Job responsibilities
JOB
SUMMARY
You will manage calls from patients and healthcare professionals
with urgent and non-urgent healthcare needs, using the Pathways System
appropriately to direct the patient to the service suitable for their needs.
You will use computer systems to
capture patient information along with being expected to demonstrate
self-directed learning and practice.
There will be a period of competency-based training both initially
and over the first 6 months of employment which you must complete in order to
perform all the duties of the job to the required standard.
Principal duties and
responsibilities:
1.0 Call Handling
Receive
requests for assistance, treatment or care to IUC / NHS 111 call
centre. The requests may be from members of the public, healthcare
practitioners or other professionals.
Interact
with Individuals using telecommunications. You will answer
the calls in an efficient and courteous manner using organisational standards
and protocols. This will involve triaging patient calls using the appropriate Pathways
System.
Communicate
effectively in a healthcare environment with colleagues as well as callers
to the IUC / NHS 111 service. You will need to adjust the way you communicate
to fit their knowledge and deal with callers with empathy and understanding. You
will accurately record and check or amend details on the call logging computer
system.
Direct
requests for assistance, care or treatment using protocols or guidelines by
signposting patients/callers to the most appropriate care/service using the
Directory of Services where appropriate, guided by Pathways. This includes
making judgements around what may or may not be significant changes in a
patients condition. This may involve recognition and appropriate response to
emergency situations.
Support the safeguarding of individuals following
local protocols and standards. Relate to others in ways which support rights,
inclusion and wellbeing of individuals, supporting individuals to keep
themselves safe.
Contribute to the effectiveness of teams. Work as part of a multidisciplinary
team, actively contributing to service improvements where appropriate. Assist
new members of staff. Assist in general administrative and clerical duties. Provide
cover for sickness, bank holidays, and annual leave of other health advisors.
Work flexibly across sites as required by the service.
2.0 General Duties
Act within the limits of your competence and
authority, i.e. work to Pathways competencies and adhere to local protocols
and procedures.
Make sure your actions reduce risks to health
and safety by maintaining a tidy office/call centre at all times, cleaning
equipment before use and supporting the maintenance of equipment by reporting
any faults as per local procedures. Adhere to health and safety policies and
report incidents and risks identified through Datix or via line manager.
Comply with legal requirements for maintaining
confidentiality by maintaining strict confidentiality of all issues concerned with
the service. Adhere to requirements of the Data Protection Act 1984,
information governance and Caldicott Principles.
Foster peoples equality, diversity and rights by being
proactive against discrimination.
3.0 Managing Self
Make use of
supervision. Participate in regular supervision in
line with local guidelines in order to continually improve your performance and
gain support following difficult calls.
Develop your own
knowledge and practice, which includes
reflecting on your practice, and taking opportunities to improve your practice
and apply learning in the workplace.
Ensure personal
fitness for work presenting a positive image of self and
the organisation. Maintain professional conduct including appearance at all
times.
Developing Others
NB there is scope to add a Pathways
coaching function to this role once the health advisor has gained experience in
their role and is keen to support development of others. The additional
competences would be.
Undertake coaching
or mentoring with new health advisors to support
them in the IUC / NHS 111 call centre and their use of Pathways. This would
require additional training to gain accreditation as an NHS Pathway coach or
other Clinical Decision Making System equivalent.
Probationary periods
All staff new to the organisation are
required to undertake Pathways training. Continuation in the role is dependent
upon successful completion of training.
Equality and diversity
All staff have a role to play in
supporting and championing equality and ensuring that our workplace and the
services we deliver are free from discrimination. This includes delivering the
organisations obligations as they are set out within the Equality Act and
Public Sector Equality Duty, which means not only ensuring equal opportunities
for staff and service users, but also ensuring that patients have equal access
to NHS services and that health inequalities are reduced across all protected
characteristics.
Treating people equally may mean
treating people differently or more favourably, in order to ensure equal access
for example, by giving staff with dyslexia more time to sit tests, or by
giving people with learning disabilities longer appointments.
All employees must be aware of their obligations and to abide by the spirit and nature of these requirements to avoid direct and indirect discrimination, instead championing equal access to health and care outcomes.
Additional Information:
Appraisal
Practice Plus Group operates a system of individual performance review/appraisal for the purpose of agreeing performance objectives and discussing development needs in line with requirements of service need in the operational plan.
Code of Conduct for professional Group
All staff members are required to work in accordance with their professional group's code of conduct (e.g. NMC, GMC, HPC).
This job description is a basic guide to the scope and responsibilities of the post and will be regularly reviewed.
Conflict of Interest
You may not without the consent of Practice plus Group engage in any outside employment and must declare to your manager all private interests which could result in personal gain as a consequence of your employment position in practice plus Group. Interests that might appear to be in conflict should also be declared.
Criminal Records Bureau
It is a requirement of this position that a Criminal Records Bureau disclosure at the enhanced level be undertaken.
Confidentiality
The
post holder is required not to disclose such information, particularly that
relating to patients and staff. All employees are subject to the Data
Protection Act 1998 and must not only maintain strict confidentiality in
respect of patient and staff records, but the accuracy and integrity of the
information contained within. The post holder must not at any time use
personal data held by Practice Plus Group for any unauthorised purpose or
disclosure such as data to a third party.
You
must not make any disclosure to any unauthorised person or use any confidential
information relating to the business affairs of Practice Plus Group, unless
expressly authorised to do so by Practice Plus Group. Further guidance on
confidentiality is contained within Practice Plus Group Information Security
Management System (ISMS).
Data Protection
The post holder must at all times
respect the confidentiality of information in line with the requirements of the
Data Protection Act and the company's ISO27001 accreditation. This includes, if
required to do so, obtain, process and/or use information held on a computer in
a fair and lawful way, to hold data only for the specified registered purposes
and to use or disclose data only to authorized persons or organizations as
instructed.
Education and Training
Personal continuing professional development is encourages and an annual appraisal system is in place to discuss CPD and ongoing objectives.
Equal Opportunities
The post holder is required at all times to carry
out responsibilities with due regard to Practice Plus Group Equal Opportunities
Policy and to ensure that staff receive equal treatment throughout their
employment with Practice Plus Group.
Health and Safety
As an employee of Practice Plus
Group, the postholder has a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974,
to:-
Take reasonable care of the health
and safety of themselves and all other persons who may be affected by their
acts or omissions at work.
Co-operate with their employer to ensure compliance with Health and
Safety legislation and the Health and Safety policies and procedures of the
treatment centre, not intentionally or recklessly interfere with, or misuse,
anything provided in the interests of health, safety, or welfare, in pursuance
of any of the relevant statutory provisions.
Risk Management
All staff members have a responsibility to report all clinical and non-clinical accidents or incidents promptly and when requested to, co-operate with any investigation undertaken.
This list of duties and responsibilities is by not exhaustive and the
post holder may be required to undertake other relevant and appropriate duties
as reasonably required.
This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate
modification.
