Appointments Clerk - Radiology Booking Services

Shift pattern: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week. The shifts will generally be from 8.30am to 4.30pm for 4 days a week and 12pm to 8pm for 1 day a week.
You will be responsible for ensuring that a professional, comprehensive reception and administrative service is effectively delivered to all patients and members of the department. This will be through the correct processing of all diagnostic radiology requests, monitoring breach dates and correctly making appointments with strict adherence to Trust protocols. You will work closely with clinicians, clinical leads and managers to ensure the delivery of diagnostic pathways.
You will be multi-skilled, have a good working knowledge of appointment booking templates and an understanding of capacity and demand issues.
You will be required to rotate through all areas of diagnostic imaging. This will include, but is not limited to: Ultrasound, MRI, CT, Interventional Radiology Day Unit, Main X-ray, DEXA and Nuclear Medicine. Flexibility will be key in supporting the department to meet the needs of the service.

Working for our organisation
We have 10,000 fantastic people working hard to deliver quality services to our patients. Whatever your role, you help look after 370,000 people in our local area & give specialist care to 1.5 million people across Lancashire & Cumbria.
Working with us gives you the knowledge and sense of pride that every activity you do genuinely does make a difference to support our patients & staff, ensuring we keep thriving & delivering outstanding healthcare right across our local towns.
You'll have access to varied development opportunities, learn new skills, meet fab people & do things you'd never have done. You'll learn about working in a hospital, interacting with people from all different roles to build skills & enhance your career path.
You'll make an impact, be challenged to think differently, be bold & help innovate to keep improving things. Everything we do centres around patient care which means your role is pivotal and something really to be proud of.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Duties will include, but not be limited to:
+ Cover all appointment modalities and reception areas as necessary and continuously keep up to date with any changes.
+ Utilise in-depth knowledge of appointment booking protocols to correctly book patient scans and send detailed letters containing starving and other instructions.
+ Ensure maximum utilisation of appointment slots (including cancellation slots) and communicate changes to relevant staff.
+ Demonstrate a specialised knowledge of investigations and scans and how they are performed and confidently and reassuringly advise patients on how various medications need changing / adjusting prior to examinations. Impart this information to other staff in a confident manner.
+ Use judgement and experience in dealing with patient queries and decide on the appropriate course of action.
+ Provide advice and reassurance to patients on preparation for examinations, giving out complex and sensitive information, such as diet and starving instructions.
+ Speak to patients about sensitive issues like 10 day rules, pregnancy and menstrual cycles, in a professional manner.
+ Confidently provide information where there may be barriers to understanding.
+ Communicate well with and respond to enquiries from the public, medical personnel and a wide range of colleagues at all levels across the Trust.
+ Communicate with patients to understand if further investigation is needed into their medical history prior to them having a scan.
+ Recognise the need to involve and liaise with external bodies such as other hospitals, dental surgeries and care homes to obtain the necessary information.
+ Demonstrate an approachable and helpful manner at all times.
+ Give guidance and support to colleagues in the provision of an efficient service.
+ Deal with queries relating to all aspects of the admin function.
+ Deal with any problems/queries in a consistent and timely manner, ensuring that all relevant information is provided to assist in a quick resolution to any problem.
+ Escalate any major issues, problems or complaints to supervisors, managers or relevant clinicians.
+ Maintain confidentiality at all times as required by legislation and Trust policies.
+ Support performance monitoring, ensuring patient appointments are booked in strict accordance with booking guidelines, with full regard to diagnostic radiology, cancer and Trust RTT performance measures.
+ Document all patients cancelled due to scanner breakdowns, contact patients to inform them of cancellations at short notice and escalate risks to the achievement of targets to managers and clinical leads.
+ Act as a primary contact for cancer teams, work to ensure waiting times are strictly adhered to and arrange for any necessary adjustments to fall in line with Trust and national targets
+ Work alongside teams of staff across the Trust to ensure that all required standards are achieved and maintained to meet departmental and Trust targets.
+ Actively participate in the PDP process, undertaking any learning and development opportunities identified.
+ Participate in the departments appraisal/monitoring system
+ Undertake induction and training of band 2 staff and band 3 colleagues, identifying and carrying out training as required.
Thanks for taking the time to view this advert; we're looking forward to receiving your application. You should be aware that the vacancy may close earlier than the published date if sufficient applications are received so it would be best to apply as soon as you can. We'll contact you by e-mail to update you on the progress of your application so please check the e-mail account that you applied from (including spam/junk) regularly.
We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, neurodiversity or veteran status are encouraged to apply for this post. Our Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders is available Here
To support you in your application process we've created a What we can offer you guide that shows what you can expect when you join our hospitals. The guide includes links to our strategic aims and objectives as well as our values, development support and rewards and benefits. To help you get the best from your application we've also put together two guides to help you make your application the best it can be. Just click here and here to go through them, or have them open as you complete your application.
We recognise that the recruitment process may present barriers for some and you may need personal adjustments to enable you to participate in our recruitment process. Please make contact with the recruitment team at the earliest opportunity to ensure that measures can be put in place to enable your application for this post.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications
If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you're applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information.
AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.
We have added a disclaimer to our application process advising that the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.
Supporting Information
The supporting information section is an opportunity for you to showcase how your qualifications, knowledge, skill and experiences align with the requirements and criteria outlined in the job description and person.
Our recruiting managers score applications based on the criteria listed in the person specification. They will be looking for evidence of how you meet these criteria. To increase your chances of securing an interview, provide examples of how you have applied your skills and knowledge in real-life situations. Share work-related successes and challenges you've navigated that align with the criteria. These could be from various aspects of your life, including work, education, and personal experiences.
Consider structuring your supporting information section with clear headings or bullet points. This approach will help both you and the recruiting manager navigate through your application more effectively.
Working Smarter pledge
We are reminded everyday of how important life is, so as part of our Working Smarter pledge we offer a variety of flexible working options and wellbeing support to enable our people to find and maintain the right work-life balance.
Secondments
If you are applying for a secondment role please ensure you have agreement from your current line manager prior to attending an interview. Also please ensure you have read the LTHTR Secondment Policy. A copy of this can be found on the intranet or by contacting [email protected]
Young People
Please note a young person must be in part-time education or training until they're 18. therefore if you are under 18 we are unable to employ you on a full time basis, unless it is in an apprenticeship role.
Disclosure and Barring Service checks
If the role you've applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this on your behalf and the cost will be recovered from your salary, either as a one-off payment, or over 3 months. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered. Currently the charges are - Basic DBS check £22, Standard DBS check £22 and Enhanced DBS check £42. You should be aware that if you are successful in obtaining a position that requires a DBS check but later withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check. DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions. The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here.
In line with guidance from United Kingdom Health Security Agency, all staff and volunteers are required to comply with Trust Infection Prevention and Control processes in relation to safe working. This includes mask wearing and adherence to social distancing at all Trust sites.

Are you an experienced individual who is able to demonstrate excellent communication, operational and interpersonal skills?
If so, this could be the perfect role for you!
A patient-centred approach is a must for our teams who are proud of providing a courteous and friendly reception service to our patients as well as being well-equipped to process complex scan requests accurately and efficiently.
This is a fast paced, demanding environment and you should have excellent communication skills. You will be responsible for processing Radiology scan requests, prioritising work and booking patient appointments whilst having full regard to DM01 diagnostic, 18 week referral to treatment and cancer targets.
You will communicate with our patients in a friendly and professional manner, demonstrating excellent customer care skills.