Job responsibilities
Organisational Management
The post holder will manage elective admissions for Consultants and Registrars adhering to defined polices and trust general polices. The post holder will implement change in their own area relation to the management of waiting lists, and be responsible for the management of admissions in line with clinical need and the Trust Access Policy and targets.
To be responsible for managing the Patient Target Lists (PTL) ensuring patients are dated within their waiting time breach target dates. To actively monitor and manage the pathway of patients in defined specialities referred to the trust within the relevant time scales. Responsible for assessing and planning the capacity of waiting lists and theatre list availability, to ensure maximise utilisation of list and to organise extra operating lists when appropriate.
To be fully conversant with 18 weeks RTT policy.
To be responsible for organising operation dates with patients in strict order of the waiting list, taking into account case mix, instrument availability, age, medication, surgeon, anaesthetist Instrument availability
To liaise with other admission co-ordinators regarding equipment i.e. whether other specialities are using certain lasers, microscopes which would inhibit the booking of certain procedures on other lists.
Responsible for identifying potential day case procedure that may have been presented to admission office as possible inpatient car. To work in conjunction with Clinicians to ensure that all theatre list are fully utilised.
Be responsible for organising operating lists for a selection of surgeons and to replace any cancellations with suitable replacements.
Responsible for managing cancelled operations, ensuring the government policy is strictly adhered to when rebooking patients, i.e. 28 days breaches.
To liaise with other admission co-ordinators to use any vacated operating lists to fully utilise theatre operating time to maintain financial balance.
To be aware of availability of staff and events that may impact on the patient pathway.
Responsible for notifying relevant departments when potential bottlenecks/ delays in patients pathway are going to have an effect on the probable operation date i.e. to actively monitor diagnostic delays which may result in a patient pathway breach situation
Responsible for ensuring that patients who have opted out of patient 18 weeks RTT pathway to have their reinstatement managed correctly, ensuring that patient is referred back to their GP.
The post holder may be required to supervise and mentor any junior staff within the Admissions Team.
In addition to own work load, the post holder will provide cover for colleagues in the team during annual leave, sick leave and during busy periods where there is an imbalance of work.
To liaise with the PCT Liaison office with regards to authorisation of TNNF patients ensuring that the department is aware of 18 weeks RTT breach dates, actively monitoring the outcomes of authorisation request and ensuring that patients are dated accordingly within their breach dates or removed from the waiting lists in a timely fashion should authorisation be refused by the PCT.
The post holder must have the ability to rearrange patient appointments at extremely short notice in the event of unexpected theatre changes i.e. surgeon, theatre staff or anaesthetist unavailable, equipment failure or emergency patient having to take theatre space therefore cancelling elective admissions. Extra theatre lists are sometimes to be booked at very short notice i.e. waiting list imitative lists or lists for other providers.
To be able to represent the admissions service at senior manager meetings e.g. Waiting List Meetings, Theatre Allocations Meeting.
Ensure patient choice policy is complied with and to avoid breach of government targets.
To be responsible for managing cancelled operations, ensuring government policy is followed when re-booking patients. Communication
Contact patients using persuasive and negotiating skills in order to agree a date for admission in accordance with the Patient Choice Policy.
Provide excellent communication and information for patients coming into hospital. Generate letters to patients explaining details of correct feeding instructions, information regarding medication, transport and send appropriate information leaflets.
Communicate with the Specialty Manager or Assistant Specialty Manager, Admissions Co-ordinators, Specialty Manager of the Day, Site Nurse Practitioner and Admissions Receptionist to ensure patients are admitted in a timely manner and to the correct ward.
Arrange pre-assessment appointments for patients & communicate with the preassessment teams regarding any changes to patients need or operating list, such as; Diabetic patient, Latex Allergies patient on aspirin and anti-coagulants medication etc.
Communicate regularly with patients; respond to telephone and face to face enquiries from patients and relatives using tact and diplomacy.
Analyse and resolve patient problems. To communicate with hospital staff, other NHS Trust and independent sector relating to admission enquiries.
The post holder must be prepared to telephone patients/consultants about contentious issues, such as operations cancelled or in the case of consultants, rearranging lists due to beds not available or breach issues.
All staff in the admissions department will be expected to inform the Specialty Manager and/or Assistant Specialty Manager of any problems relating to the department.
The Admissions Co-ordinator must discuss and agree with the Specialty Manager and/or Assistant Specialty Manager any changes they wish to make to their working practices. Management of information
The post holder must be fully conversant and competent in the features of patients administration system (Millenium) and fully understand the 18 week pathway process which supports all aspects of the management of the waiting lists.
The post holder must be conversant with government NHS guidelines in all aspects of waiting list policy and the Trusts financial constraints.
The post holder will expected to have full knowledge of the contents of the Patients Access Policy.
Responsible for data entry of waiting list cards onto the APAS system within 5 working days of receipt.
Responsible for intended procedure codes to be correctly entered onto the APAS as this ensures correct surgical instruments are available in theatres.
Responsible for all relevant patient information, clinical and non-clinical to be recorded correctly onto the APAS system and to seek advice and information when this is not evident.
Responsible for the quality and integrity of information concerning patients kept on Millenium. To respect confidentiality on any matter concerning a patient arising during the course of duty and not to disclose such information at any time to any unauthorised person.
Responsible for ensuring Admission team stationary is maintained and reordered as required.
Personal Management
The post holder will be expected to undergo further training when systems are updated and to implement changes into their own working system.
The Admission Co-ordinator will be expected to achieve certain objectives agreed with the Specialty Manager at an annual appraisal. Self-Management and Supervision of Others
To identify own training and developments needs and to undertake appropriate training/education as required.
Ability to prioritise and organise own workload and remain flexible in the day to day function of the department.
To be aware of own boundaries and seek advice from line manage when appropriate.
To be accountable for own actions in relation to day to day work without direct supervision.
Regularly provide support to new/inexperienced members of the team.
