Clinical Coder - Bank position | Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust

The purpose of clinical coding is to ensure that all Inpatient/Day case activity carried out by the Trust is captured in a nationally recognised format of ICD 10 and OPCS 4.8. In this way all activity is recorded for financial accountability.

Other healthcare information and epidemiology can also be extracted, measured and monitored in order to inform service planning and development, with the ultimate aim of improving the health and healthcare of the users of the Trust's services.

The purpose of this role is to manage the clinical coding team including the coding assistants in conjunction with the clinical coding manager.
The post holder will be responsible for providing outreach coding services to their named specialties and division(s).

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

To provide overall responsibility for the organisation of the clinical coding service at team level.

To ensure that all national and local standards are met in terms of accuracy and timely production of clinically coded data

To be proactive in the identification and resolution of data quality problems which effect the clinical coding function

To continuously review working methods to identify, recommend, develop and implement new process to improve the effectiveness and quality of coding

To work with clinicians and managers to resolve issues with the coding process

To ensure that processes and opportunities are in place for coders to routinely meet with clinicians to validate coding.

To collect, parse and code clinical information relating to all patient admissions to the Trust

To maintain a central training record and ensure that individual team members keep a personal portfolio of evidence to support their continuing professional development record in line with national standards

To assist in the organisation of regular team meetings and design/deliver training sessions for the coding team

To attend Directorate and Care Group meetings to promote and improve awareness of clinical coding, where applicable

To investigate commissioner queries relating to clinical coding of individual cases

To participate in surveys on behalf of the department for both internal and external organisations

To support the implementation of national directives

To participate in pilot studies associated with clinical coding classifications and coding process.

To deputise for the Head of Clinical Coding/Deputy Head of Clinical Coding where appropriate

To attend external meetings and conferences as required and provide feedback to all relevant staff, both clinical and non-clinical

Provide line management to their team of coders including the management of sickness, annual leave, staff development and performance by undertaking regular reviews.

Develop robust objectives and personal development plans for every member of the team in line with the Trust and departmental objectives.
Deliver 100% completion of clinically coded data within the appropriate monthly deadlines.

To co-ordinate the workload of their team and liaise with Information and Contracts teams to ensure their requirements in terms of coded data are met.

Produce and monitoring un-coded episode reports and following up on all outstanding activity.

Hold team meetings, attend internal and external meetings as relevant.
Ensure the Department maintains case note tracking details.
Ensure patient confidentiality is maintained at all times within the Department.

Implement recommendations from all external and internal audits.
Be responsible for maintaining all Trust Policy & Procedure documents relating to Clinical Coding and Data Quality.

Delegate tasks and responsibilities to team members as required
Be the site lead and focal point for clinical coding queries and where applicable submit these, sometimes complex, coding queries to the National Coding Office.

Have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the complete clinical coding function from ICD10, OPCS4.9, HRGs and the impact on Trust funding, Payment by Results and health care statistical data.
Organise the required annual external audits commissioned by the Audit Commission, PCT's and for Information Governance.

Ensure Clinical Coding staff are trained to National Standards and are regularly informed about external and internal updates, developments and issues regarding clinical coding practice and guidelines. Ensure external training and refresher courses for coding staff are undertaken and appropriate access to the trainer/auditor.

Mentor and guide staff both in a management capacity and in a technical capacity regarding OPCS4.9 and ICD10 coding conventions. Act as professional mentor to all coding staff.

To ensure that all activity is captured and all potential income is realised.
Use national online tools such as Dr Foster and the Audit Commission's PBR comparison tool to analyse and benchmark clinically coded data against peer groups, to ensure depth of coding is comparable and take appropriate actions as necessary.

Act as the professional link to at least 3 of the 7 clinical directorates of the Trust. Provide clinical coding reports to the directorates as part of their performance management arrangements detailing, depth of coding versus benchmark for each specialty in the directorate. Agree data quality and clinical coding improvement plans with the directorates.

Engage clinical staff in clinical coding: update the relevant clinical forums on the complex coding issues and significant future developments of accurate clinical coding and case mix grouping systems. Organise a systematic clinical review process of the coding of complex clinical episodes.

Develop and maintain effective working relationships with consultants and their clinical teams to ensure quality and depth of clinical coding is achieved. In order to achieve this, you will be required to communicate sometimes highly complex coding rules to various medical, clinical and administrative staff. Continually raise awareness of Clinical Coding for junior doctors by any means possible.

Ensure the Coding function meets the requirements of the Payments by Results agenda that underpins acute trust funding.
Lead quality improvement initiatives, identifying areas where the processes used within the coding function can be improved and in conjunction with team members, designing new processes to be trialled, evaluated and implemented.

Be involved in the migration of different coding structures as and when applicable, becoming fully experienced in those structures to enable the training of Trust staff to continue, and data quality standards to be maintained.

Develop, implement and maintain the Trust Clinical Coding and Data Quality Policy and Procedures, in liaison with clinicians where appropriate.

Develop comprehensive clinical coding and data quality performance indicators from a complex dataset, interpreting and analysing data and to be able to communicate critical and complex coded information to operational and divisional management teams across the Trust.
Take responsibility for devolved site clinical coding pay and non pay budgets taking decisions about staffing capacity and the use of temporary staff to achieve deadlines within the available funds.

Authorise overtime, travel and training expenditure for the site.
Raise purchase requisitions for department resources and authorise invoices up to the delegated limit.

The Staffbank Benefits include:

· Weekly Pay

· Free Compliance Checks, 1. To develop, manage and coordinate the coding function at either site ensuring compliance with data submission targets and national standards.

2. To monitor and aid the skill and career progression of clinical coders, in line with objectives set by the Data Quality Assurance Lead and Head of Clinical Coding.

3. To continually support the accuracy and completeness of clinical coding by aiding the implementation of the department's programme of coding audit.

4. To assist in the design, deployment and maintenance of clinical coding strategy, policy and systems to ensure a clinical coding service which meets best practice guidance.

5. To provide expert knowledge in the use of clinical coding classifications and associated systems to audiences both internal and external to the department.