Request for Information

You may already have experience and knowledge of Subject Access Requests (SAR) and/or Freedom for Information (FOI)requests or Medical Records in a health care setting, although this is not essential as training will be provided by a very experience team.

We are looking to find a motivated and professional administrator who will undertake a supervisory position across the RFI workstream for both Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals.

Regular supervision and training will be provided and you will be encouraged to undertake any training relevant to your professional and personal development.

To take a supervisory role in the day-to-day running of the RFI team and supporting the RFI Team Leader to;
co-ordinate access requests for the Group, liaising with multiple stakeholders

communicate with consultants, their secretaries and all departments and wards across the Group on complex and sensitive situations or information, to ensure that requests are managed in a timely and effective manner.

supervise the RFI team and manage the daily activities of the access team ensuring the provision of on the job training to staff in the access office and ensuring access requests are processed in a timely manner in line with the Data Protection Act (DPA), Access To Health Records Act and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. Our mission is to provide safe, compassionate, and clinically excellent patient care, by being an outstanding employer for our people. We have entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Northampton General Hospital and have become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.

**Our Excellence Values**:
Compassion
Respect
Integrity
Courageous
Accountable

Kettering General Hospital is a defence positive trust, supporting veterans, reservists, spouses and their partners, and cadet armed forces volunteers, utilising their unique skills and experiences within the hospital workforce. We provide exceptional support to our employees who serve as reservists, ensuring they can balance their civilian and military responsibilities effectively.

To be competent in working on all types of request, across all areas of the RFI office, maintaining a high standard of work on requests assigned to you and others.

To be expert in the use of the patient administration system and all other core systems that hold medical records and the downloading of records appropriate to various requests

Taking the lead to learn and then support the access clerks with the use of new software programmes and processes.

Teach and support new starters to the team

Be the main point of contact for problems arising with access requests

Be responsible for the day to day running of access requests, ensuring that statutory deadlines are met. Including timetabling tasks as necessary

Process requests from all outside agencies including the police, courts, local authority safe-guarding team, solicitors, insurance companies, patients and relatives, the public, the DWP, Veteran’s Agency, the Coroner, the GMC and similar bodies, the Complaint’s Ombudsman, etc.

Deal with day-to-day queries regarding access to health records

Ensure all new SARs and FOI requests are managed in line with the DPA, GDPR, Access to Health Records Act and FOI Act, working to strict deadlines.

Co-ordinate and oversee the management of sensitive information being received by the team which includes various requests for information, working in an organised manner.

Communicate effectively with colleagues to ensure medical record requests are shared with and signed off by appropriate consultants, the Caldicott Guardian, litigation staff and Executives as necessary

To employ strong communication skills with patients, relatives and the public being able to answer complex queries and undertake complicated conversations in relation to access to health records, employing patience and understanding where there may be a language barrier, impairment, illness, bereavement, frustration or emotional distress.

Actively assist and take the lead in locating physical records that are needed for access requests, these may be stored in all areas of the Trust and must be retrieved and handled as necessary.

Providing advice and guidance to staff on the disclosure of information in accordance with current legislation with assistance from the RFI Team Leader Manager as necessary

Plan and organise the workload within the RFI Team to ensure timescales are met, prioritising the workload as demand changes

Provide records and information to patients and outside agencies as appropriate within the confines of data protection and confidentiality

Ensure all Freedom of Information (FOI) requests are logged, managed and responded to in accordance with the FOI Act 2000 and NGH/KGH internal processes.

Ensure the Disclosure log