Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for the position of a scheduler in the proton beam therapy (PBT) team. The scheduler's primary responsibility is to facilitate the booking of complex proton pathways and all relevant patient appointments within the proton therapy centre. The scheduler acts as a team leader for the day to day management of the band 3 clinical support workers (CSW) and band 2 receptionists.
The post holder will need to have a flexible attitude to work with the ability to adapt to various duties when the service requires and will also need to demonstrate a willingness to work various shift patterns to suit the service.
Fixed term of 12 months starting March 2025.
34 hours over 4 days, Monday as day off. Covering a range of shifts. Examples include 7am-4pm, 8am-5pm or 9am-6pm. Occasional weekend work.
Flexible working of the hours will be considered. Please contact to discuss or for further information.
Main duties of the job
The post holder is a core member of the bookings team and should be able to work using their own initiative dealing with a variety of scheduling issues and tasks, often under time constraints and will need the ability to cope well under pressure. Applicants should have excellent IT skills as the post requires knowledge and understanding of numerous computer systems including Careflow, Oncology Management Systems (Aria and Mosaiq) and Christie clinical Web Portal.
This post holder will attend multi-disciplinary team meetings and liaise with external businesses, the individual will require excellent communication skills, to work alongside a diverse range of professionals within the department and across The Christie network.
They will be required to provide support to other scheduling team members and leadership assisting in the management of CSW and receptionist teams including performance development reviews, absence monitoring, training and mentorship.
Applicants should be highly motivated, organised, methodical, proactive and able to work independently and also as part of a close-knit, friendly team.
About us
The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
The Christie Proton Beam Therapy centre is part of a national service for NHS England, in collaboration with University College London Hospital (UCLH). The Christie Proton Beam Therapy centre is one of the two high-energy NHS proton centres currently in the UK offering proton therapy to patients that would previously have travelled abroad for treatment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Communication Skills
- Communicates with a variety of staff including radiographers, nurses, theatre practitioners, doctors and clinical support workers to ensure timely and accurate appointment scheduling
- Communication non-clinical advice with patients and carers regarding appointments
- Provides and receives complex information and uses persuasive and empathetic skills to resolve issues relating to service issues as well as patient matters
- Liaises with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure that adequate information and support is available to patients
- Liaises between all Christie radiotherapy centres, internal and external stakeholders such as Royal Manchester Childrens Hospital, as appropriate
- Contact patients by phone regarding appointments
Knowledge, training and Experience
- Data input, including new patient registration
- Uses knowledge of Integrated Clinical Information system for case note tracking and collating of data for referrals
- Plans workload and ensures all bookings are processed. Requires adjustment of plans in response to demand and changed circumstances
- Required to create reports from booking system as appropriate
- Books patient transport and accommodation where applicable and deals with transport queries
- Uses knowledge and experience of services and the department oncology management system to ensure the appropriate allocation of resources in order to manage capacity on treatment machines and within the department
- Complies with policies, procedures, rules, regulations and departmental protocols
Personal Skills
- Liaises with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure that adequate information and support is available to patients and staff
Planning and Organisation
- Plan and manage their workload, prioritising as and when appropriate
- Triage and manage booking forms and key worker forms for both simple and complex booking and scheduling of planning and other appointments across range of disease sites
- Use both oncology management systems and Medway to ensure all appointments are recorded on correct system
- Ensure all referrals are appropriately recorded on appropriately
- Assessment of data and quality reports in order to ensure all referrals are appropriately recorded in Medway and any irregularities are appropriately managed
- Ensuring accurate recording of treatment and planning data
Responsibilities
- Support and deputise for radiotherapy admin manager
- Management of Band 3 support workers including performance development reviews, absence monitoring, training and mentorship
- Contribute to service development and improving practices and implements policy in own
- Clerical support for all clinics in the proton centre, including AHP services
- Cover the reception desk as needed, answering internal or external telephone calls
- Maintain accurate patient details in the Christie patient systems, following the correct procedures for recording of information to ensure information are up to date for future reference and complies with the data protection act
- Provide continuity of support during the absence of other clinical support workers
- Provide continuity of support within the Proton Beam Therapy scheduling team
- Error reporting for designated area
- To handle calls from anxious patients and relatives using skill and discretion; to take message for clinical staff and give appropriate non-clinical information
- Ensures that is patient or carer relays information that requires action by a health professional that this is relayed timely to the appropriate team or person
Human Resources Responsibilities
- Line management of radiotherapy clinical support workers and receptionists within their designated area
- Recruitment and selection of band 3 clinical support workers and band 2 receptionists
- Participate in induction and monitoring of probation period of new staff
Freedom to Act
- Works within standard operating procedures, local practices and policies. Works independently with supervision rather than being directly managed
Effort
- Physical effort: Patient transfer and manual handling tasks as required
- Mental effort: may be frequent interruptions to flow of work e.g. telephones to answer.
