Clinical Coding Auditor (XN06)
- Employer
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Location
- Leeds
- Salary
- £35,392 to £42,618 a year
- Closing date
- 4 May 2024
View more categoriesView less categories
- Profession
- Other Health Profession
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract Type
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full Time
You need to sign in or create an account to save a job.
Do you enjoy working to improve the quality of clinical coding? Are you looking for an opportunity to use your extensive coding experience and take the next step in your career?
LTHT is looking for a Coding Auditor to work within our audit & development team.
Coding Auditors are responsible for ensuring the quality of coding within the department, as well as being a point of contact for queries from the team.
They do this by conducting regular, professional audits and validation of the work of the department and feeding results back to the team to improve our practice.
Main duties of the job
The successful applicant will:
Be an Accredited Clinical Coder (NCCQ /ACC qualification). Preferably, the applicant will already be an NHS Digital Approved auditor, but if not they will be eligible to apply for the next Auditor assessment day.
Have an excellent record of delivering work to strict deadlines while meeting mandatory quality requirements.
Show a thorough knowledge of Clinical Coding, including national standards and conventions, uses of the coded data, and how the performance of the department is benchmarked.
Have an organised and methodical approach to managing their workload.
Handle confidential and sensitive information with tact and discretion.
Be approachable, helpful and understanding, working well as part of the team.
If this sounds like you then we would welcome your application!
About us
DIT at LTHT is a highly motivated and inclusive place to work. We hold our Leeds Way Values in high esteem and respect all colleagues. Within the trust we are always looking to improve and give the best service possible, and we are looking for individuals with the same drive to join us.
The clinical coding team works within DIT to provide an accurate picture of the activity carried out within LTHT. The data we produce is invaluable informing funding, planning and benchmarking. Accurate and timely coded data is vital to the success of the organisation.
Wed love to consider your application if you want to be a part of delivering operational services that allow patients to be treated effectively across Leeds.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
1. JOB DETAILS
Job Title: Clinical Coding Auditor
Reports to: Clinical Coding Analyst & Trainer
Band: 6
Unit/Department: Clinical Coding
Location[1]: Cross-site
AfC Job No: 2801e
2. JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY
The Clinical Coding Auditor has responsibility for assessing and monitoring the quality of coding produced by the department. They provide feedback and guidance to staff and implement any systems necessary to ensure continuing improvement.
The post-holder must be a nationally approved auditor (registered with NHS England Terminology and Classifications Service) or willing to obtain the qualification within 12 months of appointment. They must be able to produce audit reports suitable for all levels of management within the Trust and to provide expert advice as necessary.
Coding Auditors are also involved in the process of external audits, signing off any errors, challenging external auditor decisions when appropriate and helping to implement any recommendations as necessary.
The Coding department is responsible for recording activity of around 260,000 inpatient Finished Consultant Episodes per year. There are around 35-40 Coders in the Coding department. The Clinical Coding Auditor will be directly responsible for formulating and strategically implementing a programme of audits to monitor the work produced by each team and individual Coder within the department. The Audit programme will cover all speciality areas requiring extensive Coding knowledge, the individual will also have to undertake ad-hoc audit work at short notice to answer specific queries which will require adjustments to the planned work.
Audit work impacts on all Clinical CSUs as the auditor will aim not only to address incorrect coding but work with clinical teams around documentation. Highlighting and correcting errors will have a financial implication for the organisation it is essential the auditor works with the finance team and ICB to ensure notice periods are adhered to.
The post holder will be responsible for the feedback of audit results and training related to coding and PAS issues to not just the Coding team but to triumvirates, Clinical teams and external organisations such as the ICB.
The individual will be responsible for making recommendations for service improvement and implementing a comprehensive audit policy document for the department, researching and implementing local clinical coding policies and maintaining these policies to ensure continued accuracy and consistency of the clinically coded information.
The post-holder will be responsible for assisting with external audits there are generally one to two of these per year. Each year, they must compile and submit a more extensive audit of coding in the Trust (200 episodes).
They must have extensive knowledge of the Clinical Coding process and the National Standards surrounding them.
Clinical Coding is the driver behind nationally collected information and the correct reimbursement of funds for activity undertaken in LTHT. It is essential that the clinical coding is accurate.
The Auditors role is vital for the organisation to improve and then maintain high standards of coded information.
The effects of improving the Clinical Coding are long reaching as it will affect all Clinical CSUs, Finance and Informatics, requiring the individual to have extensive knowledge of Acute Hospital Trusts and the external organisations involved.
The individual will be responsible for the safe and efficient use of specialist Clinical Coding equipment for use by themselves and others within the clinical coding function.
A key responsibility for the individual will be to provide training for the department through audit, ensuring that the team are adhering to National standards and working through errors with the team to understand the root cause.
4. PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Coding Related
Audits the work of the department, in line with national and local coding standards and the auditor code of conduct.
To provide expert advice, training and feedback to the Clinical Coding team.
Provides input into reviews of coding local policies to ensure that they are comprehensive and meet national standards and guidelines.
Develops and maintains a comprehensive internal audit plan, in line with the needs of the department and wider organisation.
Gives detailed audit feedback, producing professional reports, fit for presentation at board-level. Agrees recommendations with the management team.
Is involved in giving direct feedback to the targets of all audits, tactfully and constructively.
