Job Description

The post of Referrals Assistant would suit an organised individual who is looking to gain experience of handling NHS customer enquiries, navigating NHS funding systems to obtain approval for admission, and an understanding of referral processes. The successful candidate will demonstrate a proactive approach to work, excellent interpersonal skills and an aptitude for working with colleagues to ensure that deadlines are met, and referral conversion rates are at an appropriately high level.

Job Summary:

To assist with the referral processes to improve conversion rates, occupancy and ensure that customers have a positive experience of referring to the group. This will be achieved by improving compliance with corporate timescales for assessments and communication with referrers; assisting units with follow-up on referrals, waiting list management, and enabling a smoother process for cross-referrals from one unit to another.  On the job training will be provided to the successful candidate.

Key Responsibilities include:

To ensure that customers have a positive experience of referring to the organisation’s services.

• To work with the referrals team in delivering an excellent referral management service to all referrers, funders and colleagues.
• To monitor compliance with corporate referral timescales and assist units in meeting deadlines, where required.
• To ensure that customers are provided with regular updates regarding service users on the waiting lists. To offer a bespoke call-back service if beds are full in PICU and Acute services following any discharges.
• Act as a point of contact for referrers and colleagues in relation to any referral related enquiries.

Improving Conversion Rates for referrals

• To build and maintain effective working relationships with customers and colleagues.
• To ensure units are provided with all the necessary information to enable them to process each referral.
• To communicate the outcome of referrals, ensuring that the referrer has all the information required to complete a funding form. To offer any alternatives should a bed not be available at the preferred service/ offer a call back service should a bed become available.

• Manage the cross-referral process where a referral is turned down by a service, but a more suitable alternative is available within the group.

To ensure referral data is up to date and maintained

• To ensure that referral data is maintained on the e-REFER system.

Other

• To act in a fully confidential manner, both patient and business confidentiality.
• To attend annual mandatory training.
• To comply with escalation procedures for rejected and delayed referrals

What we are looking for:

The successful candidate will be a professional and organised individual who is skilled and experienced in delivering an excellent administrative service within a fast paced environment, working to tight deadlines with lots of cross team collaboration whilst delivering a high standard of customer service.  The phone is expected to be answered in 3 rings and the referral turn around process is 1 hour but this is all easily achievable in this efficient and well-structured office.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Good administration and customer service experience is essential • Proactive, enthusiastic and motivated • Able to work independently and use initiative • Excellent communication skills both written and verbal • Good time management and working to deadlines • Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail • Experience of working with IT systems • Highly effective team player • Great customer service skills • Track record of building and maintaining working relationships • Experience of dealing with compliance and referrals would be desirable • Experience of working within the health care sector is desirable but not essential