Job overview
Responsible for managing all aspects of Customer Care, working with others to ensure a consistent, professional level of service is received. To provide a high level PA service to the senior management team.
Key Relationships
Clinicians
Administration teams
Laboratory teams
Management team
Suppliers
Service users
BLMK ICB
Primary Care Providers
Main duties of the job
To act as a prime point of contact for customers, patients, public, and other stakeholders. Provide a contact within Pathology for Pathology service users. Will involve the provision and handling of complex and sensitive information.
Be the operational link for key relationships as listed above. Be first point of contact for all queries on behalf of the department with an ability to triage queries and signpost to the relevant service. Ensure that good customer care is followed at all times in line with the Trust’s THRIVE values and being a role model for others.
Provide admin support to the management team covering appointments, minute taking and administration of meetings. Transcribe formal minutes of meetings; creating reports and spreadsheets using strong skillset in Microsoft packages, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point, Publisher etc. Prioritise and efficiently organise own workload daily and ensure tasks are completed in a timely manner.
Manage and coordinate an effective system to manage complaints. Support to ensure that Pathology is receptive and responsive in its communications to all service users. Support to promote a customer service ethos within Pathology through the development of the service. This may involve the development of policies, procedures and SOPs within the customer services setting.
Holding a delegated budget for the purchase of administrative items within the customer services function and for the senior team.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.
You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.
We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.
Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
OBJECTIVES, PURPOSE & RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST
Act as prime point of contact for customers, patients, public & other stakeholders. Provide a contact within Pathology for Pathology service users
Receive complex queries from customers, external bodies & national groups ensuring these are managed swiftly & effectively. Will involve the provision and handling of complex & sensitive information
Be the operational link for key relationships as listed above
Act as a specialist in the management of internal & external stakeholder engagement/communication. Ensure that effective mechanisms for communicating and engaging with internal & external stakeholders are in place & to support & facilitate communications between Pathology & all service users
Be first point of contact for all queries on behalf of the dept with an ability to triage queries & signpost to the relevant service
Ensure that good customer care is followed at all times in line with the Trust’s THRIVE values
Provide admin support to the management team covering appointments, minute taking & administration of meetings. Post holder will be required to schedule internal/departmental meetings & external meetings/customer visits
Transcribe formal minutes of meetings; creating reports & spreadsheets using strong skillset in Microsoft packages, incl. Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point, Publisher etc
Prioritise & efficiently organise own workload daily & ensure tasks are completed in a timely manner
Manage and coordinate an effective system to manage complaints
Support to ensure that Pathology is receptive & responsive in its communications to all service users
Support to promote a customer service ethos within Pathology through the development of the service. This may involve the development of policies, procedures & SOPs within the customer services setting
Hold a budget for the purchase of administrative items within the customer services function & for the senior team. Purchasing items through the internal procurement systems
GENERAL
To comply at all times with any regulations issued by the Trust, especially those governing Health & Safety at work & to ensure that any defects which may affect safety at work are brought to the attention of the appropriate manager. It is the responsibility of all staff to minimise the Trust's environmental impact by recycling wherever possible, switching off lights, computers, monitors & equipment when not in use, minimising water usage & reporting faults promptly. This job description reflects the present requirements & objectives of the post. As the duties of the post change & develop, the job description will be reviewed & will be subject to amendment, in consultation with the post holder. You are required to disclose any additional work you undertake or are planning to undertake for another employer
STANDARDS
Staff are responsible for complying with the relevant standards set by their Line Manager. A breach of such standards may lead to disciplinary action. It would be investigated fairly & appropriate steps taken to prevent a recurrence & address any wider causes
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS
All employees & volunteers working within the Trust have a responsibility for safeguarding & promoting the welfare of children & vulnerable adults
INFORMATION GOVERNANCE
(This includes Patient Confidentiality, IT Security, Data Protection & Freedom of Information). You are required to respect the confidentiality of all patients, carers & staff, by not sharing any information (including data) obtained during the course of your duties. You have an obligation to report any non-compliance through the Trusts Incident Reporting process. All staff must comply with the legal obligations & statutory requirements of the General Data Protection Act 2018, the Trusts IT Security & Information Governance Policies, Codes of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines which are available on the staff Intranet site
PRIVACY STATEMENT
