First Contact Weekend Administrator

Job title: First Contact Weekend Administrator

Responsible to: Muhammed Ahmed – First Contact Admin Team Lead

Responsible for:  No one, however the post holder is responsible for performing all the key responsibilities listed here with minimal supervision and for presenting themselves and their work effectively

Basic function

The First Contact Centre is a dynamic new one stop service that is transforming the way patients and referral agencies access the Hospice’s services.  An opportunity has arisen for a Weekend Administrator to join the First Contact Team

You will be part of the team that acts as the first point of contact into the Hospice’s services.  You will answer telephone calls from people who may be in difficult and stressful situations, provide advice and signpost to relevant services or agencies.  You will also undertake associated administration and data entry.

The service operates 24 hours over seven days a week for advice whilst referrals will be taken mainly in daytime hours.  You will work 13 hours on every other weekend (Saturday and Sunday), for a total of 26 hours per month.

Organisational context

St Joseph’s Hospice was founded in 1905 by the Religious Sisters of Charity who retain an interest in the oversight of the Hospice.  The Hospice is working to achieve Vision 2024, which has five key strands: patients, enterprise, estates, funding and fundraising, and human resources.  The Hospice seeks to be an outstanding provider of palliative and end of life care.  Each employee is critical to delivering and maintain those standards in accordance with the Hospice’s core values.

Discretion to act

To seek advice and support from line manager

Scale and impact

Management responsibility for zero direct reports zero indirect reports

Does not hold a Budget

Key Accountabilities

Patient Care

• Respond to enquiries by both telephone and face-to-face in a calm, sensitive and professional manner taking accurate messages as required and ensure these are passed onto the appropriate person.
• Deal appropriately and empathetically with callers who may be upset, distressed, angry, aggressive or abusive whilst maintaining a professional standard of behaviour at all times; referring to senior staff where necessary
• Take referrals using effective communication skills and sound judgment to pass on to an appropriate healthcare professional or relevant service
• Provide non-clinical information to patients and families
• Contact patients or those that are important to them to acknowledge a referral usually at weekends and direct any concerns to a Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Liaise with internal departments, i.e. social work, day hospice, as directed to convey or request information
• Respond to routine correspondence and emails received internally or externally
• Create and update data on Cross Care interrogating the database as required in response to queries regarding patients
• Scan documents in accordance with current guidelines
• Process outgoing mail in accordance with current procedures and timescales
• Participating in ensuring that office windows are closed / doors locked, and the keys returned to reception at the end of the day

Maintain strict confidentiality in relation to all issues concerned within the service and adhere to Hospice policy, ensuring awareness under the obligations of the Freedom of Information Act, Information Governance and the Data Protection Act.

Line management support

• Regular support from line manager will be provided to enable you to develop and maximize your potential.

Strategic planning and development

Personal development

• Identify your own learning and development needs in order to meet the key requirements of the post

Take responsibility for linking your own development needs with the Hospice appraisal and objective setting process

Take responsibility for your own continuing development by undertaking specific areas of work/projects to develop new skills

Take responsibility for your own professional development, including keeping up-to-date with relevant professional and other developments in HR at local and national levels

Engage in supervision to support your personal and professional development

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Comply with and promote St Joseph’s Hospice Equal Opportunity Policy and avoid any behaviour, which discriminates against colleagues, potential employees, patients/clients or their families on the grounds of sex, marital status, race, age, belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion, disability, creed, class, gender, sexual orientation.

Mission & core values

All Hospice staff are expected to work in line with St Joseph’s Mission & Core Values as these precepts act as a value base which directly influence how all work activities are undertaken. The ethos of the Hospice should be apparent in the behaviours and attitudes of all employees as the work they undertake, whether it is direct or indirect, care is ultimately for the benefit of patients. The Mission and Core Values are an integral part of all job descriptions, the probationary period and performance and development reviews. (Full details attached).

Environment and sustainability

Comply with and promote the Hospice’s environmental policies, which stem from our core values. Promote environmentally sustainable practice and development and avoid any behaviour, which undermines environmentally sustainable practice and development throughout the Hospice services and departments.

Health, safety and welfare

Ensure a safe working environment and be aware of responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act, taking appropriate action in the event of an accident to patients, staff, self or any other person in the work area.

St Joseph’s Hospice operates a no smoking policy.