- Emotional effort; type of clinical information, particular for children and younger patients may be distressing
Working conditions
- Lengthy times at VDU
- Working hours must be flexible to the needs of the service, this may include working weekends
- May be expected to participate in all shift patterns
Teaching/Training
- Attends all relevant mandatory training courses
- Maintains own personal development
- Participate in relevant training, meetings and work at The Christie Withington site and other satellites within the network as required
- Assists in the training and/or orientation of clinical support worker, receptionist and any other students
- Ensure identification and access to appropriate training for clinical support workers and receptionists
- Assessment of training needs of clinical support workers and receptionists
Job description
Job responsibilities
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Communication Skills
- Communicates with a variety of staff including radiographers, nurses, theatre practitioners, doctors and clinical support workers to ensure timely and accurate appointment scheduling
- Communication non-clinical advice with patients and carers regarding appointments
- Provides and receives complex information and uses persuasive and empathetic skills to resolve issues relating to service issues as well as patient matters
- Liaises with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure that adequate information and support is available to patients
- Liaises between all Christie radiotherapy centres, internal and external stakeholders such as Royal Manchester Childrens Hospital, as appropriate
- Contact patients by phone regarding appointments
Knowledge, training and Experience
- Data input, including new patient registration
- Uses knowledge of Integrated Clinical Information system for case note tracking and collating of data for referrals
- Plans workload and ensures all bookings are processed. Requires adjustment of plans in response to demand and changed circumstances
- Required to create reports from booking system as appropriate
- Books patient transport and accommodation where applicable and deals with transport queries
- Uses knowledge and experience of services and the department oncology management system to ensure the appropriate allocation of resources in order to manage capacity on treatment machines and within the department
- Complies with policies, procedures, rules, regulations and departmental protocols
Personal Skills
- Liaises with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure that adequate information and support is available to patients and staff
Planning and Organisation
- Plan and manage their workload, prioritising as and when appropriate
- Triage and manage booking forms and key worker forms for both simple and complex booking and scheduling of planning and other appointments across range of disease sites
- Use both oncology management systems and Medway to ensure all appointments are recorded on correct system
- Ensure all referrals are appropriately recorded on appropriately
- Assessment of data and quality reports in order to ensure all referrals are appropriately recorded in Medway and any irregularities are appropriately managed
- Ensuring accurate recording of treatment and planning data
Responsibilities
- Support and deputise for radiotherapy admin manager
- Management of Band 3 support workers including performance development reviews, absence monitoring, training and mentorship
- Contribute to service development and improving practices and implements policy in own
- Clerical support for all clinics in the proton centre, including AHP services
- Cover the reception desk as needed, answering internal or external telephone calls
- Maintain accurate patient details in the Christie patient systems, following the correct procedures for recording of information to ensure information are up to date for future reference and complies with the data protection act
- Provide continuity of support during the absence of other clinical support workers
- Provide continuity of support within the Proton Beam Therapy scheduling team
- Error reporting for designated area
- To handle calls from anxious patients and relatives using skill and discretion; to take message for clinical staff and give appropriate non-clinical information
- Ensures that is patient or carer relays information that requires action by a health professional that this is relayed timely to the appropriate team or person
Human Resources Responsibilities
- Line management of radiotherapy clinical support workers and receptionists within their designated area
- Recruitment and selection of band 3 clinical support workers and band 2 receptionists
- Participate in induction and monitoring of probation period of new staff
Freedom to Act
- Works within standard operating procedures, local practices and policies. Works independently with supervision rather than being directly managed
Effort
- Physical effort: Patient transfer and manual handling tasks as required
- Mental effort: may be frequent interruptions to flow of work e.g. telephones to answer.
