Trainee Clinical Coder

Job Summary

Are you ready to embark on an exciting and rewarding career in healthcare?

We're looking for a motivated and detail-oriented individual to join our Clinical Coding Department as a Trainee Clinical Coder.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone eager to learn, develop, and make a meaningful contribution to patient care and healthcare data management.

As a Trainee Clinical Coder, you'll undergo comprehensive training to develop the skills needed to accurately assign clinical codes using internationally recognized systems such as ICD-10 and OPCS-4 in the form of the Clinical Coding Standards Course (CCSC). Following your training, you'll be supported by experienced Clinical Coders who will guide and mentor you as you refine your expertise and build confidence in your role. The ideal candidate will have strong attention to detail, a passion for learning, and the ability to work collaboratively within a team.

If you're excited about starting a career in clinical coding and contributing to the accuracy and integrity of healthcare data, we'd love to welcome you to our team!

Main Duties of the Job

Duties And Responsibilities

• The clinical coding team is a busy unit that must consistently deliver high-quality work within tight deadlines. The team's performance directly affects the Trust's revenue recovery and service planning.
• Accurately extract and evaluate all pertinent information regarding a patient's hospital care episode.
• This involves identifying and interpreting complex clinical data, including primary diagnoses, procedures, co-morbidities, and systemic conditions, from paper and electronic records.
• Translate clinical information into ICD-10 and OPCS-4 codes, which are used to create Health Related Groupings (HRGs) under the National Tariff Payment System (NTPS) that in turn determines the Trust's funding from Integrated Care Boards (ICB).
• Coding of clinical data into the Trust's information systems in line with NTPS submission deadlines and local and national coding accuracy standards.
• Attend training sessions and participate in regular coding audits.

About Us
St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey. Our sites include St George's Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC).
After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.

Date Posted
03 April 2025

Pay Scheme
Agenda for change

Band
Band 4

Salary
£31,081 to £33,665 a year per annum, pro rata inc HCAS Outer

Contract
Permanent

Working Pattern
Full-time

Reference Number
343-NN-6988303-FM-HM

Job Locations
St Helier Hospital and Epsom General Hospital
Carshalton and Epsom
KT18 7EG

Job Description
Job Responsibilities
Abstract pertinent information from patient case notes and other relevant sources, detailing primary diagnoses, co-morbidities, operations, investigations, and treatments for each care period provided to patients. Utilise knowledge and experience to translate this data into ICD-10 and OPCS-4 codes, ensuring accuracy and adherence to coding conventions. Enter the coded information promptly and accurately into the hospital's Patient Administration System, following established guidelines for International Classification of Diseases and OPCS procedure books.

Person Specification
Experience Essential

• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Knowledge of anatomy & physiology

Desirable

• AMSPAR
• Medical clerical background

Skills Essential

• Good organisation skills
• Ability to work under pressure and meet coding deadlines and quality standards
• Solution focused
• Good attitude towards change
• Ability to work with distressing and emotional information
• Team player

Desirable

• ECDL
• Change management skills

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.

Employer Details
Employer Name
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust

Address
St Helier Hospital and Epsom General Hospital
Carshalton and Epsom
KT18 7EG

Employer's Website
https://www.epsom-sthelier.nhs.uk/work-for-us