We are looking to appoint a FOI and Access to Health Records Officer - 37.5 hours per week to work within the FOI and Access to Health Records Team.
To process a caseload of requests for medical records in line with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Health Records Act (HRA) 1990 to patients, third parties and other organisations and to liaise with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board and Department of Work and Pensions in relation to requests for personal information.
Please be advised sponsorship is not eligible for this post.
Please be advised that the interviews for this post will take place in the week commencing 14/04/2025.
To provide the day-to-day provision for the FOI and A2HR Department, dealing with Subject Access Requests (SARs). To be familiar with the statutory requirements of the Data Protection Act (DPA), The Access to Health Records Act (ATHRA), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the FOI Act to understand the basic restrictions and rights for requests for information. To be able to use the necessary systems in order to locate patient records and information from the records in order to process requests from patients or their relatives, solicitors for accident claims or potential litigation claims, Trust Solicitor, Litigation Team, Police, the GMC, GDC, veteran agency, DWP and other government bodies, the coroner, complaints ombudsman, Continuance of Healthcare Funding (CHC), Other healthcare providers and to complete forms for insurance companies, DWP etc. And to provide Freedom of Information (FOI) Requests made by the public, working with internal teams across the Group to locate information and respond in accordance with the Act.
Closing Date: Please be advised that this job advert will close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Please apply for this job as soon as you can, if interested.
We are extremely proud of our employees across our hospital sites, with high quality patient care at the heart of everything we do.
Boasting some of the most modern facilities in Western Europe, the Trust is renowned for being at the forefront of research and innovation as part of its blossoming reputation as a worldwide leader in healthcare.
We are proud to be recognised as a Pathway to Excellence®designated organisation – please click the link for further details about this prestigious award.Pathway To Excellence ® - University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (uhcw.nhs.uk)
By joining our exciting journey, you will form part of a passionate, talented team and will be able to access a wide range of learning and development opportunities. There has never been a better time to join our team.
The Trust is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different perspectives available in our diverse society. We want everyone to feel they are respected, valued, can achieve their potential and receive the most appropriate and relevant care. We will create an environment where the equality and human rights principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy are promoted and are part of the organisation's core values.
• To learn and have a working knowledge of all systems that hold medical records as well as the IPM and CRRS system.
• To understand the paper records filing system in order to locate and chase paper records.
• To understand the hospital lay out to find paper records from around the Trust and / or Group as appropriate.
• To scan records in where necessary for urgent requests.
• To supply all appropriate records as the request stipulates and in line with patient consent. Finding records whether paper or electronic on various systems.
• Use software to combine, redact and administer records appropriately.
• Use software to send records by a secure means to the authorised requester.
• To manage FOI requests following the FOI end to end process in logging, receipting, checking, processing and drafting FOI responses.
• To be familiar with all types of requests coming into the office, checking all requests for authenticity, accuracy of information, the type of request and deadline.
• To prioritise your workload in view of urgent requests that may come in, working collaboratively with your colleagues.
• To discern difficult requests involving safeguarding matters and to seek advice on the redaction and disclosure of these as appropriate.
• To be aware of new requests received by e-mail, post, on the data management system or by phone throughout the day.
• To prioritise and to react to urgent short notice requests from the police, courts, coroner, or other healthcare providers with support from your team and the access team leader as necessary.
• To pass on requests to the legal team as appropriate.
• To be able to work in an organised manner, working simultaneously on several requests and to have an eye for detail, to check for completeness and correct details on all documents for relevant information, errors and misfiles.
• To understand what to redact in terms of third-party information and to remove it conscientiously, taking advise from FOI and A2HR Team Leader as appropriate.
• To be constantly aware of statutory deadlines and work to those deadlines diligently, supplying information in a timely manner.
• To respond to delays in the process and work to resolve issues making the FOI and A2HR Team Leader aware of problems when they arise.
• To have strong communication skills with patients and relatives, being able to undertake complicated conversations in relation to access to health records, employing patience and understanding where there may be a language barrier, impairment, illness, bereavement, frustration or emotional distress and to communicate effectively with Trust and / or Group colleagues and outside agencies in a professional, kindly manner.
For further details of the role please see the attached job description.
This advert closes on Monday 17 Mar 2025