Booking Officer - Outpatient appointment department

Overview

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to care for the communities of West Essex, delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality services. We are part of the Neighbourhood Wavea national programme that’s changing how care is delivered by focusing on prevention, early support, and more joined-up services across health, social care, and the voluntary sector.

This means we’re working more closely with local partners to bring care closer to home and support people to live healthier, more independent lives.

We’re a supportive and inclusive organisation that values its people. We offer development opportunities, flexible working, and a strong focus on wellbeing. As a Disability Confident and equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.

Join us and help shape the future of care in West Essex.

• To provide a high level of Customer Service for patients requiring an Outpatient Appointment at The Princess Alexandra Hospital
• To provide a Patient’s Appointment Service that achieves all Key Performance Indicators to ensure provision of a high standard of Customer Care.
• To ensure that patients’ telephone calls are answered efficiently and effectively.
• To have confidence in communicating politely and efficiently with patients, relatives and other Trust Staff via the telephone.
• To maintain patient confidentiality at all times when communicating with patients via the telephone and to be aware of data protection
• To provide a reminder service for outpatient appointments contributing to the reduction of DNAs

• Ensure the accurate and confidential use of CERNER or any other electronic booking system to register patients new to the Trust ensuring that patient details are correct.
• To answer the phone and deal with appointment requests for designated speciality in a timely manner
• To follow Trust guidelines and policies to book patients’ appointments, working to achieve compliance with the 18 Week RTT Pathway and 2 Week Wait
• To maintain confidentiality and to be aware of data protection when entering patient details and episodes onto Cerner or any other electronic booking system.
• To actively work on ASI and AFB lists for the services and booking OPAS within the 18 weeks RTT and 2WW standards
• Escalate issues with booking, with clinics or software to team leads promptly
• To book appointments from message pools promptly and in line with target app date and escalate if not able
• To proactively monitor speciality clinics and utilise capacity by supporting with managing patients from the review list work flow
• To develop skills to be able to work on more than one electronic booking system, and cross cover specialities
• To ensure that confidentiality is maintained when speaking to patients on the telephone.
• To be able to work as part of a team and independently, having confidence in decision making and being self sufficient
• Communicate with patients and all members of the multidisciplinary team in a clear and concise confident manner
• To have difficult conversations with patients regarding the short notice clinic appointment cancellations, remaining professional and calm and escalate any challenges to team leads or operational manager
• To attempt to prevent PALS or complaints by escalating any patient concerns to the service teams
• To be able to work across numerous areas within OAD during a day, including phones, Message pool appointment requests, clinic cancellations and at times other urgent tasks that may arise and be confident in prioritisation
• To be diligent and organised in a fast paced environment
• To work collaboratively and take a bespoke approach to service support requirements where possible, to support the services in
• To answer the phone proactively and deal with appointment requests for designated speciality in a timely manner within the KPI of 5 minutes wait for call to be answered
• Be able to work as a 'Call centre' within a team of call centre bookers will be a large focus of this particular role within OAD and differs slightly from our current workforce, as we expand our team to focus on our patient contact. This will involve covering the phone lines daily with regular breaks. Requires a high level of concentration, diligence and professional and courteous phone manner.

Please see JD for more information. This post may involve some Saturday working in the future as our team adjust to the new and exciting vision of PAHT.