Trainee Clinical Coder (Band 3)

at  North Bristol NHS Trust

Are you interested in an exciting career within the NHS? If so, North Bristol is recruiting for a Trainee Clinical Coder to join their challenging and diverse Clinical Coding Department.
To succeed in this role you will need to be motivated, eager to learn and have a great attention to detail. In your quest for accurate data, you will come into contact with a variety of staff of different levels throughout the Trust.
Working in the Clinical Coding department at North Bristol NHS Trust provides a job with great career progression and the chance to work in a busy acute hospital. Our team of coders complete coding of approximately 147,000 daycase/inpatient visits each year, spread across a variety of complex specialties including neurosurgery, vascular surgery, geriatric medicine, maternity and trauma/orthopaedics.
An assessment centre for shortlisted candidates will be held on 19th November at Southmead Hospital, this is a half day process giving you an in depth understanding of the unusual and interesting role of a clinical coder. Successful candidates will then be invited back for interview on 26th/27th November
Please note we always have a high number of applications for Trainee Coder roles so we would advise submitting your application as soon as possible as this advert may close early.
You will be responsible for translating medical terminology documented in patient records into national codes using the classifications ICD10 and OPCS4. The requirement is to produce consistent, accurate, complete and timely coded clinical data, for use by the Trust Finance Department among others.
As a Trainee Clinical Coder you will start in our training programme on Band 3 and be regularly assessed and tested during training. You will also attend a Clinical Coding Standards Course. After approximately 18 - 24 months and following passing an in house test and audit you will become an experienced Clinical Coder. After an agreed time frame (usually two to three years after commencing as a trainee) trainees sit the National Clinical Coding Qualification and upon passing will become a Band 5 Senior Clinical Coder.
The Clinical Coding Department aims to meet the demands of a modern NHS and to support the Trust’s Business Activity by recruiting high calibre individuals.
North Bristol NHS Trust is one of the largest trusts in the South West, with state of the art facilities provided at Southmead Hospital and the smaller Cossham hospital site.
The post holder will undergo training, to gain a sound knowledge and understanding of the International classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10 th revision (ICD-10) and OPCS- 4, clinical coding classifications, anatomy and physiology and medical terminology.
To ensure that clinical coded data is entered accurately and appropriately into the Trust’s computer system for every relevant patient care episode, with required deadlines as agreed with the Trust’s commissioners.
Liaise with appropriate staff, with any queries arising
Document coding problems and queries for their Divisional Lead, and/or Trust’s coding trainer, who will then submit any unresolved queries to Delen, National Clinical Coding Helpdesk.
Attend all national, local and in-house training sessions/relevant workshops and seminars, as required.
Maintain confidentiality and adhere to all Trust’s policies at all times.
Ensure adherence to national procedures and guidelines for clinical coding and follow any local policies.
Organise own workloads and work as part of a team, to ensure complete and accurate coding, with the Trust’s monthly deadlines within framework denoted by Divisional Leads.
Ensure that ‘incomplete coding’ due to outstanding histology results, is checked and completed on a regular basis, in conjunction with their Divisional Lead, to ensure accurate and completed clinical coding in a timely manner, as required.
During the initial training period to work towards meeting individual and overall department key performance indicators (KPIs). The post holder will be expected to achieve department KPIs within agreed timescales and support. The individual KPI will progress over the first year, to achieve 30 spells coded per day by end of year 1.
To undertake the 21 day Clinical Coding Standards Course, within 6 months.
To successfully pass the Trust’s in-house clinical coding exam and audit assessment after 12 and 18 months to check progress and readiness for the NCCQ.
As part of the department’s wider clinical coding audit programme, the post holders coding will be periodically audited for completed clinical coding episodes, as part of ongoing data quality assurance within the department

Please refer the Job description for details