Patient Access Co-ordinator

The Patient Access Co-ordinator will be the first point of contact for patients and service users providing an in depth knowledge of outpatient and inpatient scheduling procedures for their Dental speciality.

The Patient Access Co-ordinator will liaise closely with the Dental clinical team and speciality management teams to ensure patients receive timely and appropriate appointments according to their care pathway.

Depending on the requirements of the Dental speciality, the post holder will be required to rotate within the team, providing clinic reception cover, scheduling functions, general administrative support and telephone cover for their speciality. This will ensure that, at every contact with the Trust, patients are able to speak to staff who understand their scheduling needs and that clinical teams are always supported by knowledgeable administrative staff

Main Duties
- Drafting, editing and formatting patient clinic letters and sending correspondence to internal and external care providers in electronically and in writing.
- Act as the first point of call for all patient access queries to the Trust.
- On receipt of all new referral letters ensure that the vetting process has been followed in line with departmental guidelines.
- Be responsible for the scheduling of outpatient, elective admissions and all associated appointments according to clinical urgency and length of wait in accordance with departmental procedures and Trust Policies.
- Liaise with patients prior to their hospital visit to ensure that a mutually convenient date and time is agreed.
- Ensure that patients are appropriately reminded of their appointments. This may include sending reminder letters or contacting patients by telephone, up to seven days before their visit to re-confirm attendance in line with departmental protocols.
- Ensure that departmental standards are met for patients receiving notification or acknowledgement of their visit.
- Provide a courteous and efficient point of contact for patients both face to face and over the telephone.
- Ensure that each patient is treated as an individual and their individual needs are met (i.e: appropriate support is in place for their appointment, such as interpreting support).

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a full-time Patient Access Co-ordinator to join our team and provide a flexible, comprehensive, effective and confidential administrative/secretarial support to the Dental Department within Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital.

You will work alongside the existing administrative team members who provide a flexible administrative service to the Dental Department. The role will include drafting letters on EPR Lettermaker, data inputting/word processing together and booking outpatient appointments with a high level of communication in writing and in person.

You should have an approachable manner with a calm and unflappable nature to deal with a busy working environment as you will be the first point of contact for people wishing to access this specialist service.

You should be computer literate with a high level of word processing & desirable to have experience in using NHS computer IT systems and programmes. Excellent communication skills and good customer care skills would be advantageous to this role.

You will need to be well organised and have the ability to work as part of a team as well as being self-motivated and able to use your own initiative.
- Receive and re-route telephone calls appropriately and provide assistance and advice, using initiative when dealing with queries and referring to senior / relevant staff as necessary.
- Drafting, editing and formatting patient clinic letters and sending correspondence to internal and external care providers in electronically and in writing.
- Act as first point of contact with visitors to the department and respond to a wide variety of queries, often dealing with complex and sensitive issues, in a courteous and efficient manner, making referrals to senior staff as necessary.
- Receive and provide highly complex and sensitive information in a strictly confidential and professional
- Maintain effective information management systems, including databases and filing systems, ensuring both accessibility and confidentiality
- Responsible for adapting and maintaining information systems, comprising both paper-based and computerised documents ensuring accessibility and confidentiality of information. To include the use of databases.
- Undertake data entry where necessary and submit work to deadline.
- Establish and maintain accurate and efficient filing systems.
- Ensure the department is maintained and kept tidy at all times.
- Covering front desk duties as required.
- Reporting and monitoring any maintenance / facilities as appropriate.