Care Navigator (Patient Support Team)

NHS; Leeds; On-site; Full time

Job description

Our patient support team is the first point of contact with all of our patients whether over the phone, face-to-face or online. They are the welcoming face of the practice with a smile (even if dealing with the patient online!) and a can-do attitude. They know and understand our practice, community and local services and care about our patients. The purpose of the role is to optimise the patients journey, taking every opportunity to ensure that requests for appointments or support are managed appropriately whilst delivering the best service.

Main duties of the job

What will you do?

• Represent the practice in a polite, professional & caring manner.
• Answer high volume calls from patients, efficiently & courteously, following our guidelines. Deal with patient requests received via online consult form and email.
• After appropriate training, signpost patients using a variety of verbal or online questioning techniques, to develop a full picture of the reason for the patients contact & signpost them to the appropriate care / appropriate professional.
• A wide range of administrative tasks for patients including patient registrations & prescriptions.
• Use our clinical computer system efficiently.
• Open & close the building.
• Whatever else may crop up that is reasonable to expect from the team!

Who are we looking for?

• You are warm, friendly & approachable. It is never boring!
• You will enjoy:
• Working with the general public: supporting people of all ages & backgrounds.
• Working in a fast-moving environment where accuracy & pace are key.
• Being part of a supportive, high trust team.

We are interested in candidates able to:

• Use IT efficiently (& enjoy it).
• Assimilate & assess written & verbal information & use it to make good decisions.
• Adapt their style & approach according to who they are communicating with; being sensitive with people who may be anxious or unwell.

About us

The Patient Support team of 8 care navigators is friendly, happy, supportive & well-organised. Full training is given at recruitment, and ongoing. There is a weekly team meeting. Care navigators signpost & book patients into a wide range of appointments with different healthcare professionals both in our building and elsewhere, so the patients needs may be met. The Patient Support team works with the clinicians to provide high quality patient care to the 7500 patients that St Martins cares for.

We have been serving the people of Chapeltown and Chapel Allerton for many decades, but in 2018 moved into a modern and spacious new building on Chapeltown Road. We are part of Chapeltown Primary Care network: GP practices working together.

Job responsibilities

OVERVIEW/ PURPOSE

The Care Navigator is the first point of contact for patients contacting us. This can be via a telephone, face to face and our online consult service. The purpose of the role is to optimise the patients journey, taking every opportunity to ensure that requests are managed appropriately whilst delivering the best service.

To represent the practice in a polite, professional and caring manner.

To be responsible for the day to day administrative duties of General Practice as defined, but not restricted, to those set out below.

COMPETENCIES

Work to Level 1 on the PST core competency framework.

Service focused: Considers customers needs & treats as priority.

Reliability: A reliable staff member with no instances of sub-standard performance.

Effective communication: Communicates information effectively; able to read / absorb and assess written information effectively.

Teamwork & relationships: Effective team player; understanding own & others team roles.

Personal development & flexibility: Committed to lifelong learning, enthusiastic to apply new knowledge & skills & willing to change ways of working.

Planning and organising: Organises own workload with support where necessary.

Problem solving & decision-making: Seeks only appropriate support with problems & decision making. Resolves minor routine problems themselves.

CARE NAVIGATION

Answering high volume calls from our patients, in an efficient and courteous manner, following SMP best practice. Deal with patient requests received via online consult form. Respond to email requests received.

Document patient interactions accurately in S1 clinical system.

After appropriate training, signpost patients using a variety of verbal or online questioning techniques, both in order to develop a full picture of the reason for the patients contact with us and signpost the patient to the appropriate care / the appropriate professional to see them.

Identify potentially serious problems and follow our red flag protocol for how to signpost these contacts.

Building and maintaining strong relationships with all direct team members, clinicians and recognise healthcare professionals in the practice as a scarce resource to be used appropriately.

Developing and maintaining an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the services provided in the practice and in the wider health community; be able to use this knowledge to guide the patient to the service, which is most likely to meet their needs, whether inside or outside the practice.

Deal appropriately with instructions and queries from clinicians and outside agencies.

OTHER TASKS

This role also includes administrative tasks.

Following practice standard operating procedures:

Cover the reception desk, dealing with patient enquiries face to face.

Action tasks in the clinical system in a timely and efficient way.

Scan correspondence into patients medical records.

Process repeat prescription requests.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

Computer & phone systems

Telephone system fully understand the telephone system and its functions.

Computer system: To be fully familiar with the clinical computer system & use it efficiently including managing minor system faults.

To use and guard your smartcard according to practice protocol.

To be familiar with email, online, mobile & software functions and support patients to interact with our services in this way.

St Martins Practice Policies Be aware of all SMP policies and follow them at all times, including but not limited to:

The practice philosophy

Health and Safety

To comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

To take responsibility for their own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by their own acts or omissions.

To ensure that the building security is not breached during opening hours and that protocols are followed during the opening and closing of the surgery.

Duties under Fire and Panic Alarm Drills.

Equality and Diversity

To carry out at all times their responsibilities to uphold the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues.

Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.

Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is nonjudgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.

Confidentiality

To maintain confidentiality of information relating to patients, clients, staff and other users of the services in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 including outside of the work environment. Any breach of confidentiality may render an individual liable for dismissal and/or prosecution.

Safeguarding

Whilst in post, staff are expected to acquire, update & apply their knowledge on safeguarding as per SMP policy.

Professional development and quality

Participate in any training implemented by the practice as part of this employment.

To participate in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining their own personal and/or professional development.

Contribute to team effectiveness by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance.

Maintain full compliance with statutory mandatory training.

Play a full role in team & practice meetings.

GENERAL

To provide cover for absent colleagues and work flexibly according to practice needs.

To undertake any other duties commensurate with the role, within the bounds of his/her own competence as requested by Leads, Supervisors, Practice Manager or Partners.

NB this job description may change in the light of developments within the practice, national policies or personnel factors and will then be subject to amendments in consultation with the post-holder.

Person Specification

• 1: You are service focused.
• You consider customer needs and treat them as a priority; you are sensitive to working with people who may be anxious, stressed, unwell or just need a friendly ear.
• 2: You are reliable.
• You are a reliable staff member with no instances of sub-standard performance.
• 3: You are an effective communicator.
• You can communicate information effectively; you can connect & communicate with people.
• 4: You are a team player.
• You are an effective team player; you understand your own and others team roles.
• 5: You are flexible: you can work in a changing environment.
• You are willing to change your ways of working when the practice changes its policies.
• 6: You can plan and are organised.
• You can organise your own workload with support where necessary.
• 7: You can problem solve & make decisions.
• You seek only appropriate support with problems & decision making.

Experience

• You are experienced at providing customer service including answering enquiries on the telephone or in person.
• You are experienced undertaking administrative tasks.
• You are experienced in working in a busy environment, under pressure.

Qualifications

• Educated to A level standard or equivalent.

Other

• You have an understanding of and commitment to confidentiality & equality & diversity.
• You can use IT confidently, efficiently & effectively including accurate keyboard skills, minimum 35 words per minute.
• You are not a patient of St Martins (or, you would be prepared to move if so).
• You are available every weekday between 7.45am and 6.30pm.
• The right to work in the UK; we are unable to sponsor any applications/employees.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£12.21 an hour. This payscale is under review.