Clinical Coding Engagement Lead

The post involves close liaison with and advising on coding issues to a wide range of multidisciplinary staff, both internal and external to the Trust, including clinicians, senior managers, divisional leads, executives and clinical directors.

The post holder should assist the Clinical Coding Services Lead in the promotion of clinical terming and clinical coding throughout the local health community and work with clinicians to promote coding awareness.

The post holder must produce high quality clinical information in a timely and accurate manner for both internal and external use. To be responsible for ensuring patient records, across both hospital sites, are accurately coded to National Standards within the required timescale.

The Clinical Coder role is vital to the funding of the Trust. Coded clinical data is essential for the effective management of the Trust. It is used to support Service Level Agreements, clinical governance reporting and benchmarking and it has a direct impact on the Trust's income (via "NHS Payment Scheme").

CHFT offers rotation across all specialties, in house training and/or remote with NHS Approved Trainers and has a good audit programme with the benefit of dedicated qualified NHS Approved Auditors

Job description

Support the Clinical Coding Auditor and Trainer to develop a regular programme of internal audits, providing reports and recommendations to identify any problems that may arise in the clinical coded data. To be responsible with the Clinical Coding Services

Lead for the subsequent implementation of those recommendations including assessment of training needs.

Investigate and analyse complex patient records and exercise judgement in interpreting patient cases to apply national coding rules, regulations and conventions and to ensure all episodes are coded to a very high standard within the timescales set.

To critically examine and make independent judgements on whether coding should be carried out where diagnosis and procedural information is not transferable to exact codes or whether a more detailed investigation is required for accurate coding.

To provide complex specialist coding advice and basic HRG information for financial and audit purposes.

To manage own workload, without direct supervision, to ensure all relevant inpatient episodes are coded within the agreed deadlines to enable a complete financial assessment to be made

To provide consistently recorded data to well defined standards. The Clinical Coding Department uses the ICD10 and OPCS4 classifications to record all diagnoses and procedures for inpatient and day case admissions.

To adapt coding practice to incorporate new and additional codes released in the regular classification upgrades.

Play an active part, within the team, to influence changes in operational practice to achieve the overall aim of improving the quality of information.

Participate in the strategic development of the department including the resolution of local coding issues.

To attend meetings both internal (divisional/clinical) and external as and when required.

To assist with the investigation and correction of coded clinical data rejected or queried as a result of data quality analysis.

To monitor the departments performance against agreed targets and highlight any variances, taking corrective action where appropriate and bringing any key issues to the attention of the Clinical Coding Services Lead.

To be responsible with the Clinical Coding Services Lead for the ongoing development of the Trusts electronic encoding system required to deliver accurate and auditable coding.

To participate in on-going clinical coding training to meet national standards and in accordance with the requirements of the post and personal development. This may require travelling to other organisations outside of core working hours.

To take responsibility for raising coding issues with the Clinical Coding Services Lead to ensure maintenance of standards and update the Policy and Procedures Manual as required by either the clinical coding Clinics or local policies and agreements.

To use the Trusts clinical systems to maintain coding accuracy and facilitate completion of all coding within the timescales specified to meet the Trusts NHS Payment Scheme targets.

To take an active role in the identification and highlighting of data quality problems.

To provide codes to CHFT as required by the divisions.

To assist in the promotion of the professional image of the Clinical Coding service throughout the Trust.

To be proactive in the development and continuous improvement of the role.

Any other duties as specified by the Clinical Coding Services Lead.

For a full list of responsibilities please view/download the the job description and person specification.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Accredited Clinical Coder (ACC) Qualification (and attendance at Coding Refresher if ACC qualification more than 3 years ago)
• Educated to Degree or equivalent experience in the specialist field of Clinical Coding
• GCSE grades 9-4 (A* to C) or equivalent in English, Maths and Science
• AMSPA or equivalent in Medical Terminology
• IT literate including use of internet for research
• Willingness to complete the Clinical Coding Mandatory Standards Refresher Training Course and other Clinical Coding as required
• Commitment to continuing professional development
• Willingness to attend training as required

Desirable

• Microsoft Office qualification or equivalent
• Attendance on specialty workshops
• Working towards Clinical Coding Audit/Trainer qualification

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

Essential

• Experience of working in a Patient Services environment within the NHS
• Extensive knowledge of Medical Terminology, Anatomy and Physiology
• Extensive experience of working in clinical coding within an acute NHS trust setting
• In-depth knowledge of ICD10 and OPCS and awareness of other clinical terming and coding systems e.g. SNOMED CT
• An in-depth knowledge & understanding of how clinical coding supports healthcare & how this can be used to support management decisions & the planning of services
• Experience of decision making on own initiative and liaison with colleagues
• Experience of mentoring other clinical coders
• Good understanding of Freedom of Information Act
• Able to demonstrate judgment skills to translate complex clinical diagnoses and procedures into accurate codes

Desirable

• Knowledge of HRGs and their role within coding
• The ability to work across boundaries within THIS

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)

Essential

• The ability to communicate at all levels with tact and diplomacy
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Be able to communicate highly complex coding rules to coders and non-coders including clinical, admin and senior managers
• Persuasive skills and able to communicate effectively with clinical teams and managers
• Motivational skills
• The ability to work as part of a team and on own
• The ability to be methodical and accurate
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Excellent planning & organisational skills

About the employer

CHFT is an integrated Trust of 6,500+ colleagues providing hospital and community services to patients and communities across Calderdale and Kirklees. We are rated as 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission, are a top performing Trust for Elective Recovery, Emergency and Cancer Care and widely acknowledged as a national digital lead when it comes to caring for people across our local and regional systems.

Our people are at the core of everything we do, hence our commitment to One Culture of Care. Our focus is to care for and support each other in order to provide outstanding compassionate care to our patients. That is why we are looking for an inclusive collaborative, creative, innovative and compassionate leader to join us in this role.