Job summary The Department of Ophthalmology is looking for an enthusiastic and flexible member of staff to work as part of the operational team. Ophthalmology is a busy department, with a high volume of patients coming through the department on a daily basis and as such the individual should be confident, competent, possess good communication skills and be well organised. A good standard of education, the ability to organise the workload and work independently, as well as part of a team is also an essential aspect of this role. It is essential that applicants should fulfil the following criteria: - Able to work with and without supervision - Work accurately and methodically - Able to prioritise heavy and changing work schedules - Work under pressure - Meet important deadlines - Be proactive, reassuring and understanding using empathy when dealing with patients and their families The successful candidate will work with the operations team to achieve all local and national targets in line with RTT and 18 week pathways. The role is for 37.5 hours to be worked over 5 days and will be working across all the UHB sites. For more information or an informal conversation, please email Vivek Nelliyote, Service Manager email: vivek.nelliyoteuhb.nhs.uk Main duties of the job Receiving and dealing with telephone enquiries as appropriate Input and look up patient data on Trust IT systems in accordance with Trust policy To ensure Consultant's post is opened daily and dealt with accordingly To understand the patient pathway including RTT, capacity and demand planning as required. Deal with queries and action as appropriate to achieve Trust targets. Arrange meetings and appointments as necessary To assist colleagues as directed by the Operations team in times of pressure of work Co-operate in the introduction of new technology and new working practices to ensure the smooth running of the department Liaise with staff and service users Provide excellent telephone skills. Accurately record telephone messages and other enquiries and refer as appropriate To provide a point of contact for patients/relatives/carers, GPs and other health care professionals who can be emotional and highly distressed, ensuring that any language or other communication barriers are overcome Provide effective communication and problem solving both face to face and via telephone Be sympathetic and sensitive to the requirements of staff, service users when communicating by telephone or face to face, including dealing with a difficult situation, e.g. aggressive or demanding behaviour Attend team / departmental meetings on a regular basis. Contribute to building effective teamwork in exchanging views, ideas and communicating effectively About us We are recognised as one of the leading NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK. Our vision is to Build Healthier Lives, and we recognise that we need incredible staff to do this. Our commitment to our staff is to create the best place for them to work, and we are dedicated to: Investing in the health and wellbeing of our staff, including a commitment of offering flexible working where we can;Offer our staff a wide variety of training and development opportunities, to support their personal and career development objectives. UHB is committed to ensuring that our staff are treated fairly and feel that they belong, by creating a kind and inclusive environment. This is about equity of opportunity; removing all barriers, including discrimination and ensuring each individual member of staff reach their true potential, achieve their ambitions and thrive in their work. This is more than words. We are taking action. Our commitment to an inclusive culture is embedded at all levels of the organisation where every voice is heard, driven by our diverse and active staff networks, and at Board level by the Fairness Taskforce led by our CEO. We nurture a culture which empowers staff to challenge discriminatory behaviours and to enable people to bring their 'whole self' to a kinder, more connected and bold place to work. University Hospitals Birmingham is a Smoke-Free premises hospital. Date posted 21 February 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 4 Salary £26,530 to £29,114 a year Contract Fixed term Duration 12 months Working pattern Full-time, Flexible working Reference number 304-9006914 Job locations Trustwide Mindelsohn Way Birmingham West Midlands B15 2TH Job description Job responsibilities Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description Job description Job responsibilities Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description Person Specification Qualifications Essential Good General Education (eg.GCSE English and Maths A-C) Business Administration NVQ level 3 or equivalent experience in an Administrative environment Experience Essential Knowledge of dealing with non-routine issues such as problem solving for an area of work Good communication / customer care skills both written and verbal demonstrating sympathy and compassion Good keyboard / IT skills Good organisation skills and ability to multitask Good time management skills Ability to deal professionally with enquiries from staff, patients and visitors Understand confidentiality and apply the principles in everyday working practice Ability to pay attention to detail where there are predictable interruptions to the work pattern Ability to deal with stressful situations and sensitive issues Experience of dealing with the Public/Customer service experience Experience of working in an Administrative role with a proven track record of problem solving Experience of working with a range of Microsoft Office packages (eg. Word, Excel and Outlook) Good Organisational skills Able to use own initiative and deal with the unpredictable Able to work under pressure and to multi-task Able to work to deadlines Additional Criteria Essential Work effectively and flexibly as part of a team to meet the needs of the services Confident in dealing with people at all levels Must be able to demonstrate an understanding of equality and Diversity Mature open and flexible approach to work Demonstrates care and compassion Good inter-personal and communication skills Good organisational skills Team Player, Conscientious, Demonstrates reliability, motivation and commitment Ability to travel to multiple sites Ability to work under pressure and deal with stressful situations Person Specification Qualifications Essential Good General Education (eg.GCSE English and Maths A-C) Business Administration NVQ level 3 or equivalent experience in an Administrative environment Experience Essential Knowledge of dealing with non-routine issues such as problem solving for an area of work Good communication / customer care skills both written and verbal demonstrating sympathy and compassion Good keyboard / IT skills Good organisation skills and ability to multitask Good time management skills Ability to deal professionally with enquiries from staff, patients and visitors Understand confidentiality and apply the principles in everyday working practice Ability to pay attention to detail where there are predictable interruptions to the work pattern Ability to deal with stressful situations and sensitive issues Experience of dealing with the Public/Customer service experience Experience of working in an Administrative role with a proven track record of problem solving Experience of working with a range of Microsoft Office packages (eg. Word, Excel and Outlook) Good Organisational skills Able to use own initiative and deal with the unpredictable Able to work under pressure and to multi-task Able to work to deadlines Additional Criteria Essential Work effectively and flexibly as part of a team to meet the needs of the services Confident in dealing with people at all levels Must be able to demonstrate an understanding of equality and Diversity Mature open and flexible approach to work Demonstrates care and compassion Good inter-personal and communication skills Good organisational skills Team Player, Conscientious, Demonstrates reliability, motivation and commitment Ability to travel to multiple sites Ability to work under pressure and deal with stressful situations Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Employer details Employer name University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust Address Trustwide Mindelsohn Way Birmingham West Midlands B15 2TH Employer's website https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/jobs.htm (Opens in a new tab)