Surgical Appliance Officer

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 3 Surgical Appliance Officer to join our team.

This role will be based across our services at both University Hospital Lewisham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

You will join a small and enthusiastic team of administrators who are passionate about Orthotic care. You will also work alongside our team of Orthotists from an external provider and be supported by the Deputy Head of and Head of Podiatry and Orthotics. We offer regular supervision, team meetings and opportunity for protected learning time.

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this post

Main duties of the job

To provide administrative support for the Orthotics Service, ensuring all the correct procedures are carried out with regard to the appointing of patients, preparation of clinic sessions, ordering of orthotics and processing invoices

To ensure all patient records are maintained and available on request

To be responsible for the collection of prescription charges from patients, adhering to the Trusts 'standing financial instructions'

Ordering and receiving orthotics and surgical appliance products

Fitting of a limited range of orthotic products

To work across sites (QEH & UHL) providing appropriate support to the lead Surgical appliances officers and absence cover

About us

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this post

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

• Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
• Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
• Improving the experience of staff with disability
• Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
• Making equalities mainstream

Job responsibilities

Key Result Areas & Performance

Day to day running of surgical appliances

To deal effectively with correspondence, telephone enquiries and queries from patients, contractors, trust staff and other referrers to the service

Act as a liaison between the patient, orthotist and referrer

Contribute to and support the completion of monthly order reports

Use the Trusts patient administration system for booking and outcoming appointments

Administrative support for the Orthotics Service

Organise patients products for that days work

Liaise with specialist contractors to arrange wig fitting clinics

Patient care

Responsible for fitting a limited range of orthotics products (e.g: wrist splints and tennis elbow straps)

Maintain the Trusts patient administration system

To promptly initiate action following the patients attendance at the clinic e.g. the raising of any necessary orders

Maintain the patients records including the input of data/orders onto relevant spreadsheets

Maintain the patients paper record file

Collection of prescription charges

Collect prescription charges from patients when appropriate, ensuring all issues/payments are correctly documented

Advise patients on entitlement to exemption from prescription charges ensuring all official forms are completed

Ordering and receiving orthotic products

Check that the scheduled items on order, conform to the description given by the prescriber

Follow the departments ordering and receipting process, using SBS oracle and appropriate excel spreadsheets. Ensuring all goods are ordered and receipted in a timely manner.

Monitor the progress of outstanding orders, ensuring their timely delivery is on schedule and any delays brought to the attention of the lead surgical appliances officer any potential delays that may impact on patient care

Work force

To work as a Band 3 Surgical appliances officer, under the guidance and support of band 5 & 4 surgical appliances officers,

To provide care (fitting of wrist/elbow splints) in a clinical setting, which will involve at times the ability to work unsupervised:

To have the necessary skills to support the orthotist in the movement and handling of patients who maybe wheelchair or bed-bound,

To be responsible for the day-to-day co-ordination and management of orthotist clinics. This will involve maintaining good working relations and communication with the orthotists.

To monitor and ensure adequate stock, levels are maintained.

To actively participate in the appraisal process and the development of a Personal Development Plan.

To deputise for the lead surgical appliances officer as required

To monitor the use of stick, ensuring the lead surgical appliance officers are informed of any shortages, and ordering any necessary items during their absence

To be aware of the cost of, whilst ensuring effective and efficient use of all consumables

Partnerships - Communications and Relationships

To work effectively and efficiently with the senior surgical appliances officers and contracted orthotists

To communicate effectively with all service users (Patients, Carers, Medical Practitioners, Nursing staff, Allied Health Professionals), providing information to all in an appropriate manner.

To use Information Technology to enhance communication (for example using the Trusts internal email network

To be able to listen effectively and take account of others points of view.

To effectively manage patients complaints, trying to resolve locally at the point of contact, escalating those that cannot be resolved locally

To deal with distressed or angry patients either face to face or over the telephone

General

To work across both Trust sites in University Hospital Lewisham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital

To be willing to travel between sites during the working day.

Good IT skills (Xcel, word and patient administration systems)

To wear identification badge at all times whilst on duty

The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the Trusts equal opportunities, confidentiality and all other policies and procedures.

To carry out any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post. This is an outline job description and should not be regarded as an inflexible specification. Priorities may change in line with service needs and new duties introduced after consultation with the post holder

Person Specification Education and Qualifications

• Education to GCSE level or equivalent

Experience and abilities

• Experience of working in a hospital enviornment
• Experience of using a patient administrations system
• Experience in customer services
• Knowledge of stock control
• Experience working within an Orthotic service

Skills

• ability to make decisions
• to demonstrate good organisational skills, able to prioritise and work to deadlines
• ability to use electronic resources
• good verbal and written communication skills
• ability to prioritise tasks

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.

£24,937 to £26,598 a yearper annum plus HCAS