Grade IV
Assistant Staff Officer – Assessment Secretary
&
Assistant Staff Officer – Unit Scheduler
National Screening Service
Job Specification & Terms and Conditions
Job Title and Grade
Grade IV Assistant Staff Officer
(i) Assessment Secretary
(ii) Unit Scheduler
Campaign Reference
Grade Code 0558
NRS03134
Closing Date
Tuesday 8 December 2015 at 12 noon
Proposed
Interview
Date (s)
Taking
up
Appointment
Organisational Area
Interviews will take place on Wednesday 16 December 2015
Location of Post
There are currently 4 Assessment Secretary posts to be filled:
 BreastCheck Eccles Unit, Eccles St. Dublin 7
 BreastCheck Merrion Unit, Merrion Rd, Dublin 4
 BreastCheck, Western Unit, Newcastle Road, Galway
 BreastCheck, Southern Unit, Infirmary Road, Cork
A start date will be indicated at job offer stage.
National Screening Service
There is currently 1 Unit Scheduler post to be filled in BreastCheck Eccles Unit, Eccles St.
Dublin 7
Informal Enquiries
Assessment Secretary Merrion Unit - Sinead Roche, Unit Manager.
sinead.rochemoore@breastcheck.ie . Phone: 01 2235826
Assessment Secretary &Unit Scheduler Eccles Unit - Linda Wilson, Unit Manager.
Linda.Wilson@screeningservice.ie Phone: 01 8826209
Assessment Secretary Western Unit -Jennifer Kelly, Unit Manager.
Jennifer.Kelly@screeningservice.ie Phone: 091 580609
Assessment Secretary Southern Unit -Belinda Carroll, Unit Manager.
Belinda.Carroll@screeningservice.ie Phone: 021 4649701
Details of Service
The service provides breast cancer screening as part of BreastCheck, the National Breast
Screening Programme at both static and mobile locations across the country.
BreastCheck aims to detect breast cancer at the earliest possible stage.
Women aged 50-64 years are invited to attend for screening mammography every 2 years.
The extension of the upper screening age of BreastCheck from 65 to 69 will commence at
the end of 2015 and will be rolled out over a period of 5 years.
Reporting
Relationship
Purpose of the Post
The post holder will report to the Unit Manager or other nominated supervisor.
Assessment Secretary
The main purpose of the Assessment Secretary role is to provide support at Assessment
and Results Clinics. This is an administration role requiring flexibility, multi-tasking,
accuracy and attention to detail.
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Unit Scheduler
The Unit Scheduler is responsible for co-ordinating the Unit’s screening workload and
ensuring the maximum usage of all available screening slots in the Unit’s static and mobile
screening locations by effective scheduling of client appointments, in line with client
availability and the resource availability within the unit.
With the expansion of the programme, the scheduler must co-ordinate the scheduling of
different categories of clients to be invited to the programme for subsequent rounds.
Principal Duties and
Responsibilities
1. Assessment Secretary
The position of Assessment Secretary encompasses both supervisory and administrative
responsibilities which include the following:
Administration:
 Ensure the efficient day-to-day administration of area of responsibility
 Co-ordination and preparation of Assessment and Results Clinic
 Minute taking and Committee/Meeting support
 Liaising and corresponding with BreastCheck Clients who are recalled and their
General Practitioners.
 Collation of datasheets in preparing assessment packs.
 Data entry of all data pertaining to procedures performed at Assessment.
 Running and validating of business objects QA reports post assessment
 Dictaphone typing of all correspondence to women and their General Practitioners
following assessment.
 Co-ordination and preparation of multidisciplinary case conference.
 Dealing with Client queries
 Performing duties in line with Standard Operating Procedures administration
functions
 Supporting other departments within the Unit
 Maintain such records appropriate to the post as may be required by the wider
team and management.
 Ensure that all enquiries related to his/her duties are dealt with effectively,
efficiently and within the set time frames.
 Provide administration support to other departments / Units under the control of
the NSS or in any outside institution with which the NSS has agreed to provide a
service.
 To perform such other duties appropriate to the post as may be assigned Unit
Manager/Supervisor
 Ensure deadlines are met and that service levels are maintained
 Ensure an even distribution of workload among team, taking into account absence
due to annual leave etc
 Support the preparation and issuing of office documentation (correspondence,
reports, etc) to the highest possible standard by monitoring and reviewing team
work to ensure quality and accuracy
 Use appropriate technology to ensure work is completed to a high standard
 Ensure that archives and records are accurate and readily available
 Maintain confidentiality of documentation, records, etc
 Ensure line management is kept informed of issues
 Ensure that the frontline of the service is kept informed and that their views are
communicated to middle management.
