AGENDA FOR CHANGE
NHS JOB EVALUATION SCHEME
JOB DESCRIPTION TEMPLATE
Revised January 2010
JOB IDENTIFICATION
Job Title: NHS Highland Patient Booking Service Officer
Reports to (insert job title): NHS Highland Patient Booking Service Team Manager
Department, Ward or Section: NHS Highland Patient Booking Service
CHP, Directorate or Corporate Department: Clinical Services Directorate
Job Code: SS CLSS RAIG PABS 02
No of Job Holders: 30
Effective date of this job description: 25/01/2010
2. JOB PURPOSE
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To provide a high class service delivery to all patients utilising the NHS Highland Patient
Booking Service by answering the phone in a timely manner. Being empathetic to the
needs of the patients and by adding value to their expectations by providing appropriate
patient booking solutions.
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To provide a full efficient and effective patient booking service to support the delivery of
the clinical service to enable best utilisation of clinical time in connection with NHS
Highland appointment scheduling.
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To enter all patient data into the relevant systems to meet agreed targets, all entries
should be to a high degree of accuracy with no errors.
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To produce the relevant correspondence as agreed and issue any attachments as
determined by the organisation to a high quality to give excellent customer service.
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To meet all agreed service delivery levels and Key Performance indicators.
3. DIMENSIONS
The post holder is not directly supervised but is expected to be able to understand and follow all
processes and procedures following appropriate training and coaching.
The post will deliver bookings across all specialities provided for by the NHS Highland Patient Booking
Service and will be required to have a high knowledge of medical terminology to effectively communicate
to the wide range of patients using the service.
High level knowledge of National and NHS Highland Policies e.g. Equality and Diversity, New Ways,
Patient Access Policy, and how these affect the delivery of the service.
The Post Holder will not be expected to provide supervision and there is no budget responsibility
associated with this role.
The Post Holder needs a full understanding of the business rules agreed for each speciality to support
the service delivery, to ensure the patient has all relevant information made available to them as well as
the appropriate pharmaceuticals dispensed.
4. ORGANISATIONAL POSITION
Quality Coach
Manager
Quality Coach
5. ROLE OF DEPARTMENT OR SECTION
To provide a high quality, efficient and customer focussed service for all patients whether booking,
cancelling, re-arranging appointments across diagnostic, out –patients and in-patients for a range of
specialities across NHS Highland.
The NHS Highland Patient Booking Service will follow processes and procedures as set out in the NHS
Highland Patient Access Policy
The NHS Highland Patient Booking Service will be responsible for providing the expertise and leadership
to support the development of the service to bring in bookings of other services
The NHS Highland Patient Booking Service will provide advice and support across all elements of
booking in NHS Highland required to deliver high quality, efficient and customer focussed service.
The NHS Highland Patient Booking Service will collate and analyse all data to deliver a professional
service by understanding and meeting the needs of the patients and will have the desire and ability to
add value to patients whether accessing the Service by telephone, letter, e-mail etc.
The NHS Highland Patient Booking Service will support the maximisation of clinical capacity by meeting
agreed service delivery levels and Key Performance Indicators, and highlighting any shortfalls or
reduction in clinical capacity.
The NHS Highland Patient Booking Service will facilitate the best use of financial resource by delivering
a more predictable clinical capacity by reducing DNAs, cancellations and lost slots.
6. MAIN TASKS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Information Processing
All referrals to be collated and channelled to appropriate speciality for triage daily.
Following triage, data must be updated in an accurate and timely manner, while understanding the needs
of the clinic and the patient, to offer an appropriate booking.
All systems used by the Patient Booking Service Officer must be kept up to date. This updating must
follow agreed procedures and policies including triage process, patient management, patient slotting and
clinic management.
The Booking Officer will fully understand all the expected Service delivery Levels and targets for the
team, be motivated and have the desire to add value to patients while meeting all targets.
The Booking Officer will work to ensure all data and documentation is produced accurately, on time and
holds self accountable for achieving all targets and service levels e.g. 100% data input quality, calls
answered within set standard.
Works across a range of specialities and systems and ensures a broad knowledge while assisting other
team members as appropriate to achieve results and effective and efficient working practices.
Personal development
Works across several areas of expertise as required meeting the needs of the service and the patients of
NHS Highland and has the will to learn to do the job required.
Takes ownership of personal development plan to further own development and is open to learning
activities and coaching whilst demonstrating a keenness to increase skills and knowledge required.
Takes ownership and looks to solve issues to deliver the service by following appropriate practices and
procedures.
Maintains a high knowledge of medical terminology, conditions and contra-indications of medical
procedures carried out ensuring correct information is given to the patient, realising the limits of ones
own knowledge and understanding, including where and how to access advice should the need arise.
Understands the need for change and be open to help achieve implementation of change by accepting
updates to policies and procedures and working practice following appropriate coaching and training.
Understands the need to work as part of a multi-skilled team delivering on the needs of patients and
clinicians.
Continuous Business/Service Improvement
Meet all targets and Service Levels as agreed and works proactively to achieve success by following all
processes and procedures relevant to the role.
Presents a positive can do approach to all areas of the service, identifying any areas for improvement
and escalating to the appropriate person.
Evaluates own work and makes constructive comments on how to ensure smooth running of the service.
Active involvement in team meetings taking on others points of views and putting forward constructive
suggestions for the enhancement of the service.
Quality
The NHS Highland Patient Booking Officer is the first point of contact for patients accessing the service
and as such should show integrity in applying the most appropriate solution to the patients needs and will
understand how to provide outstanding customer service.
