Accredited Clinical Coder

The Clinical Coding service is a part of the Digital Division of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group (UHN) and is responsible for extracting and codifying complex clinical information that describes a patient's diagnostic and procedural healthcare status within an episode of care in a timely manner.
The ability of the UHN Group to accurate record and codify its clinical activity is fundamental to understanding the quality of its clinical services. Our coded data is used by all parts of the Group's business to deliver trusted and high-quality services to patients.
Accredited Clinical Coders are a core component of the Clinical Coding service and have a crucial supporting role in the overall management of the Group as their output directly influences income through the NHS Payment Scheme.
As an Accredited Clinical Coder you will be responsible for codifying in a timely manner complex clinical activity according to all relevant National Clinical Coding Standards and Local Clinical Coding Policies.
You will be expected to evidence an expert grasp of National Clinical Coding Standards (evidenced by audit results, maintaining your professional Accredited Clinical Coder status and attending regular Clinical Coding Standards Refresher courses and other associated training).
You will assist the Clinical Coding Team Leads to support and mentor Associate Clinical Coders and to achieve the submission of codified data in a timely manner.
Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values
Compassion
Accountability
Respect
Integrity
Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.
We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.
We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.
Main Duties
Extract, analyse and codify complex clinical information describing a patient’s diagnostic and procedural healthcare status within an episode of care using ICD-10 and OPCS-4 classifications.
Ensure codified data is of high quality and accurate i.e., in line with all relevant National Clinical Coding Standards and Local Clinical Ensure codified data is entered into the Patient Administration System (PAS) in a timely manner i.e., within defined local and national timescales.
Responsible for supporting the Clinical Coding Team Leader in the day to day planning, organisation and delivery of clinical coding, overseeing workload, as well as working with medical staff on issues of clinical coding in order to ensure accurate, complete and timely information
Where required work with other disciplines of staff who are necessary to the successful completion of accurate clinical coding i.e., clinicians and Senior Managers, providing and receiving complex information using persuasive skills as required.
Communicate complex coding rules to a range of staff involved in the coding process; medical, clinical and administrative staff, Senior Managers and external agencies, e.g. Coroner’s Office as appropriate.
Work with Health Intelligence colleagues to ensure high standards of data quality of various data items e.g., consultant, speciality, date of admission is achieved as evidenced by quality metrics such as the Data Quality Maturity Index (DQMI).Understand and adhere to the department’s Clinical Coding
Policy/Procedure document.
With the support of the Clinical Coding Team Lead mentor Associate Clinical Coders. Take day to day responsibility on training and mentoring of new team members, or less experienced team members, guiding, motivating as appropriate and overseeing workload.
Work with the Clinical Coding Team Leads to support the organisation of the submission of codified data against defined local and national timescales.
Work with the Clinical Coding Automation Lead to support validating and training clinical coding automation solutions.
Validate missing patient information; contact clinicians and clerical staff as appropriate to locate clinical records and missing patient information.
To be regularly involved in complex departmental internal audits, actively leading workload consistency and accuracy checks, as require