 Organise and attend meetings as required
 Take minutes at meetings and prepare for circulation following meeting
 Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste
initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service
2. Unit Scheduler
The position of Unit Scheduler encompasses both supervisory and administrative
responsibilities which include the following:
Administration:
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To prepare screening profiles for all screening locations and identify category of
clients to be invited.
Ascertain the number of women available for screening and accommodate special
needs clients where appropriate.
Generate and use appropriate Business Objects reporting tool as required
Co-ordinate the scheduling process for all categories of clients.
Monitoring all screening locations daily to ensure maximum usage of all screening
slots.
Completion of relevant paperwork.
Monitoring of the unit email mailbox and answering all email correspondence
where appropriate.
Maintain accurate information on the database and provide key statistics and
support to the Unit Manager.
Liaise with the Radiographic Services Manager and the Unit Manager in relation to
radiographer resources.
Liaise with courier companies in relation to collection and deliveries to mobile
units.
Provide support to Unit administrative and radiographic staff with any scheduling
related issues.
Assist and co-operate with developments and use of information technology
Provide administration support to other departments / Units under the control of
the NSS or in any outside institution with which the NSS has agreed to provide a
service.
Ensure the efficient day-to-day administration of area of responsibility
Ensure deadlines are met and that service levels are maintained
Ensure an even distribution of workload among team, taking into account absence
due to annual leave etc
Support the preparation and issuing of office documentation (correspondence,
reports, etc) to the highest possible standard by monitoring and reviewing team
work to ensure quality and accuracy
Use appropriate technology to ensure work is completed to a high standard
Ensure that archives and records are accurate and readily available
Maintain confidentiality of documentation, records, etc
Ensure line management is kept informed of issues
Ensure that the frontline of the service is kept informed and that their views are
communicated to middle management.
Organise and attend meetings as required
Take minutes at meetings and prepare for circulation following meeting
Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste
initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service
Duties & Responsibilities common to both Assessment Secretary & Unit Scheduler
Customer Service
 Promote and maintain a customer focused environment including monitoring
efficiency of service provided by the team and notifying supervisor of any
deficiencies
 Ensure that service users are treated with dignity and respect
 Act on feedback from service users/customers and report same to supervisor
Human Resources / Supervision of Staff
 Supervise and ensure the well-being of staff within own remit
 Ensure staff are providing a quality service and address any concerns
 Co-operate and work in harmony with other teams and disciplines
Service delivery and improvement
 Implement agreed changes to administration of the service
 Encourage and support staff through change processes
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Standards, policies, procedures & legislation
 Maintain own knowledge of relevant HSE policies, procedures, guidelines and
practices, to perform the role effectively and to ensure current work standards are
met by own team
 Maintain own knowledge of relevant regulations and legislation e.g. Financial
Regulations, Health & Safety Legislation, Employment Legislation, FOI Acts etc.
 Ensure consistent adherence to procedures within area of responsibility
 Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)
Standards and other standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards
for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare
Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc and comply with associated HSE
protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards
The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties
involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties
as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and
to contribute to the development of the post while in office.
Eligibility Criteria
Only current direct employees of the HSE and Tusla are eligible to apply at this time.
Qualifications and/ or
experience
Candidates must have at the latest date of application:  Satisfactory experience in an office of clerical officer under the HSE or TUSLA
Or
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Have obtained at least Grade D in five subjects including Mathematics and
English or Irish (or four subjects if Irish is included) from the approved list of
subjects in the Department of Education Leaving Certificate Examination
(Quality and Qualifications Ireland level 5)
And
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Have obtained at least Grade C in higher level papers in three subjects in that
examination (or two subjects if Irish or Mathematics or both Irish and
Mathematics are included);
Or
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Have obtained a comparable standard in any equivalent examination
Or
Hold a third level qualification of at least degree standard (QuaIity and
Qualifications Ireland level 7
Health
A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of
undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would
indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
Character
Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.
Age
Age restrictions shall only apply to a candidate where he/she is not classified as a new
entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation Act, 2004). A candidate
who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age on the first day of the
month in which the latest date for receiving completed application forms for the office
occurs.
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Post Specific
Requirements
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Skills, competencies
and/or knowledge
Significant experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team setting in a busy
clinic environment which has included the scheduling of appointments or coordination of Consultant led assessment clinics.
Experience of using Business Objects software
Professional Knowledge & Experience
Demonstrate:
 Knowledge of breast screening and the National Breast Screening Programme
 Excellent MS Office skills to include, Word, Excel
 Knowledge and experience of using an email system effectively e.g. Outlook, Lotus
Notes
 General knowledge of the health service and how it works
Communications & Interpersonal Skills
Demonstrate:
 Good communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to present
information in a clear and concise manner.
