Accredited Specialist Clinical Coder

at  Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The successful applicants will provide a vital and dynamic role in supporting delivery of the clinical coding service. The coding function has an enviable high profile throughout the Trust, allowing coders the opportunity to work with individual clinicians and clinical divisional leads.
The successful candidates will be directly accountable for improving coding quality through clinical engagement, ensuring the ongoing accuracy of clinical coding as well as meeting Trust’s deadlines associated with clinical coding. Increased demand for higher quality clinical coding and quicker turnaround times mean opportunities for new ways of working and we need people who can deliver.
This role will require great attention to detail, excellent concentration span and logical thought process. You will need to be dynamic, enthusiastic and methodical. At Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust we have a clear and structured career progression pathway and there are many and varied opportunities within this profession.
The candidates will require the Accredited Clinical Coding (ACC) qualification, will have demonstrable coding experience in a wide range of specialities, have good working knowledge of HRGs and therefore be able to deal with the most complex and challenging coding. Other essential skills include excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively communicate with clinical coders, auditors, clinicians and management.
To support the provision of high quality and timely coded clinical data through effective extraction and analysis of complex clinical information, independent judgement in the interpretation and sequencing of clinical data, adhering to national rules and conventions.
To participate with all the team members in meeting strict local, national and contractual deadlines for the assignment of clinical codes using the classifications ICD-10 and OPCS-4, to ensure accurate
and timely reimbursement for each patient treated within the Trust.
To enhance the accuracy and completeness of the clinical coding through improved sources of information, engaging clinicians, divisions and relevant departments in particular where it impacts on high cost and complex specialised areas where additional expertise is required. Provide
professional coding technical support to the coding teams, divisions, Information and Finance department in these and other areas.
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is proud to be one of the top performing and safest trusts in England. We have two main acute hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital, plus our award-winning clinics across North West London and beyond.
1. Communication and Technical Skills
Ensure the full range of guidance and rules relating to the usage of ICD10 and OPCS4 are documented, and provide guidance throughout the relevant Divisions in their use and interpretation. Work with the Clinical Coding Team Manager and Clinical Coding Trainer in provision of training and support to more junior staff in particular those areas of specialism.
Ensure the maximisation of achieving 100% data quality and completeness is ongoing towards deadline targets. Understand the importance of complex Payment by Results (PbR) rules and HRGs in the above context and assist team members in the workings of this.
Assist the audit team in the engagement of external complex audits when required and support and assist in a continuous Trust internal audit programme, when appropriate, liaising with senior clinicians in reviewing the information provided for clinical coding within the case-notes, and information recorded on systems.
Assist the Clinical Coding Team Manager in the scrutiny of data capture where it impacts on PAS and coding and support quality assurance of this where relevant.
Promoting coder/clinician engagement.
Understand the impact of coded data on the business aspects of the Trust, and thus be able to provide the information and advice to all health professionals and administrative staff of the nature and complexity of clinical coding and its purposes in areas such as patient care, clinical and information governance, clinical audit, finance, budgeting, data quality and research.
2. Policy and Process
To provide specialist knowledge in areas of expertise to coding teams, including auditors and managers. To access, research and reference all appropriate clinical documentation in complex areas and feedback accordingly.
Ensure all relevant coding staff are trained in the timely collection and return of case-notes, and/or discharge information required for coding. Ensure coders can provide a flexible coding service for areas responsible and understand the flow of patient discharge information through the Trust information systems.
Advise the Clinical Coding Team Manager on organisation and process in areas of expertise and assist in the provision of cover for colleagues.
To liaise closely with clinicians to validate clinical information to ensure the quality of coded data for specialist services and areas of high complexity using expertise and knowledge within given area.
3. Training and Quality Assurance
Ensure complex national rules and conventions are understood and advise the Clinical Coding Team Manager on subsequent appropriate attendance at workshops both internally and externally as required.
Ensure compliance and expertise in the use of coding encoder system e.g. Medicode and all clinical information feeder systems such as Evolve, CMiS, BadegerNet.
Assist in resolving data quality issues relating to data inconsistency impacting on the accuracy of coding and ensure that the errors are reported and corrected as necessary.
Develop and assist the coding management and team in the streamlining of more efficient processes that assist the collection of accurate data, to do this via clinical engagement, liaison with senior managers and staff within the divisions.
Advise on changes of process and service delivery within the divisions and alert the management team as and where appropriate.
Proactively and regularly report the status and performance of the uncoded position within the areas of responsibility.
Assist the senior managers in the presentation of complex coded data and advise in any audits undertaken in specialised areas; assist in the subsequent implementation of error correction and process enhancement that arise from this process.
Assist the management team in areas of expertise where clinical input and research has guided.
Assist in training and monitoring of new staff in both technical coding and process.
4. Other duties
Provide cover for colleagues as appropriate.
Attend meetings on behalf of the senior coding managers internally and externally when required.
Undertake any other duties requested as appropriate to the banding.
Be aware of and promote data confidentiality issues within the Trust.
Promote and be an activist on own initiative if required in the quest for bringing the awareness of clinical coding, its processes and uses, to all relevant staff within the Trust and beyond wherever necessary.
Participate in designated areas in the monthly achievement of deadline targets, assuring a high standard in completeness, timeliness and accuracy. Ensure own targets are met.
Take a lead in the development of process in specialised areas and advise the senior coding management on best practice in specialised areas
Participate in coder/clinician MDTs - validation of clinical information and coded data in areas of complexity and high cost which impact on national outcomes, indicators, Trust reputation and income

Please refer the Job description for details