Job responsibilities
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:
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.
NOTE: This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, and responsibilities associated with the job. Other duties may be assigned.
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.
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.
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 staff must ensure that they have the skills, knowledge and competences outlined within the competency framework to ensure that their practice and the care they provide meets the needs of all individuals with protected characteristics, where appropriate taking account of cultural or language needs, respecting differences and taking action to reduce health inequalities.
All employees must be aware of their obligations and 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 members of staff are required to work in accordance with their professional groups code of conduct (e.g. NMC, GMC, HPC).
This job description is intended as a basic guide to the scope and responsibilities of the post and is not exhaustive. It will be subject to regular review and amendment as necessary in consultation with the post holder.
Conflict of Interests
You may not without the consent of Practice Plus Group engage in any outside employment and in accordance with Practice Plus Group Conflict of Interest Policy you must declare to your manager all private interests, which could potentially 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 is 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 encouraged 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 members of staff 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.