 Strong written communication skills.
Planning & Managing Resources
Demonstrate:
 Excellent planning and organisational skills including using computer technology
effectively.
 The ability to manage deadlines and effectively handle multiple tasks.
 The ability to manage within allocated resources and a capacity to respond to
changes in a plan.
Evaluating Information, Problem Solving & Decision Making
Demonstrate:
 Flexibility, problem solving and initiative skills including the ability to adapt to
change
 The ability to appropriately analyse and interpret information, develop solutions
and contribute to decisions quickly and accurately as appropriate.
 The ability to recognise when it is appropriate to refer decisions to a higher level of
management.
Team Working
Demonstrate:
 The ability to work as part of a team and to establish a good working relationship
with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
 The ability to work independently on own initiative and as part of a team.
 The capacity for management responsibility and initiative.
 Leadership potential and strong team skills
Commitment to a Quality Service
Demonstrate:
 Great attention to detail and high levels of accuracy
 Awareness and appreciation of the customer.
 A commitment to maintaining high work standards.
 A commitment to providing a quality service and customer service skills.
Campaign Specific
Selection Process
Ranking/Shortlisting /
Interview
A ranking and or shortlisting exercise may be carried out on the basis of information
supplied in your application form. The criteria for ranking and or shortlisting are based on
the requirements of the post as outlined in the eligibility criteria and skills, competencies
and/or knowledge section of this job specification. Therefore it is very important that you
think about your experience in light of those requirements.
Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not being
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called forward to the next stage of the selection process.
Those successful at the ranking stage of this process (where applied) will be placed on an
order of merit and will be called to interview in ‘bands’ depending on the service needs of
the organisation.
Code of Practice
The Health Service Executive will run this campaign in compliance with the Code of
Practice prepared by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). The Code
of Practice sets out how the core principles of probity, merit, equity and fairness might be
applied on a principle basis. The Code also specifies the responsibilities placed on
candidates, facilities for feedback to applicants on matters relating to their application
when requested, and outlines procedures in relation to requests for a review of the
recruitment and selection process and review in relation to allegations of a breach of the
Code of Practice. Additional information on the HSE’s review process is available in the
document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, Information for
Candidates”.
Codes of practice are published by the CPSA and are available on
www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of
Practice, Information for Candidates” or on www.cpsa.ie.
The reform programme outlined for the Health Services may impact on this role and as structures change the job
description may be reviewed.
This job description is a guide to the general range of duties assigned to the post holder. It is intended to be neither
definitive nor restrictive and is subject to periodic review with the employee concerned.
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Grade IV Assessment Secretary & Grade IV Unit Scheduler
National Screening Service
Terms and Conditions of Employment
Tenure
The current vacancies are permanent and whole time. There are currently four
Assessment Secretary posts to be filled and one Unit Scheduler post.
The post is pensionable. A panel may be created from which permanent and specified
purpose vacancies of full or part time duration may be filled. The tenure of these posts
will be indicated at “expression of interest” stage.
Appointment as an employee of the Health Service Executive is governed by the
Health Act 2004 and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointment)
Act 2004.
Remuneration
The Salary scale for the post is: €25,497,€27,312, €28,330, €30,346, €32,378,
€33,891, €35,354, €37,329, €38,764, €40,209, 41,547 LSI, 42,891 LSI (1/11/2013)
Working Week
The standard working week applying to the post is 37 hours.
HSE Circular 003-2009 “Matching Working Patterns to Service Needs (Extended
Working Day / Week Arrangements); Framework for Implementation of Clause 30.4
of Towards 2016” applies. Under the terms of this circular, all new entrants and staff
appointed to promotional posts from Dec 16th 2008 will be required to work agreed
roster / on call arrangements as advised by their line manager. Contracted hours of
work are liable to change between the hours of 8am-8pm over seven days to meet
the requirements for extended day services in accordance with the terms of the
Framework Agreement (Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016).
Annual Leave
The annual leave associated with the post will be confirmed at contracting stage.
Superannuation
This is a pensionable position with the HSE. The successful candidate will upon
appointment become a member of the appropriate pension scheme. Pension
scheme membership will be notified within the contract of employment. Members of
pre-existing pension schemes who transferred to the HSE on the 01 st January 2005
pursuant to Section 60 of the Health Act 2004 are entitled to superannuation benefit
terms under the HSE Scheme which are no less favourable to those which they
were entitled to at 31st December 2004
Probation
Every appointment of a person who is not already a permanent officer of the Health
Service Executive or Tusla shall be subject to a probationary period of 12 months as
stipulated in the Department of Health Circular No.10/71.
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