18 Week Data Validator - Band 3

at  Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to meeting all targets within the Referral to Treatment (RTT) patient pathway. The RTT target requires the Trust to measure the total period waited by each patient and to manage each patient’s journey from referral to treatment in a timely and efficient manner.
Providing accurate information on the length of pathways is essential; improvements to services rely on information being reliable and being provided as close to real-time as possible.

The post holder will support the implementation of the 18 week target across the Trust by validating the 18 week data supplied. The post holder will use various data sources to clarify and update information systems to ensure the data recorded on accurately reflects the 18 week RTT for that patient.

• To have an excellent understanding of Trakcare and deliver training when required.
• To understand complex clinical pathways and be able to link up 18 week activity within the pathway.
• To ensure all admissions, waiting list entries, outpatient appointments and attendances outside a clinic are linked to the correct pathway ID.
• Where multiple pathways are identified to ensure that the one correct pathway is generated and all relevant treatment statuses are correct
• To develop a good understanding of diagnostic and non diagnostic procedures
• To understand the validation process for breached and prospective patients and to use this process to validate patients’ 18 week pathway
• To be able to follow validation process and to use this process to validate patients’ 18 week pathway
• To understand and know the 18 week rules, enabling them to make decisions on the validity of entries on Trak and use own initiative to make changes when necessary
• To advise other departments within the Trust (eg wards, medical secretaries, admissions teams) on 18 Week Data Quality and performance.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest employer in the county and with over 8,000 staff, we are one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK. We offer a generous annual leave allowance, excellent bank rates, access to the excellent NHS Pension Scheme, discounts for local shops, restaurants and services, access to our health and well-being hub, access to our two on-site nurseries, flexible working options, discounted public transport, reward and recognition schemes, exercise and activity classes and membership to our popular hospital choir.

Key Results Areas

• Source, collect and validate accurate RTT data in accordance with agreed practices and standards
• Ensure, through accurate data validating, the RTT data reported to the Department of Health is accurate
• Use patient notes, existing databases, and Trust systems to formulate, validate and confirm patient pathways
• Create databases to collect and monitor complex data, maintain and update databases
• Record accurately the validation of patient data
• Monitor and ensure accuracy of data relating to inter-hospital transfers and respond to external queries relating to those data.
• Input the collected data into Trust systems in a timely and accurate manner
• Liaise with clinicians, nursing staff and other staff as appropriate in order to achieve collection of accurate data and missing notes
• Educate medical, clinical and administrative staff within the Trust on the complex principles of clock start and stop validation and the use of RTT codes
• Identify any pathway trends or specific trends within specialties and highlight areas of concern
• Undertake and participate in local audits, surveys and any relevant pathway research to fulfil the requirements of the RTT Target
• Advise and demonstrate own activity and work role to less experienced, or new employees in the team
• Review all RTT documentation as directed by line manager
• Collect additional data on an ad-hoc basis
• Work within organisational policies and procedures, comment on proposals and implement policy
• Plan and organise own work schedule with the use of appropriate planning aids, demonstrating good time management and ensuring anticipated difficulties in meeting deadlines are promptly reported
• Ensure that data is recorded and saved in the appropriate Trust locations
• Ensure confidentiality and security of data in accordance with organisational requirements, and in line with the Data Protection Act
• Maintain the high standards of the department by contributing towards individual and team objectives
• Participate in planned training events and attend all mandatory training sessions as requested
• Contribute to the development of measures that would enable the Trust to monitor data quality associated with 18 weeks.
• Carry out audits as requested to ensure complete and accurate data on both the non-admitted and admitted 18 week PTLs, producing written and verbal performance reports on the findings as requested.

Communications & Working Relationships

• Communication with a range of clinical and non-clinical staff is required
• Contact with patients is incidental e.g. on ward/clinic visits
• Information Department
• Health Records Department
• Trust training department including PAS training staff

Physical, Mental & Emotional Effort & Working Conditions

• Expected to visit Medical Records, wards and departments on occasions across all Trust sites
• The nature of the job on rare occasions may necessitate the need for flexible working (possibly at times prior to submission of key data, when out of hours work is necessary)
• Frequent requirement to concentrate within an unpredictable work pattern
• Management of own workload
• Required to act independently
• Input and analyse information for a substantial proportion of working time. Requires accuracy and constant checking
• Dealing with sensitive and confidential information
• Use of Visual Display Unit (VDU) on a daily basis
• Light physical effort. Movement of medical notes and files up to and including 5kgs in weight
• Working in a challenging and changing environment whilst under pressure, effectively managing own time
• Maintaining a high degree of accuracy when working under pressure
• Working for several Directorates whilst managing competing demands
• Training new members of staff, whilst maintaining full service cover

This job description is neither exclusive nor exhaustive and the duties and responsibilities my vary from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and in consultation with the post holde

Please refer the Job description for details