- Emotional effort; type of clinical information, particular for children and younger patients may be distressing
Working conditions
- Lengthy times at VDU
- Working hours must be flexible to the needs of the service, this may include working weekends
- May be expected to participate in all shift patterns
Teaching/Training
- Attends all relevant mandatory training courses
- Maintains own personal development
- Participate in relevant training, meetings and work at The Christie Withington site and other satellites within the network as required
- Assists in the training and/or orientation of clinical support worker, receptionist and any other students
- Ensure identification and access to appropriate training for clinical support workers and receptionists
- Assessment of training needs of clinical support workers and receptionists
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational healthcare Qualification at level 3 or willingness to work towards
- Apprenticeships will be candidate specific based on skills and qualifications relevant to this post
- Significant knowledge and understanding of patient administration systems
Desirable
- AMSPAR Diploma (Association of Medical Secretaries and Practice Administrators and Receptionists Diploma)
- IOSHH
Experience
Essential
- Record keeping
- Contact with members of the public in a work environment
- Administrative/Clerical Experience
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Problem solving skills
Desirable
- Working in a healthcare setting
- Awareness of NHS Procedures
- Clinical Skills and competencies to support the patient pathway
Skills
Essential
- Effective communication, team working and customer care skills
- Good literacy, numeracy and IT skills
- Able to work using own initiative, following instructions from a Registered professionals
- Ability to work under pressure coping with frequent interruptions/requests
Desirable
- NHS procedures
- Knowledge of Healthcare Clinical Systems
Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of working within the healthcare environment
- Working across organisational boundaries
- Conflict management and experience of dealing with difficult behaviour
Desirable
- Evidence of recent training within the healthcare setting
- Previous experience of Oncology patient management systems/ Patient administration system
- Previous line management experience
Values
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
Other Personal Attributes
Essential
- Committed to delivering high standards of patient/customer care
- Empathetic and caring
- Professional outlook and positive attitude
- Calm and reassuring
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational healthcare Qualification at level 3 or willingness to work towards
- Apprenticeships will be candidate specific based on skills and qualifications relevant to this post
- Significant knowledge and understanding of patient administration systems
Desirable
- AMSPAR Diploma (Association of Medical Secretaries and Practice Administrators and Receptionists Diploma)
- IOSHH
Experience
Essential
- Record keeping
- Contact with members of the public in a work environment
- Administrative/Clerical Experience
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Problem solving skills
Desirable
- Working in a healthcare setting
- Awareness of NHS Procedures
- Clinical Skills and competencies to support the patient pathway
Skills
Essential
- Effective communication, team working and customer care skills
- Good literacy, numeracy and IT skills
- Able to work using own initiative, following instructions from a Registered professionals
- Ability to work under pressure coping with frequent interruptions/requests
Desirable
- NHS procedures
- Knowledge of Healthcare Clinical Systems
Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of working within the healthcare environment
- Working across organisational boundaries
- Conflict management and experience of dealing with difficult behaviour
Desirable
- Evidence of recent training within the healthcare setting
- Previous experience of Oncology patient management systems/ Patient administration system
- Previous line management experience
Values
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
Other Personal Attributes
Essential
- Committed to delivering high standards of patient/customer care
- Empathetic and caring
- Professional outlook and positive attitude
- Calm and reassuring
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.
