Children's Single Point of Access Administration Assistant

Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time. Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk. We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care. You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive. The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award. We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years. We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust. We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars. Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters. Job overview · The post holder will work within the centrally managed Children’s Single Point of Access Administration (C-SPA) team, providing a comprehensive administrative service to support clinical staff across Children’s Community Nursing, Children’s Community Asthma, and the Children and Young People’s Bladder and Bowel Services (‘the Services’), ensuring effective coordination and delivery of administrative and clerical functions as directed by the Administration Manager. · The post holder will ensure the timely and accurate recording of all activity across the Services using Trust and partnership information systems. · The centralised service requires a team-based approach to ensure cover during periods of absence across all the Services and locations; the post holder will therefore be expected, on occasion, to provide flexible cover as needed. · Post holders, as appropriate, will be required to provide secretarial duties on behalf of the Services. Post holders will also act as telephone agents and will ensure that the Trust’s commitments to customer service and immediate access is a priority. * Please note sponsorship cannot be offer for this role* Advert · Provide comprehensive administrative support to clinical teams, ensuring accurate and timely recording of activity · Act as a first point of contact for service users, carers and professionals, handling calls and enquiries sensitively and confidentially · Manage and prioritise incoming communications (phone, email and post), responding appropriately and escalating where required · Organise and maintain appointments, diaries, meetings and clinic schedules, including managing short-notice changes · Support the smooth running of clinics, often working independently to coordinate administrative processes · Maintain accurate patient records using Trust systems, ensuring high standards of data quality and confidentiality · Communicate appointment details, changes and cancellations clearly to service users and stakeholders · Use initiative to prioritise workload, meet deadlines and manage competing demands · Undertake general administrative tasks including data entry, minute taking and audit support · Supervise and support junior or temporary staff and assist with training as required · Monitor stock levels, report equipment issues and follow Trust procedures and policies · Work independently with minimal supervision, managing interruptions, emotional demands and sensitive situations professionally Working for our organisation Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you. • Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential. • Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks. • If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling. Benefits • 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service. • Excellent pension of up to 14.5% of your pensionable pay. • Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits. • £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us • Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus. Work that wraps around your needs • Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed. Detailed job description and main responsibilities KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Communication · You will be required to handle incoming and outgoing telephone calls to service users, consultants, doctors, and clinical staff in a polite and efficient manner. Receive and deal with telephone enquiries, responding appropriately to callers including high risk, abusive, threatening, depressed, suicidal and vulnerable clients and carers. Maintain strict confidentiality at all times. · Record accurate messages and follow them up appropriately in accordance with the Services guidelines. · To deal face-to-face with clients seeking further help/information and to be aware of the needs of the service users and to deal in an appropriate manner with people who can be hostile, abusive or aggressive. · To exchange confidential, sensitive information with staff, service users, and carers in person or on the telephone. The unpredictability of clients means that persuasive, reassuring, empathic, skills are required at all times. · Deal with queries raised by service users, families/carers, GP’s or other healthcare professionals both internally and externally to the Trust. These are often of a non-routine nature and involving complex issues such as medication and other clinical treatments where there are barriers to understanding due to the nature of the client group. Knowledge · To be responsible for ensuring all correspondence is accurately and appropriately presented using Trust and departmental procedures and medical terminology used by clinical staff. · To be skilled and experienced in the full range of secretarial work practices, software programmes and specialised functional terms. · To be proficient with the knowledge of Patient Records management supporting new users and instructing them as necessary. To use the knowledge and experience to meet the needs of the clinical teams by completing non-routine tasks on a daily basis. · To operate the Trusts central telephony systems. · To update skills as necessary and attend mandatory training and maintain records as per Trust policy. Analytical and Judgement · Receiving, prioritising and organising appropriate action when dealing with clinical staff requirements. · Prioritising and organising distribution of incoming and outgoing mail (including email). · Use own initiative to organise, prioritise and coordinate workload ensuring that deadlines are met. Planning and Organisation · To maintain diaries, both electronic and paper. To arrange appointments and meetings via electronic systems. · Ability to deal with short notice planning and last-minute changes. · To manage and organise own time and work efficiently and adhere