Access Booking Officer

Access Booking Officer

The closing date is 25 January 2026

As an Access Booking Officer at MWL NHS Trust, you will play a vital role in ensuring patients are booked efficiently and appropriately for outpatient appointments and diagnostic procedures. Based within the Access Centre at Ormskirk District General Hospital, you'll be responsible for the day‑to‑day coordination of outpatient bookings.

You’ll work closely with team leaders and administrative teams to ensure that patients are scheduled according to clinical priority, waiting times, and procedural requirements. This role demands excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently in a fast‑paced environment.

Your contribution will directly support the Trust’s commitment to delivering Five Star Patient Care to a population of over 600,000 people across the Merseyside, West Lancashire, and surrounding areas.

• Administrative Support
  :
  General office duties include updating records, handling correspondence, and maintaining accurate data on the Hospital Patient Administrative System (Medway).
• Communication
  :
  Strong telephone and interpersonal skills are essential, as you will be in regular contact with patients and other departments.
• Independence and Initiative
  :
  The role requires someone who can work autonomously, manage time effectively, and adapt to changing priorities.

This position is typically based at Ormskirk District General Hospital and supports the Trust’s commitment to delivering Five Star Patient Care.

KEY DUTIES

• To provide a comprehensive inpatient and outpatient service to patients. The post will rotate through each of the areas within the access office to enable cover in all respects of the service.
• To be named contact point liaising with patients, relatives and/or carers as well as medical representatives, GPs, nursing staff, surgical team and support services to ensure the admission is appropriately planned and managed. This can be face to face, over the telephone, in writing or electronic.
• Accurate addition of patients to the waiting list ensuring any relevant notes recorded.
• To provide advice to patients with matters relating to their admission (pre and post operative guidance) and with regard to their position on the waiting list.
• To plan multiple theatre/procedure lists up to six weeks in advance, using clinical knowledge, medical terminology and information to meet the patients 18-week, diagnostic, cancer and/or 28-day rescheduling targets.
• Ensure that with effective planning and organisation the theatre/procedure lists are utilised to their maximum potential which requires taking in to account specific patient needs, cancelling/rescheduling patients, replacing short notice cancellations, liaising with the surgeon to ensure theatre list order considering all patient and theatre information.
• Responsible for communicating information and changes relating to elective admissions, theatre lists etc with regards intended procedures, specific kit requirements, specific anaesthetic input to relevant staff Trustwide.
• Ensuring where required appropriate funding is in place or authorised to allow the patient to proceed to admission.
• Identify, attempt to resolve and pre‑empt situations which may result in a breach of access targets. Regularly analyse waiting list information to ensure compliance with national waiting time standards and elevate in a timely manner any requirements for additional capacity to ensure patients are treated within waiting time standards.
• To work flexibly according to the needs of the service including covering for colleagues during periods of leave.
• Liase with Bed Manager in the case of patients being put on stand‑by or cancelled due to extraneous circumstances (i.e. bed unavailability.
• Ensure that all patients are placed on galaxy (theatre system) as soon as patients booking is confirmed.
• Ensure finalised theatre lists are forwarded to the respective secretaries for circulation allowing adequate preparation by theatres and sterile services in order to minimise cancellations (currently 48hours circulation)
• With knowledge and understanding of the…