Job vacancy: Clinical Coder, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester

Job summary

Main area

Clinical Coding

Grade

NHS AfC: Band 4

Contract

Permanent

Hours

Full time
Flexible working
Home or remote working

37.5 hours per week

Job ref

358-7073301-COR

Employer: University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: LRI
Town: Leicester
Salary: £26,530 - £29,114 per annum / pro rota for part time
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 06/05/2025 23:59

Clinical Coder

NHS AfC: Band 4

AI tools like chatbots and virtual assistants can support you as you complete your application. For example, they can check for spelling or grammar errors, or help you to decide what to include.

But they shouldn’t replace your own responses or be used to write the application for you.

Relying too much on AI can negatively impact your chances of success, because automatically generated answers:

might not be specific or relevant enough to address the criteria in the recruitment profile
often seem generic and not personalised enough – an AI response won’t show your unique voice and perspective
could misrepresent information about you, such as your qualifications, skills and experience

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. To accurately analyse, interpret and extract relevant clinical information and data (including complex conditions, treatments and High Cost Drugs) from a variety of electronic sources including Badger (Neonatal Care), CITO (scanned patient documents), CRIS (imaging reports), DICT3, Euroking E3 (Maternity admissions), Heart Suite (paediatric cardiology & surgery), ICE (discharge letters), iLab (pathology results), Intellect Web (cardiac surgery/cardiology), Medisoft (ophthalmology), Nerve Centre, ORMIS, Proton and Unisoft (endoscopy reports).

2. Responsible for managing own workload within broad guidelines. Have a joint goal with other coders to achieve coding targets. Assist colleagues with coding patient case notes if necessary, to ensure all coding is completed within the Trust’s stated deadlines. This may include mentoring less experienced colleagues.

3. Responsible for identifying obstacles to meeting these deadlines and for taking appropriate action to overcome them.

4. Responsible for identifying and analysing patterns of errors and notifying these to manager, with proposed potential solutions.

5. To comply with both the Trust and departmental policies and procedures and implementing local policies when required.

6. To work with Clinicians to improve the quality of clinical coded information across the Trust, participating in multi-disciplinary team meetings as a coding expert.

7. To be a key knowledge resource for and assist with the development of documentation of coding processes, procedures and protocols to ensure quality and consistency within the hospital and adherence to national and international guidelines. Be responsible for the on-going revision and documentation of these processes.

8. Assist with Mentoring and developing inexperienced staff to enable them to exercise their own initiative in selecting appropriate clinical terms to accurately reflect the patient’s episode of care.

9. To undertake a program of Continuous Professional Development, to ensure professional coding skills and knowledge are kept up to date and maintaining the ability to work autonomously to the highest professional standards.

10. The post holder will be expected to have the ability to code more than one specialty.

Person specification

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

Essential criteria

Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s Values and Behaviours

Training & Qualifications

Essential criteria

Educated to GCSE standards Maths and English (A-C) or equivalent experience. Completed the 21 day NHSD Clinical Coding Standards Course. Completed Refresher course in the last 3 years (if appropriate).

Desirable criteria

Willingness to study for Accredited Clinical Coder

Experience

Essential criteria

Experience of coding multiple specialties using ICD10 and OPCS in an NHS setting for a minimum of 18 months. Ability to achieve minimum of 90% accuracy for primary codes.

Desirable criteria

Familiar with using an Encoder.

Communication and relationship skills

Essential criteria

Experience of communicating with staff at all levels.

Analytical and Judgement skills

Essential criteria

Excellent analytical skills. Excellent judgemental skills

Planning and organisation skills

Essential criteria

Ability to prioritise and manage own work load, to meet Trust and nationally required deadlines

Other requirements specific to the role

Essential criteria

Accuracy / attention to detail Ability to learn quickly. Completer / finisher. Must be able to work on any site.

Physical Skills

Essential criteria

Ability to work with prolonged concentration. Exposure to patient case notes

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Essential criteria

Able to demonstrate a commitment to and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs.

Additional Information

Please submit your application form without delay to avoid disappointment; we will close vacancies prior to the publishing closing date if we receive a sufficient number of completed application forms.

Please check the email account (including your junk mail) that you supplied as part of your application on a regular basis following the closing date and throughout the recruitment process, as this is how we will communicate with you.

UHL is an equal opportunities employer. We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds who match our job criteria.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.

UHL is committed to helping colleagues balance the demands of both their work and personal needs through flexible working arrangements wherever reasonably practicable and subject to service needs.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

Please note if you are successful in obtaining this position and the post involves regulated activity you will be required to undertake a Disclosure & Barring Service check.

The Trust will pay for the check initially and the money will then be deducted from your salary over a three month period commencing on your first month's payment.

The current price of a check is £38 for an enhanced and £18 for a standard check.

COVID 19 Risk Assessment

Due to the current Covid pandemic we have introduced a staff risk assessment into our pre-employment process. This now forms part of the mandatory pre-employment checks that will be carried out if you receive a conditional offer.

The risk assessment is intended to ensure you are able to safely perform your duties in any of our work areas, and if you have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. Our main aim is to reduce risk and to ensure the safety of all new starters to the Trust as well as current staff, patients and visitors.

If it is identified that you are within a vulnerable category, we will endeavor to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate this through discussions with both Occupational Health and your recruiting manager.

Covid Vaccination Status

Covid-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, family, colleagues and our patients/service users from the Covid-19 virus. We therefore continue to encourage our current and potential colleagues to get vaccinated.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust holds the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything it does and all that it stands for. We are committed to developing a workforce that is representative of the community we serve. We welcome applications from the diverse community of Leicester, Leicester and Rutland, to help deliver healthcare services that meets the needs of our diverse communities.