Clerical Officer

Role Summary:

Clinical Administration Services provides administration support for the clinical functions of St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

Clinical Administration Services roles include but are not limited to:

• Secretarial services for a range of medical and surgical specialties

• Ward administration for inpatient and day wards

• Front-line registration

• Medical records

Allocation of the successful candidate(s) to a particular role / department will depend on service requirements and skill set.

The person(s) appointed will work a basic 35 hour week. You will be required to work the agreed roster / on call arrangements as advised to you by your line manager. Please note that start times vary and in some areas may be 07:30am.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Key duties and responsibilities will vary depending on placement.

The list of key duties and responsibilities is not intended to be exhaustive and is subject to change depending on service requirements.

All roles may include:

• Ensuring confidentiality and security of healthcare records and patient information is upheld at all times

• Working with the healthcare record in line with HSE Recommended Practices and Standards for Healthcare Record Documentation

• Ensuring an up-to-date healthcare record is available for every episode of clinical care

• Providing a courteous service to patients, visitors and other healthcare professionals

• Answering telephones and dealing with queries that may arise

• Faxing and photocopying of patient documentation

• Updating patient demographic details on the relevant IT system e.g. Patient Administration System (PAS)

• Recording patient episode activity on PAS

• Collecting and distributing post

Typical Duties in Secretarial Services also include but are not limited to:

• Providing administration support to a medical or surgical specialty

• Audio typing of clinical correspondence

• Printing/posting/filing patient correspondence from the electronic typing system

• Phone enquiries and following up on queries promptly

• Completing ward censuses and updating the relevant IT system as appropriate

• Ensuring consultant discharged HCR’s are recorded and returned to the appropriate area

Typical Duties for Ward Administration also include but are not limited to:

• Providing administration support on inpatient or day wards

• Checking and re-ordering stock

• Filing patient reports into healthcare records

• Ensuring that all patient documentation is correctly filed in the healthcare record on discharge

• Liaising with clinical teams to ensure discharge summaries are completed for all patients

• Liaising with clinical teams with regard to signing of diagnostic results

• Liaising with Admissions with regard to healthcare records, admission documents and death certs

• Making arrangements for follow-up appointments

• Arranging transport for patients

• Assisting with patient discharge e.g. sending discharge documents, Public Health Nurse referrals etc

• Distributing duty records

Typical Duties in Front-Line Registration also include but are not limited to:

• Working in unscheduled care, outpatient, inpatient or day-care reception areas

• Completing ward censuses and updating the relevant IT system as appropriate

• Registering outpatient clinics

• Booking and cancelling outpatient appointments

• Logging of all referrals received by post, fax and healthlink

• Ensuring triaging of letters is up to date with clinical teams

• Referral outcomes are tracked and logged appropriately

• Rota based cover on the main appointments phone line dealing with all appointment enquiries

• Checking the text reminder system and responding to messages in a timely manner

• Logging of all day case procedures in an OPD setting on the Patient Administration System

Typical Duties in Medical Records also include but are not limited to:

• Sorting and filing patient documentation into the healthcare record

• Pulling and preparing healthcare records for clinics

• Delivery and collection of healthcare records to/from other areas of the hospital using trollies

• Participating in the purging, tidying and maintenance of healthcare records as required

• Providing healthcare records for clinical areas, audits and research in a timely manner

• Ensuring patient healthcare records are available for patients attending clinics

• Ensuring outpatient diagnostic results are available for review by clinical teams at clinic

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office. This document must be regarded as an outline of the major areas of accountability at the present time, which will be reviewed and assessed on an on-going basis.

The Hospital Structure is currently under review and therefore, reporting relationships may change.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Eligible applicants will be those who on the closing date for the competition:

(i) Obtained at least grade D (or pass) in Higher or Ordinary Level in five subjects from the approved list of subjects in the Department of Education established Leaving Certificate Examination or Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme or Leaving Certificate Applied.

Or

(ii) Passed an examination of at least equivalent standard.

Or

(iii) Satisfactory relevant experience which encompasses demonstrable equivalent skills.

Experience

Candidates must possess the requisite knowledge and ability, including a high standard of suitability and administrative ability), for the proper discharge of the office.

Core Competencies

• Effective communication and interpersonal skills

• Ability to work with Healthcare Records

• Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team

• Strong IT skills

• Excellent organisational and time management skills

• A high degree of flexibility

Health

Candidates for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Character

Candidates for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

The appointment is: Whole-time, Permanent and Pensionable.

Panel:

A panel may be formed to fill upcoming permanent, temporary, whole and part-time vacancies over the next 6 months.

Annual Salary:

Clerical Officer (0609 grade) as at 01/08/2025, pro rata

€31,118 – €48,427 LSI

These particulars are subject to change in line with overall public pay policy. Candidates should expect to be appointed on the minimum of the salary range and in accordance with the Department of Finance guidelines.

Probationary Period:

The appointee shall hold office for a probationary period of six months – The Hospital’s Probation and Induction policy will apply.

Pension Scheme:

The candidate will be entered into one of the Hospital Superannuation Schemes.

Working Hours:

The person appointed will work a basic 35 hour week. You will be required to work the agreed roster / on call arrangements advised to you by your line manager. Your contracted hours of work are liable to change between the hours of 8am – 8pm over seven days to meet the requirements for the extended day services in accordance with the terms of the Framework Agreement. (Reference HSE HR Circular 003/2009). Flexibility on hours of attendance in response to service needs will be a requirement.

Annual Leave Entitlement:

25 days per annum pro rata (increasing to 26 after 3 years and 27 after 5 years qualified excluding breaks in service) per annum pro rata. Annual leave accrued must be taken within the duration of the contract or calendar year and as agreed between the candidate and the Head of Department.