The Trust is committed to protecting the privacy & security of your personal information. Information about you will be kept by the Trust for purposes relating to your employment. In accordance with the Trust’s Privacy Notice for employees, the Trust will hold computer records and personnel files relating to you which contain personal and special category data. The Trust will comply with its obligations under the General Data Protection Regulations & all other data protection legislation. The data the Trust holds will include employment application details, references, bank details, performance appraisals, holiday and sickness records, salary reviews & remuneration details & other records; which may, where necessary include special category data relating to your health, identity, data held for equality monitoring purposes, criminal offence data & data regarding DBS checks. The Trust requires such data for personnel administration & management purposes for the performance of your contract of employment & to comply with its legal obligations. The majority of information that you provide us with is mandatory to enable us to perform the contract of employment; where information is requested from you on voluntary basis, you will be advised of this & will be properly advised of your rights in respect of consent & the withdrawal of that consent
The Trust will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information held about you is complete, accurate, up-to-date & not held for longer than necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. However, you are responsible for informing us promptly of any changes to your personal information either in writing or by updating your information on MyESR
The Trust’s Privacy Notice sets out the legal basis for processing your personal data & your rights to access this data are prescribed by law
The Trust requires you to familiarise yourself with the Trust’s Information Governance (data protection) Policy which set out its obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation & all other data protection legislation. You must comply with the Trust’s Data Protection Policy at all times & you agree that you will only access the systems, databases or networks to which you have been given authorisation. The Trust will consider a breach of its Data Protection Policy by you to be a disciplinary matter which may lead to disciplinary action, up to & including dismissal. You should also be aware that you could be criminally liable if you disclose personal data outside the Trust’s Policies and Procedures. If you have any queries about your responsibilities in respect of data protection, you should contact the Trust’s Data Protection Officer
A copy of the full Privacy Notice for Employees can be downloaded from the Trust’s Intranet
PROMOTING EQUALITY
The Trust is committed to promoting an environment that values diversity. All staff are responsible for ensuring that all patients & their carers are treated equally and fairly & not discriminated against on the grounds of race, sex, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation or any other unjustifiable reason in the application of this policy and recognising the need to work in partnership with & seek guidance from other agencies & services to ensure that special needs are met
INFECTION CONTROL
You are required to comply with the Trust’s strategy regarding infection control & be aware of, & comply with, all Trust infection & prevention & control policies, to include hand hygiene, personal hygiene, environmental & food hygiene. Effective prevention & control of healthcare associated infections has to be embedded into every day practice & applied consistently by everyone. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary actions
SMOKE FREE
The Trust implements a Smoke Free policy that applies to all staff. Staff are not allowed to smoke while wearing a recognisable Trust uniform or visible trust identification badge, & not allowed to smoke anywhere on hospital grounds. Staff are not allowed to take additional breaks in order to smoke. They may smoke during designated breaks but only out of uniform & off site. Staff contravening this policy may be subject to disciplinary procedures
DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS
A risk assessment has indicated that a DBS disclosure is both proportionate & relevant to this position. Any person who is conditionally offered this post will be required to undertake a DBS check in this respect
The Trust guarantees that this information will only be seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process
The Trust ensures that an open & measured discussion will take place on the subject of any offences or other matter that might be relevant to the position sought could lead to a withdrawal of an offer of employment
We undertake to discuss any matter revealed in a Disclosure with the subject of that Disclosure before withdrawing a conditional offer of employment. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position or circumstances & background of your offence. Please be aware that the Trust has a Policy containing a more detailed Code of Practice that meets the standards specified by the Disclosure and Barring Service relating to the fair use of criminal record information & the appointment of persons having a criminal record
Note:Failure by an applicant to provide accurate & truthful information is considered to be a serious matter. Where it is found that a person has recklessly provided inaccurate information or withheld information relevant to their position, this may disqualify them from appointment. It may also result in dismissal or disciplinary action & referral to the appropriate professional registration body. If you would like to discuss what effect any criminal record or fitness to practise proceeding might have on your application, you may telephone the Recruitment Manager at the Trust, in confidence, for advice
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
Achieved grades Keyboard and IT skills Knowledge of administrative and business procedures to degree level (or equivalent experience)
Desirable criteria
Degree in Business/Admin speciality
Experience
Essential criteria
Prior experience within Customer Services Experience of word processing packages, databases and spreadsheets Experience of carrying out administrative tasks, e.g., data input, receiving and making telephone calls Stakeholder communication
Desirable criteria
An understanding of Pathology or NHS/ similar PA experience supporting several senior managers simultaneously
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
Good communication and interpersonal skills, both verbal and written, face-to-face and non-facing customers and the ability to communicate complex matters. Demonstrates good customer care skills at all times with a good working knowledge of office procedures Good organisational and planning skills using own initiative Able to work to deadlines and prioritise workload with the ability to adapt to change within the working situation. Ability to communicate effectively with customers and suppliers Able to input data accurately and efficiently Undertake repetitive tasks whilst maintaining attention to detail
Desirable criteria
Willingness to learn Able to communicate with multidisciplinary teams
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