Booking Officer for General Surgery

3 months ago

Yeovil, United Kingdom Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Full time

Job summary

To be part of a team responsible for the co-ordination and organisation of a comprehensive, patient-centred admission service ensuring continuity in achieving excellence in patient care within local and national time frames.

To liaise with co-workers and the Management Team to make decisions which lead to good booking practice and the provision of an excellent support mechanism for both patients and clinical teams.

Ensure admissions processes are followed and that waiting lists and theatre lists are managed efficiently and effectively.

Main duties of the job

Schedule patients into appropriate theatre lists, ensuring the surgeons requirements are followed, hospital systems are checked for essential booking information, there is a suitable anaesthetist, all equipment will be present and available, any special bed requests are ordered, and the order of the theatre list is suitable for the surgeon, along with managing the patients' social needs and availability.

Follow and implement waiting list policies, paying particular attention to the 18 week RTT national rules, clock rules for diagnostic tests and the Trust's Access Policy. Negotiate with patients when they wish to cancel admission dates so that they understand that any further cancellation or delay may result in their being removed from the waiting list following the Clinical Review process. Ensure information conveyed to the patient and Clinical Reviewer is clear and accurate so that a fair and appropriate decision can be made on the patient's future care.

Communicate effectively and in a timely fashion with patients/parents/carers as the need arises. Use reassurance and negotiation skills with tact on a daily basis over the telephone and face to face: patients are often very anxious at the prospect of admission to hospital for operations and procedures, so a calm and empathic approach is essential.

Overcoming barriers to understanding, either because there is a language difficulty or because the patient simply does not comprehend the nature and purpose of their admission.

About us

As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, fantastic pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will to experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan -- there is truly something for everyone

Job description

Job responsibilities