The Booking Officer must be aware of all legislation and policies and procedures for areas of work and
apply these in a consistent and efficient manner with minimum of errors.
All data entered into the systems must be to a very high standard and any outputs must also be checked
by the Booking Officer to ensure minimal errors.
The standard of quality the booking officer delivers will be monitored weekly to ensure no system errors
or contravention of government policy.
Health and Safety:
The Booking Officer should have an awareness of the Health and Safety Policy and report any issues to
the Team Manager or Service Manager that may put any part of the service at risk.
The Booking Officer must take personal responsibility for their own health and safety by understanding
their own role in reducing the risks they are exposed to.
Equality and Diversity:
The Booking Officer should have an awareness of the Equality and Diversity Policy for NHS Highland
and recognise and report behaviour that undermines the policy and the Service to the Team Manager or
Service Manager.
The Booking Officer has a personal responsibility to ensure they deliver on all aspects of the NHS
Highland Equality and Diversity Policies and Procedures.
Handling Prescription only Medicines:
The Booking Officer must have a good working knowledge of the Standard Operating Procedures to be
followed regarding the issuing of prescription only medicines by the NHS Highland Patient Booking
Service. The accuracy of dispensing of such will be monitored daily.
7. EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY USED
Computers
Printers
Fax Machine
Telephones
Document Scanners
Generic Office Equipment
Photocopier
8. SYSTEMS
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NHS Highland Booking Procedures and Systems
Radiology Information Systems
PAS Systems
Theatreman System
Patient Access Policy
Cancer Tracking Tool
Internet
E-Mail
SCI Gateway
9. ASSIGNMENT AND REVIEW OF WORK
The post holder is directly managed by the NHS Highland Patient Booking Service Team Manager and
work will be checked by the Team Manager and also the Quality Coach. The Team Manager and Quality
Coach will provide feedback as required and contribute to the post holder’s ongoing development.
10. DECISIONS AND JUDGEMENTS
The post holder is required to follow all processes, procedures and guidelines as agreed.
The post holder is required to make a personal evaluation of every patient calling in, to understand their
ability to communicate and understand information being relayed. Based on this analysis the post holder
will adjust their communication style to suit that particular circumstance.
The post holder must have the ability to recall information whilst communicating with the patient and
have a high ability to multi-task in this way, eg, talking to patient on the phone whilst accessing data on
the computer and accessing other forms of information.
11. MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB
Calls may come through in large volumes (ability to operate under pressure – calmly) and also times of
low volumes (ability to fill this time with other appropriate administrative tasks to support the delivery of
the service).
Patients may be distressed, worried anxious or angry – such situations require to be handled with tact
and diplomacy.
Re-scheduling for patient or clinicians at short notice with lack of available clinic capacity.
Working to very strict procedures and guidelines and having weekly assessment of performance.
12. COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Communication is a key skill for this role and requires the post holder to be able to communicate
effectively on the telephone and by letter.
It is also a key requirement that the post holder listens to the patient and is able to offer the best solution
for the individual.
All communication whether by phone, letter, e-mail etc must be of the highest standard particularly when
recording out comes and all entries must be accurate.
The post holder must be empathetic to the needs of the patient at all times and must ensure that
appropriate questioning skills are used and the post holder must always check understanding of the
patient and always try to minimise terminology used.
The post holder is part of a team delivering a high quality booking service to patients on behalf of a wide
range of Consultants and Service specialities.
13. PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB
Physical Skills:
Possess keyboard skills, requiring high accuracy and speed on a daily basis.
Good working knowledge of computer software packages.
Physical Demands:
80% of work is computer based therefore sitting in a restricted position for this proportion of duties.
Lifting, filing or transporting files/packets.
Walking as per collection of requests from various sources or other duties within hospital.
Mental Demands:
Prolonged and intense concentration required when inputting data onto computer systems and dealing
with enquiries
Prolonged and intense concentration for analyses, such as when checking details in connection with
examinations, appointments letters or ensuring that patients are given the correct fasting/preparation
instructions and/or any information leaflets or, copying, filing, photocopying, etc
Frequent interruptions which require the postholder to change from working on one task to another at the
request of a third party
Requirement to undertake several tasks simultaneously
Constant learning process due to frequently changing clinical booking guidelines.
Emotional Demands:
Exposure to clinical information which can be distressing
Daily/high volume communication with distressed and anxious patients and relatives whilst employing
skills of tact, diplomacy and discretion
Actively listening to callers
Working Conditions:
More or less continuous use of VDU.
Exposure to verbal abuse.
14. KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB
HNC or SVQIII in Office Administration, ECDL or equivalent experience
Relevant administration experience with a high level of office practice skills
Knowledge of a range of administrative procedures
Knowledge of medical terminology
Proficient in use of software systems
Advanced keyboard skills
Excellent organisational, prioritisation, communication and problem solving skills
Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills both face to face and via telephone or other medium
Self-motivated
Assertive, diplomatic and consultative
Adhere to Data Protection Act and Patient Confidentiality Policy
Understand the Freedom of Information Act
Adhere to Departmental and NHS Highland Policies e.g. Health & Safety, Sickness Absence and
Reporting Procedures and Fire Safety
Continue to undertake ongoing training as required in response to Organisational Policy and System
Developments
Empathetic nature
15. JOB DESCRIPTION AGREEMENT
I agree that the above Job Description is an accurate reflection of my
duties and responsibilities at the date of signing.
Job Holder’s Signature:
Date:
Manager’s Signature:
Date: