Job summary
Would you like to join our Clinical Coding team as an Accredited Clinical Coder? Read on to learn more about this rewarding role and submit your application.
The Clinical Coding service is a part of the Digital Division of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group (UHN) and is responsible for extracting and codifying complex clinical information that describes a patient's diagnostic and procedural healthcare status within an episode of care in a timely manner.
The ability of the UHN Group to accurate record and codify its clinical activity is fundamental to understanding the quality of its clinical services. Our coded data is used by all parts of the Group's business to deliver trusted and high-quality services to patients.
Accredited Clinical Coders are a core component of the Clinical Coding service and have a crucial supporting role in the overall management of the Group as their output directly influences income through the NHS Payment Scheme.
Main duties of the job
As an Accredited Clinical Coder you will be responsible for codifying in a timely manner complex clinical activity according to all relevant National Clinical Coding Standards and Local Clinical Coding Policies.
You will be expected to evidence an expert grasp of National Clinical Coding Standards (evidenced by audit results, maintaining your professional Accredited Clinical Coder status and attending regular Clinical Coding Standards Refresher courses and other associated training).
You will assist the Clinical Coding Team Leads to support and mentor Associate Clinical Coders and to achieve the submission of codified data in a timely manner.
About us
In July 2021 we formed the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group, bringing together the constituent organisations of Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust.
Our Excellence Values: Compassion Respect Integrity Courageous Accountable Our service is led by an open, transparent and dedicated leadership team who are striving to create a productive and supportive work environment which delivers a high quality codified output to accurately describe our patient's healthcare status and needs.
- We support flexible working arrangements including remote working.
- You will be well rewarded for your work with an 11.25% Recruitment and Retention premium paid monthly (subject to annual review).
- You will be well supported to develop yourself professionally.
- You will be supported to become comfortable with working to an Agile framework as a member of the Digital Division.
- Your quality as a coder will be improved by a well-established Clinical Coding Quality Assurance function.
- You will be able to input meaningfully to the direction of travel and cultural development of our growing team.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Extract, analyse and codify complex clinical information describing a patients diagnostic and procedural healthcare status within an episode of care using ICD-10 and OPCS-4 classifications.
- Ensure codified data is of high quality and accurate i.e., in line with all relevant National Clinical Coding Standards and Local Clinical Coding Policies.
- Ensure codified data is entered into the Patient Administration System (PAS) in a timely manner i.e., within defined local and national timescales.
- Responsible for supporting the Clinical Coding Team Leader in the day to day planning, organisation and delivery of clinical coding, overseeing workload, as well as working with medical staff on issues of clinical coding in order to ensure accurate, complete and timely information.
- Where required work with other disciplines of staff who are necessary to the successful completion of accurate clinical coding i.e., clinicians and Senior Managers, providing and receiving complex information using persuasive skills as required.
- Communicate complex coding rules to a range of staff involved in the coding process; medical, clinical and administrative staff, Senior Managers and external agencies, e.g. Coroners Office as appropriate.
- Work with Health Intelligence colleagues to ensure high standards of data quality of various data items e.g., consultant, speciality, date of admission is achieved as evidenced by quality metrics such as the Data Quality Maturity Index (DQMI). Understand and adhere to the departments Clinical Coding Policy/Procedure document.
- With the support of the Clinical Coding Team Lead mentor Associate Clinical Coders. Take day to day responsibility on training and mentoring of new team members, or less experienced team members, guiding, motivating as appropriate and overseeing workload.
- Work with the Clinical Coding Team Leads to support the organisation of the submission of codified data against defined local and national timescales.
- Work with the Clinical Coding Automation Lead to support validating and training clinical coding automation solutions.
- Validate missing patient information; contact clinicians and clerical staff as appropriate to locate clinical records and missing patient information.
- To be regularly involved in complex departmental internal audits, actively leading workload consistency and accuracy checks, as required by senior team members.
- Support the Group in transformation and cost-improvement programmes that involve coded data as a mechanism for financial gains by critically examining working practices within the department to identify cost improvements and effective measures and support senior colleagues in the team in developing and implementing action plans.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Extract, analyse and codify complex clinical information describing a patients diagnostic and procedural healthcare status within an episode of care using ICD-10 and OPCS-4 classifications.
- Ensure codified data is of high quality and accurate i.e., in line with all relevant National Clinical Coding Standards and Local Clinical Coding Policies.
- Ensure codified data is entered into the Patient Administration System (PAS) in a timely manner i.e., within defined local and national timescales.
- Responsible for supporting the Clinical Coding Team Leader in the day to day planning, organisation and delivery of clinical coding, overseeing workload, as well as working with medical staff on issues of clinical coding in order to ensure accurate, complete and timely information.
- Where required work with other disciplines of staff who are necessary to the successful completion of accurate clinical coding i.e., clinicians and Senior Managers, providing and receiving complex information using persuasive skills as required.
- Communicate complex coding rules to a range of staff involved in the coding process; medical, clinical and administrative staff, Senior Managers and external agencies, e.g. Coroners Office as appropriate.
- Work with Health Intelligence colleagues to ensure high standards of data quality of various data items e.g., consultant, speciality, date of admission is achieved as evidenced by quality metrics such as the Data Quality Maturity Index (DQMI). Understand and adhere to the departments Clinical Coding Policy/Procedure document.
- With the support of the Clinical Coding Team Lead mentor Associate Clinical Coders. Take day to day responsibility on training and mentoring of new team members, or less experienced team members, guiding, motivating as appropriate and overseeing workload.
- Work with the Clinical Coding Team Leads to support the organisation of the submission of codified data against defined local and national timescales.
- Work with the Clinical Coding Automation Lead to support validating and training clinical coding automation solutions.
- Validate missing patient information; contact clinicians and clerical staff as appropriate to locate clinical records and missing patient information.
- To be regularly involved in complex departmental internal audits, actively leading workload consistency and accuracy checks, as required by senior team members.
- Support the Group in transformation and cost-improvement programmes that involve coded data as a mechanism for financial gains by critically examining working practices within the department to identify cost improvements and effective measures and support senior colleagues in the team in developing and implementing action plans.
Person Specification
Education, Training & Qualifications
Essential
- A minimum of 5 GCSEs including English and Maths at least Grade C/Grade 4 or equivalent qualification.
- National Clinical Coding Qualification and holds Accredited Clinical Coder status.
- Successful completion of a Clinical Coding Standards Refresher Course within the last 3 years.
Desirable
- A Level in a STEM subject at least Grade C or equivalent qualification.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Expert knowledge of National Clinical Coding Standards as evidenced by audit results and Accredited Clinical Coder status.
- Strong knowledge of human anatomy and physiology and medical terminology.
- Good level of knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office 365 suite.
- Administration and clerical experience in an office environment.
- Experience with accurate data entry.
- 2 years' experience of working in an Acute NHS Trust or equivalent knowledge.
- Experience with hospital and/or clinical information systems.
- Knowledge and experience with SNODMED-CT.
- Good understanding of the relationship between codified data and HRG allocation and the various uses of codified data across the NHS.
- Experience of mentoring colleagues.
Desirable
- Basic understanding of Agile Principles.
- Basic understanding of data and process automation concepts.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to work positively under time pressures.
- Ability to work to a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team.
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills both written and verbal. Ability to relate appropriately to various professional groups within the Trust to include clinicians, medical, management and administrative staff. Ability to relate appropriately with external agencies, e.g. Coroners office
- Ability to organise, plan and prioritise workload to ensure timescales are met.
- Ability to apply self-learning directive to maintain and develop own skills and knowledge.
- Fast and accurate keyboard skills with good IT skills.
- Knowledge of the importance of confidentiality, the Data Protection Act and Caldicott principles.
- Ability to maintain frequent prolonged concentration with a VDU.
- Capable of safely lifting and handling medical records.
Key Competencies/Personal Qualities & Attributes
Essential
- Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality, diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users.
- Adaptable to change.
- Willingness to undertake training to develop professionally.
- A keen interest in data quality.
- Capable of handling indirect exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances.
- Ability to travel between the Kettering and Northampton Hospital sites and other sites across the Group.
Person Specification
Education, Training & Qualifications
Essential
- A minimum of 5 GCSEs including English and Maths at least Grade C/Grade 4 or equivalent qualification.
- National Clinical Coding Qualification and holds Accredited Clinical Coder status.
- Successful completion of a Clinical Coding Standards Refresher Course within the last 3 years.
Desirable
- A Level in a STEM subject at least Grade C or equivalent qualification.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Expert knowledge of National Clinical Coding Standards as evidenced by audit results and Accredited Clinical Coder status.
- Strong knowledge of human anatomy and physiology and medical terminology.
- Good level of knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office 365 suite.
- Administration and clerical experience in an office environment.
- Experience with accurate data entry.
- 2 years' experience of working in an Acute NHS Trust or equivalent knowledge.
- Experience with hospital and/or clinical information systems.
- Knowledge and experience with SNODMED-CT.
- Good understanding of the relationship between codified data and HRG allocation and the various uses of codified data across the NHS.
- Experience of mentoring colleagues.
Desirable
- Basic understanding of Agile Principles.
- Basic understanding of data and process automation concepts.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to work positively under time pressures.
- Ability to work to a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team.
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills both written and verbal. Ability to relate appropriately to various professional groups within the Trust to include clinicians, medical, management and administrative staff. Ability to relate appropriately with external agencies, e.g. Coroners office
- Ability to organise, plan and prioritise workload to ensure timescales are met.
- Ability to apply self-learning directive to maintain and develop own skills and knowledge.
- Fast and accurate keyboard skills with good IT skills.
- Knowledge of the importance of confidentiality, the Data Protection Act and Caldicott principles.
- Ability to maintain frequent prolonged concentration with a VDU.
- Capable of safely lifting and handling medical records.
Key Competencies/Personal Qualities & Attributes
Essential
- Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality, diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users.
- Adaptable to change.
- Willingness to undertake training to develop professionally.
- A keen interest in data quality.
- Capable of handling indirect exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances.
- Ability to travel between the Kettering and Northampton Hospital sites and other sites across the Group.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
