Subject Access Assistant

at  Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Records Management team is looking for a Subject Access Officer. The role is based within the Informatics Service at The Point, Sleaford.
The team provide a service that meets our staff and patients’ needs and ensures that records management functions and subject access requests are managed in accordance with the Data Protection Act principles, comply with Records Management Code of Conduct and other relevant legislation.
Please note the 22.5 hours would be worked between Monday and Wednesday, 9 - 5 pm.
To process subject access requests and undertake the process Trust-wide
To act on own initiative and work without direct supervision seeking guidance on complex cases where necessary
Responsible for the processing of applications received from service users and/or their legal representatives, police, social services and Lincolnshire County Council who wish to access information from medical records
Ensure all requests received are dealt with efficiently and in a timely fashion, in accordance with Trust policy and the terms of the Data Protection Act 2018, the Access to Health Records Act 1990 and FOI Act 2000
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health services and a number of learning disability, autism and social care services in the county of Lincolnshire. Employing around 2,800 staff, and serving a population of over 766,000, our people lie at the heart of everything we do.
You could be part of a Trust rated by staff as one of the best mental health and learning disability trusts in England, in an area heralded as a fantastic place to live and work. We firmly believe the key to high quality care is a contented workforce. This is reflected in our Care Quality Commission rating of ‘outstanding’ for well-led and ‘good’ overall. In the most recent National NHS Staff Survey, our staff rated us as the number one trust nationally for staff morale and one of the top scoring NHS Trusts in the Midlands for being compassionate and inclusive. We’re proud of this!
We are also leading the way in transforming care, with multi-million-pound transformation of patient environments and radical redesign of community services.
This is the time to join and help redesign our services of the future. We offer options for flexible working and provide a wide range of training and promotion opportunities in all professions. We support and celebrate diversity, have active staff networks groups and are always looking at what more we can do to support our staff.
Work within the framework of Statute law Access to Health Records 1990, Data Protection Act 2018, Freedom of Information Act 2000, Trust policy and procedures, ensuring that the trust remains compliant with providing an effective or signposting service
To act as the first point of contact for telephone and written enquiries from subject access requestors or their representatives (as above) requesting access to their records, or from staff in other Trust departments, solicitors, courts, other NHS organizations etc. referring details of subject access requests.
To act on patient’s behalf when an informal access is requested, liaise with their healthcare professionals or consultant in facilitating this request. Advise healthcare professionals of the legal requirement set out under the Data Protection Act 2018 referring to Trust Policy.
To send out application forms, receive application forms and written requests, acknowledge all requests received and log new requests on the relevant database, requesting any other further evidence in order to complete the access process.
To monitor Subject Access request from requesters ensuring all legal evidence has been received to support the request. To communicate/handle all communication with requesters in a polite and efficient manner, using tact where .access cases are denied.
To obtain copies of historical paper records, using diplomacy and persuasive measures, liaising with staff in departments to ensure copies of records are sent in a timely fashion.
To identify the applicant’s information requirements, interrogate the records and clinical systems to determine which health care professionals or other departments need to be approached for permissions to be granted.
To prepare and send the necessary permission letters to the relevant health care professionals or other departments.
To record all actions on a Record Access form, regularly monitoring the progress of all ongoing cases to ensure outstanding responses are chased up and deadlines for completion are not exceeded liaising with health care professionals or departments and their secretaries, including other staff in local councils.
To identify and report to the Subject Access Officer of any cases where the deadline is likely to be exceeded, and contact the applicant by telephone or in writing to update them of the situation.
To research IT systems including but not limited to RiO, IAPTus, Stalis archive, SystmOne, Sapa Disks, archive company, microfiche, Dataset and PHC as required to check, locate and supply records and reports
To read routine cases i.e. transfer of care requests and highlight any information that is not relevant or could detrimental to the requestors health, cause harm or breach the confidentiality of a third party if released.
To ensure the records database is updated and on the day of completion and that an accurate record is maintained of the access details and deadline dates are maintained for audit purposes
To confer, when necessary with the Subject Access Officer for guidance on handling complex access cases or advice on the disclosure of information or any other aspects of the access process to ensure Trust policy is adhered to
Provide regular feedback on progress of ongoing cases and supply any ad hoc reports to the Records Lead as required
To maintain an effective filing system for all access documentation and ensure records are retained for the required 3 year period
To communicate with applicants on the telephone, by e-mail and occasionally face to face, managing aggressive, angry, confused, distressed and emotional people in a pleasant, efficient, calm manner
To provide scanned copies of records received preparing them for dispatch as part of the subject access process or to support senior Trust managers conducting investigations into serious untoward incidents
To undertake data quality checks of records scanned into the system, create encrypted CDs and redact any information not to be shared with recipients
Support frontline teams with accessing historical records lodged with the archive service, maintaining the spreadsheet of records archived and recalled
Undertake data inputting of information received from patients into their electronic care records i.e. changes of address and other demographics and enter clinical notes onto records to ensure frontline teams are informed of information about patients being shared
Providing a reception role on an ad-hoc basis with general admin duties when the priorities of the team dictate
Frequent bending, lifting and transportation of heavy, bulky case notes throughout the day
To liaise with the Records Lead and identify potential improvements to service delivery and monitoring of performance
To make any necessary amendments standard pro forma in association with the Records Lea

Please refer the Job description for details