
3. A person with diabetes who has made his or her own informed choice that he or she no longer wishes to be invited for screening
4. A person with diabetes who is under the age of 12 years
5. A person with diabetes who does not have perception of light in either eye
6. A person with diabetes who is terminally ill
7. A person with diabetes has a physical or mental disability preventing either screening or treatment
8. Ensure that all decisions are appropriately authorized by the patient and/or consultant and/or GP.
9. Ensure that all decisions are accurately recorded on computer and paper systems and communicated appropriately to the patient and his/her GP.
10. Ensure that the appropriate information is enclosed with all patient communications.

Call/recall

1. Understand and use the computer system appropriately to identify those patients to be called/recalled.
2. Ensure that all new diagnoses are offered an appointment within 3 months of diagnosis.

Suspensions

1. Understand and apply the criteria for suspension to the registered screening population.
2. Maintain systems (computerized and/or paper) to allow:
3. The identification of patients under the care of an ophthalmologist
4. Obtaining written instruction from the relevant ophthalmologist as to whether or not screening should be offered
5. The suspension from recall of those patients to whom screening should not be offered
6. An annual statement from the relevant consultant ophthalmologist confirming diabetic retinal screening and retinal status for those patients suspended from screening
7. The return to recall as instructed by the relevant ophthalmologist
8. Ensure that all decisions are accurately recorded on computer and paper systems and communicated appropriately to the patient, his/her consultant, and his/her GP.

Appointments

1. Understand factors influencing appointment preferences and attendance of the screening population. Understand how the allocation of appointments can support an effective diabetic retinal screening clinic.
2. Allocate and update appointments promptly and appropriately on computer and paper systems.
3. Manage workload to ensure that all appointments are sent out two weeks before the appointment date.
4. Ensure appropriate information is included with all appointments.

Results

1. Monitor the results print queues.
2. Print and send promptly all available results to the person screened, his/her GP, and (with appropriate consent) his/her diabetes and ophthalmology care providers.
3. Differentiate normal results, abnormal results, and referrals. Identify anomalies and pass them on for action.
4. Ensure the appropriate information is included with all patient communications.
5. Know and understand how the grading queues work. Know how to access clinical support. Expedite appropriately any delayed results.

Referrals

1. Be aware of and understand protocols and policies around referrals. Be aware of the potential consequences of delays and/or errors. Action referrals accurately, appropriately, and in a timely fashion.

Clerical

1. Deal with internal and external mail.
2. Maintain appropriate filing systems.
3. Maintain appropriate message and action logs.
4. Use telephones, PCs, printers, fax machines, folding/enveloping machines, and photocopiers as required.
5. Any other similarly graded clerical and administrative duties as required.

• COMMUNICATION:

Telephone support service

1. Know and understand:
2. The purpose of diabetic retinal screening
3. Who should/should not be offered diabetic retinal screening
4. What happens at a diabetic retinal screening appointment
5. Screening locations used and how to access them
6. Relevant travel and transport information
7. What happens to images after the screening appointment
8. How to use the computer system to ascertain the current status of a patient's images
9. What happens if a patient is referred to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
10. Whom to contact when and how for additional information/support (clinical and/or non-clinical) and to ensure that issues are appropriately actioned
11. Provide a reassuring, professional, and accurate telephone support, information, and appointment service to patients.
12. Maintain accurate and up-to-date message/action logs.

General

1. Function as an effective member of the multi-disciplinary East Lancashire Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme, contributing to the effective and timely flow of work and information.
2. Maintain good working relationships and effective communication with all Acute and Primary Care Trust clinical and non-clinical colleagues.
3. Communicate effectively with all people with diabetes, their partners in care, and the public in such a way as to promote a positive image of the East Lancashire Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme.
4. Encourage informed, regular participation in diabetic retinal screening by patients, relatives, and carers in accordance with their preferences, National Screening Programme requirements, and the needs of the service.
5. Attend and contribute to administration and multi-disciplinary team meetings as required.

• TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT:

1. Attend all mandatory training to achieve and/or maintain knowledge, skills, or competencies.
2. Undertake training in the use of PCs, laptops, and computer systems to support the administration of the Programme.

Undertake familiarisation with:

1. The diabetic retinal screening process
2. Diabetic retinal screening clinics
3. Diabetic retinal screening locations and how to access them
4. Undertake training in the use of the telephone system
5. Undertake training in the use of other office equipment.
6. Maintain a record of personal development using a professional profile and personal development plan. Participate in staff appraisal and ensure that set objectives are achieved.

• ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Stock control

1. Monitor and maintain appropriate levels of office supplies, completing accurate, appropriate, and timely requisitions, and presenting them for signature as appropriate.
2. Monitor and maintain appropriate levels of clinic supplies, completing accurate, appropriate, and timely requisitions, and presenting them for signature.

General

1. Be responsible for managing own time and priorities.
2. Be accountable for own decisions and actions.
3. Recognise when to seek further advice, and seek advice appropriately.
4. Complete promptly and accurately all paper and electronic records as required by protocols, policies, procedures, and guidelines. Document all decisions and actions to a standard that would be suitable for medico-legal scrutiny in accordance with professional and Trust standards.
5. Ensure appropriate, secure, and confidential capture, use, storage, and back-up of information within identified protocols. Comply with Confidentiality: NHS Code of Practice, the Data Protection Act (1998), Caldicott principles, and the Freedom of Information Act.
6. Ensure appropriate, safe, and secure use of the grading centre and its equipment.
7. Participate in the development of expertise within the Lancashire Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme.
8. Participate in internal and external audit and performance monitoring and quality assurance programmes.

• PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of and work within agreed policies, protocols, procedures, and guidelines identified as applying to the sphere of practice. Recognise and report where they are inadequate or unclear. Report promptly and appropriately within protocols any faults, problems, or concerns.
2. At all times promote the safety, privacy, and dignity of patients, recognise individual needs, and preserve confidentiality.