Clinical Coding Auditor

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the dynamicClinical Coding Team at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals, as a Clinical CodingAuditor on a 30 hours a week part-time basis.

We are a forward thinking department that looks at innovative ways of working. aiming towards the progression and modernisation of the coding auditing process.

Offering a supportive working environment which fosters personal development and collaborative woring with all areas o the wider organisation.

Main duties of the job

Duties include:

Managing systems that support the validation process. Undertaking individual (team) audits. Undertaking adhoc speciality audits. encourage clinical and Divisional engagement in audit process and findings. Review of data quality surrounding clinical coding Provide feedback and support to the the team and clinical staff around the coding process, utilising the tools available. Responsible for disseminating new national standards and developing local policies as required. Work closely with colleagues in information and commissioning to pinpoint areas for audit, to support financial recover of the Trust.

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:

Best services for local people Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients Best use of resources Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose:

Thepost holder will take the lead role for internal Clinical Coding audit, toensure the Trust meets national standards for Clinical Coding and adheres tothe Clinical Coding audit policy.

In conjunctionwith the Clinical Coding Manager will develop and implement an ongoing programmeof Clinical Coding audits and training throughout the Trust to continuouslyimprove data quality and secure Trust income under Payment by Results.

Willact as Lead Clinical Coder and will assist all coders with complex codingqueries and provide expert advice in other departments on coding issues.

Willbe responsible for the monitoring and ensuring the completion of the TrustsClinical Coding backlog

Thepost holder will deputise for the Clinical Coding Manager.

Responsibilities:

Main duties

1.Tocarry out internal audit work on the Trusts Clinical Coding in accordance toClinical Coding audit policy and procedures. Adhering to national standards inClinical Coding using the International Classification of Diseases ICD-10volumes 1-3 and operative procedures in accordance to the Office of PopulationCensus OPCS-4.

2.Prepareand present both coding and clinical audit reports, ensure close working andengagement for the clinical coding data validation process

3.Toensure continual improvement of clinical coded information within the Trustthrough systemic audit and quality assurance procedures, in compliance withnational standards, classification rules and conventions.

4.Anytraining issues identified in audit to be addressed promptly

5.Toliaise with Clinicians and Directorates as a coding specialist and tocommunicate complex coding rules to medical, clinical and administrative staffin order to establish the accurate diagnosis and procedure codes for eachspeciality.

6.Toplan and organise both short and long term strategic objectives for clinicalcoding to enable the Trust respond successfully to changing internal andexternal demands

7.Tofacilitate and support the Clinical Coding team so as to input onto thehospital patient administration system is accurate and complete codedinformation within the designated timescales in order to support theinformation requirements and commissioning of the Trust

8.To beresponsible for managing and responding to all coding queries raised by codersand Trust staff.

9.Toconduct regular meetings with Clinical coding Manager, Data Quality Manager todevelop and implement action plans arising from internal and external reviews,audits, validation exercises, Data Set Change Notices (DSCNs) and otherrelated activities/requirements.

10. To assist with yearly external audit which isan essential requirement of the NHS Connecting for Health Data QualityFramework.

11. Deputise for Clinical Coding Manager whenevernecessary.

Compliance

Daily Operations/Planning

Torecord data in manual and computerised systems in accordance with agreedpolicies and procedures

Toadhere to Trust policies regarding confidentiality and information security

Tocarry out any other duties commensurate with the grade of this job.

Theduties defined in this job description are not definitive and may be subject tofuture amendments following appropriate consultation

Standard Clauses:

The purpose of this post should remainconstant, but the duties and responsibilities may vary over time within theoverall role and level of the post. The post holder may from time to time beasked to undertake other reasonable duties. Any such changes will be made indiscussion with the post holder in the light of service needs.

Competence:

The post holder is responsible forlimiting his/her actions to those which s/he feels competent to undertake. Ifthe post holder has any doubts as to his or her competence during the course ofhis/her duties then s/he should immediately speak to their line manager orsupervisor.

Codes of conduct:

All employees of the Trust who arerequired to be registered with a professional body, to enable them to practisewithin their profession, are required to comply with their code of conduct andrequirements of their professional registration. Staffs that are not requiredto be registered with a professional body are required to comply with theTrusts codes of conduct.

Confidentiality:

The post holder must maintainconfidentiality, security and integrity of information relating to patients,staff and other Health Service business.

Records Management:

All employees of the Trust are legallyresponsible for all records that they gather, create or use as part of theirwork within the Trust (including patient, financial, personnel andadministrative), whether paper or computer based. All such records areconsidered public records and all employees have a legal duty of confidence toservice users. Employees should consult their manager if they have any doubt asto the correct management of records with which they work.

Health and Safety:

Employees must be aware of theresponsibilities placed on them under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)and the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992) and all relevant TrustHealth and Safety Policies and Guidance. This ensures that the agreed safetyprocedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for employees,patients and visitors to the Trust.

Infection Control:

Employees must accept personalresponsibility and accountability for Infection Prevention and Controlpractice. Employees should ensure they are familiar with, and comply with, allrelevant Infection Control policies for minimising the risk of avoidableHealth Care Associated Infection. All Employees must undertake annualmandatory updates in Infection Control.

Non Smoking Policy:

TheTrusts approach to smoking is in line with the governments on-goinginitiatives for an eventual smoke-free environment. It aims to adhere tothe Worcestershire Health Community Campaign to help Worcestershire stopsmoking.

A nosmoking environment policy exists within all Trust premises including entrancesand exits to hospital buildings and on other Trust property (with the exceptionof staff resident in staffresidences, as these are the homes of staff).In June 2014 a ban was implanted which meant staff, contractors and volunteerswere no longer permitted to smoke in any of the hospital grounds, including carparks.

Furtherto this, The Alexandra, Kidderminster and Worcestershire Royal Hospitals, haveall become smoke free to all patients and visitors as of 17 June 2015. This means that, as well as staff, members ofthe public, patients and visitors are not allowed to smoke in any of the acutehospital grounds, including car parks.

Risk Management:

It is a standard element of the roleand responsibility of all employees of the Trust that they fulfil a proactiverole towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails therisk assessment of all situations, taking appropriate actions, and reporting allincidents, near misses, and hazards promptly. It is a contractual obligationthat all employees must co-operate with any investigations undertaken.

Children and vulnerableadults:

You have a responsibility for promotingand safeguarding the welfare of the children/young people/vulnerable adultsthat you come into contact with or are responsible for in your job role andsphere of competence.

Disclosure and BarringService:

The Trust aims to promote equality ofopportunity for all, with the right mix of talent, skills and potential.Criminal records will be taken into account for recruitment purposes, only whenthe conviction is relevant. As the Trust meets the requirements in respect ofexempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, allapplicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal recordcheck from the

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