Job Description

This fast-paced role is to aid smooth operation and efficient patient throughput by booking patient appointments, responding to patient phone queries and taking a proactive approach to assisting patients and those running the clinics as requested. This is a well-supported role in a close knit friendly team.
The post holder will be expected to work alongside all members of the multi-disciplinary team and liaise with nurses, surgeons, podiatrist and vascular scientists in the main as well as GP’s and community care.
The hot clinic runs from 9.00am- 12.30pm every weekday morning.

• To book outpatient appointments by telephone with the patient/family member for the diabetic foot clinic and the vascular hot clinic using a protocol to allocate appointments.
• Allocate and offer appropriate appointment times using independent judgment in line with departmental guidelines, advice and support in doing so is always available from nurses, vascular hot clinic nurses and clinical nurse specialists as required.
• Act as a point of welcoming first point contact for queries for patients, referring professionals and staff from other Trusts/hospitals.
• Input and update accurate attendance, personal and appointment details.
• Assist and take part in audit as required.
• Generally assist the vascular nursing teams as required. This may involve face to face contact with patients and their relatives.
• Answer office phones and pass messages on to the Nurses.
• Receive patients at the entrance to the waiting area if asked. Ensure that the patients are aware of the location of the toilets, call button etc.
• Provide administrative support for vascular network audits/research
• Undertake any other duties which are appropriate to the post, as agreed with Line Manager.
• Have a flexible approach to enable the continuous smooth running of the Department.
• Adhere to Trust and Departmental guidelines
• Participate in annual appraisal reviews with Line Manager.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Organized with excellent time management skills
• Excellent communication skills and telephone manner
• Ability to priorities own workload as delegated and completion of tasks to deadlines
• Willingness to learn new skills
• An understanding of patient confidentiality
• Experience of inputting data into information databases. Knowledge of IT systems and willingness to undertake training to efficiently use local IT systems
• Experience of working in the NHS (preferable but not essential)
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary and busy team environment
• Experience of working under pressure
• Experience of working to protocols and procedures
• Experience of talking to patients, service users or clients
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Awareness of the implications of the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Trust’s associated policies and procedures.
• To be a welcoming point of contact with the diabetic foot service, and the vascular hot clinic for both patients and colleagues
• To be knowledgeable, confident and sympathetic when dealing with patient telephone enquiries and bookings (after a period of training).
• To provide information and advice when appropriate to patients and relatives about appointments.
• To communicate with practices and other trust staff to ensure a timely response to queries.
• A confident and articulate telephone manner is required for this post.
• Experience of inputting data into information data bases
• Knowledge of it systems and willingness to undertake training to fully understand local it systems
• To use initiative to arrange and rearrange patient appointment dates and to fill cancelled appointment slots where appropriate with guidance from the diabetic foot clinic nurse, hot clinic nurse, or clinical nurse specialist.
• To ensure that own work is accurate
• To know when to refer problems or queries to a manager
• To understand and comply with internal and external protocols
• Flexibility within the working day with the ability to adapt