Plastics Theatre Scheduler

Welcome to Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and thank you for your interest.

In addition to receiving tertiary referrals from across the South East of England, we have a network of ‘spoke’ sites at district general hospitals enabling our consultants to offer their expertise with routine treatments and consultations as close to patients’ homes as is possible. With the recent addition of video led ‘virtual’ consultations we also enable patients who have some distance to travel to avoid the additional stress and worry of a long journey.

Working at QVH combines the excitement, challenge and career opportunities of many larger organisations with the satisfaction of delivering excellent patient care that really does re-build our patients’ lives.

We also offer attractive benefits such as

- tailored personal development to support career aspirations, including accredited clinical and management development programmes

- flexible working arrangements for a work-life balance that suits you and your needs

- a dedicated reward programme, offering a range of national and local discounts, cashback and tax relief schemes

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Sustainability

At Queen Victoria Hospital we want to be the first Net Zero Hospital in England, and to achieve that wants every member of staff to be a green champion. The way in which the Trust works has a significant impact on the organisation’s carbon footprint and that of our patients. From the heat, light and power supplies within the hospital to avoiding unnecessary patient journeys, the Trust is empowering all staff to create a sustainable health and care environment for future generations. The Trust expects all staff to reuse and recycle more, to use energy and water efficiently, to walk or cycle to work if you can, and to have a focus on sustainability in the workplace.

We are currently looking for a self motivated, organised and resourceful Scheduler to work for the Plastics Surgery Department as a fixed term position covering a short term secondment.

This is an interesting post, scheduling patients for theatre for our plastic surgery and burns department.

Reporting to the Team Leader and working closely with Consultants and Medical Secretaries in order to ensure the delivery of the service within NHS targets. The role will involve working flexibly within the department to provide and receive confidential and sensitive information to patients, relatives, staff or external parties as needed.

Main duties of the job

Specifically undertaking the scheduling of Plastics theatres for both inpatient and day cases.

Ensuring efficient management of available theatre capacity against waiting lists in line RTT /Cancer wait times and NHS targets.

Working for our organisation

Rated GOOD overall with outstanding care by the CQC. A specialist NHS hospital providing life-changing reconstructive surgery, burns care and rehabilitation services across the South of England and beyond.

A centre of excellence, with an international reputation for pioneering advanced techniques and treatments. Everything we do is informed by our passion for providing the highest quality care and the best clinical outcomes.

At QVH we are proud of our achievements and our specialist services continue to record excellent clinical outcomes for patients, We regularly receive excellent results from patient satisfactions surveys and on average 98% of inpatients say they would recommend the hospital to their family or friends.

Our success is underpinned by the skills and enthusiasm of our staff and a strong culture of partnership. We are fully committed to training and developing our workforce with support for continuing education and learning.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

- Scheduling inpatient and day case admissions ensuring maximum use of available theatre capacity, assessing needs of individual patients and where appropriate rearranging patient combinations to maximise consultant/fellow and co‑ordinating joint cases with other specialties within the Trust.

- Agree outpatient pre‑assessment and anaesthetic appointments, co–ordinate direct to list cases from referrals to ensure most appropriate treatment pathway using own judgement against set criteria. Letters/information leaflets sent and patient centre updated. Liaison with patients or patient’s carer’s and consultants as necessary for optimal diagnosis/treatment within RTT18 weeks (referral to treatment).

- Ensure that surgical outcomes, including attendance, did not attends (DNAs) and their pathway status, is recorded on Patient Centre (PC) in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.

- Ensure that patient cancellations and DNAs are dealt with in accordance with the Trust’s Waiting List Policy. Fill cancellations with appropriate cases to maximise theatre capacity, liaising with theatres, Consultants/Fellows and management when necessary.

- Inputting correct data on PC on the waiting list, pre‑admission. Inputting the correct data on Orsos and arranging the theatre list order taking into consideration patients, clinical, medical, case type, availability of equipment/transplant material and medical staffing availability.

- Send appropriate letters to patients, sending out invitations on nonresponse, also creating freestyle letters when necessary.

- Liaise with internal and external secretaries to arrange observers/clinical attachments/visiting consultants to observe special cases in theatre.

- Liaise with external interpreter services for both Pre‑Assessment appointments and theatre admissions.

- Liaise with Histology regarding results for soon cases such as frozen sections, BCCs, SCCs and other biopsies.

- Manage Plastics waiting lists and ensure that you order new equipment when necessary. Liaise with Pharmacy to order prescription medication i.e. Xiapex, Botox etc.

- Liaise with Team Leader when necessary to move Consultant/fellows from clinic to cover theatre lists/urgent cases/trauma. Advise all relevant persons in writing of cancellations and alterations to theatre lists as necessary.

- Greeting patients in a professional and courteous manner and validating patients’ identification and demographic details. Where new or revised information is obtained, update PC and case notes appropriately. Confirmation of reserved inpatient treatment dates.

- Ensure RTT18 targets are adhered to in conjunction with Manager, amending appointments when necessary. Weekly monitoring of RTT18 position for proactive management of breaching patients.

- Have a full understanding of patient pathways and the significance and application of treatment status codes, in accordance with the Trust’s Waiting List Policy.

- Develop and maintain a sound knowledge of medical terminology relating to Plastic Surgery. Attend Plastics training sessions and when necessary outside forums when required for expansion of knowledge.

- Organise patient transport, assessing eligibility with the patient. Datix reporting of problems.

- Deal with all telephone calls promptly and courteously with an empathetic and professional approach. Telephone triage system to ensure non‑routine, challenging or complaint calls dealt with effectively.

- Collate and supply the nursing staff, clinical staff, and management with monthly quality figures for monthly Unit meeting. Supplying all the cancellation and reasons and number of cases performed.

- Manage, supervise and support Band 3 Support Secretaries, volunteer and bank staff, including daily allocation of work, demonstration of duties to new starters and checking and approving work as necessary. Training new staff on the use of Orsos and patient centre.

- In conjunction with team Leader and Service Co‑ordinators, identify, develop and implement new procedures to ensure the unit runs efficiently and targets are met.

- Deputise for Team Leader where necessary.

Additional requirements

- Liaise with patients, relatives, Service Co‑ordinators, Consultants, Technicians, external doctors (GP’s, consultants) and outside agencies (care homes, prison service etc.).

- Ensure security of the building, contents and personnel, particularly when lone working.

- Ensure patient confidentiality is maintained at all times.

- Prepare theatre notes ensuring all the relevant correspondence and test results are available and filed appropriately in the patients notes.

- Train new and temporary staff as appropriate.

- The post holder will be responsible for continually maintaining their working knowledge of local practices, policies and procedures and highlight ongoing training and development needs to the Manager.

- The post holder requires excellent communication skills, using the appropriate terminology and language required to meet a broad range of patient needs.

- As and when required, you will work flexibly to support the Medical Secretary team.

Person specification

Qualifications

- • GCSE English and Maths or able to demonstrate knowledge within this field through practical experience

- • Evidence of continued role development

Experience

- • Working in and with a multi-disciplinary team

- • Experience of dealing with general public/customer service

- • Awareness of patient confidentiality and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

- • Working within a Hospital Trust

- • Experience of co‑ordinating a patient / customer service

Skills

- • Able to prioritise and manage own work

- • Able to work on own initiative and under pressure

- • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Knowledge

- • Knowledge and awareness of medical terminology

- • Knowledge of NHS performance/access targets

The closing date given is a guide only. There may be some occasions when we have to close a vacancy once sufficient applications have been received. You are therefore advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

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