Carries out (yearly) an extensive audit of coding produced by the team, for inclusion in the Trusts Information Governance Toolkit submission.
Carries out audits on individual Coders when requested, to support internal management processes.
Performs audits to assess whether Trainee Coders have met the accuracy requirements for progression.
Assists with preparation for external audits (NHSPS assurance and ICB-requested). Challenges external auditor decisions when appropriate.
Uses all available tools to identify and monitor data quality improvements, reporting findings to the management team.
Keeps a personalised audit logbook in line with CCAP requirements, to evidence continuing professional development and to maintain approved auditor status.
Assists with the day-to-day work of the department and carries out any other appropriate duties as and when required by the management team.
The post holder will have excellent communication skills to be able to impart complex clinical coding information to groups and individuals with no Clinical Coding background such as Clinicians and Business Managers.
The post holder will act as lead specialist for the department, the individual will be able to use their own discretion on how to undertake activities within the Auditor role. The Individual will implement programs of audit and the audit process. Based on the needs of the department and the individual the Auditor is able to propose changes in working practices and procedures to improve the quality of the Clinical Coding.
Experience of using the Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
The individual will be responsible for the testing of upgrades to the Medicode (encoder Software) prior to implementation by Daedalus (PAS software provider).
Demonstrated enhanced data extraction skills in order to correctly reflect/interpret clinical information into a coded format and accurately input the coded information onto the encoder software to ensure correct re-numeration of funds for LTHT. A highly developed eye for detail is essential.
Develop and maintain audit database for the Clinical Coding team.
The individual will be responsible for bringing together the information required to develop a suite of reports to monitor areas where additional training has been provided. The individual will be required to regularly create reports through national benchmarking software to assess LTHT performance against peer hospital groups.
Expert knowledge of data protection issues in coding, including a familiarity with the requirements of the Data Protection Act, the Freedom of Information Act and the Caldicott principles.
Communication Skills - The auditor, will be responsible for providing audit feedback to a wide range of individuals both from within coding and the wider organisation. This will require highly developed communication skills to feedback complex clinical coding information to individuals, who may or may not have performed to expected standards. The Auditor must be able to communicate sensitively and empathically in order to make a potentially negative conversation into a positive learning experience.
The Auditor, when feeding back to the wider organisation, must have a highly developed understanding of what is causing errors in order to feed back to CSUs or medical teams to rectify these issues.
The post-holder must be able to work constructively with the team in order to improve quality.
They must be able to deliver effective verbal and written feedback to a wide range of audiences, including Consultants, Coders, local and senior management.
Teamwork - The auditor works closely with the Clinical Coding Trainer to establish and implement improvement programmes for the department. The Auditor will be required to work closely with triumvirates to understand where additional audits may be required and based on the results the wider implications of making changes in these areas, such as financial or against national benchmarking.
Analytical Skills - Must be an expert in analysing medical documentation. Able to break down complex problems and interpret the National Coding Standards in a consistent manner.
The individual must be able to analyse information on national benchmarking to understand where LTHT stands with the peer group of acute Trusts and to review and understand if the Trust is outlying in any areas.
Displays Good Judgement - Must be able to select the most appropriate resolutions to complex problems (e.g. coding of non-directly classifiable conditions / procedures, seemingly conflicting coding guidance), based on a variety of different possibilities. The reasoning must then be explained clearly and effectively.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
Desirable
Experience
Essential
Desirable
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
LTHT is looking for a Coding Auditor to work within our audit & development team.
Coding Auditors are responsible for ensuring the quality of coding within the department, as well as being a point of contact for queries from the team.
They do this by conducting regular, professional audits and validation of the work of the department and feeding results back to the team to improve our practice.
Main duties of the job
The successful applicant will:
Be an Accredited Clinical Coder (NCCQ /ACC qualification). Preferably, the applicant will already be an NHS Digital Approved auditor, but if not they will be eligible to apply for the next Auditor assessment day.
Have an excellent record of delivering work to strict deadlines while meeting mandatory quality requirements.
Show a thorough knowledge of Clinical Coding, including national standards and conventions, uses of the coded data, and how the performance of the department is benchmarked.
Have an organised and methodical approach to managing their workload.
Handle confidential and sensitive information with tact and discretion.
Be approachable, helpful and understanding, working well as part of the team.
If this sounds like you then we would welcome your application!
About us
DIT at LTHT is a highly motivated and inclusive place to work. We hold our Leeds Way Values in high esteem and respect all colleagues. Within the trust we are always looking to improve and give the best service possible, and we are looking for individuals with the same drive to join us.
The clinical coding team works within DIT to provide an accurate picture of the activity carried out within LTHT. The data we produce is invaluable informing funding, planning and benchmarking. Accurate and timely coded data is vital to the success of the organisation.
Wed love to consider your application if you want to be a part of delivering operational services that allow patients to be treated effectively across Leeds.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
1. JOB DETAILS
Job Title: Clinical Coding Auditor
Reports to: Clinical Coding Analyst & Trainer
Band: 6
Unit/Department: Clinical Coding
Location[1]: Cross-site
AfC Job No: 2801e
2. JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY
The Clinical Coding Auditor has responsibility for assessing and monitoring the quality of coding produced by the department. They provide feedback and guidance to staff and implement any systems necessary to ensure continuing improvement.
The post-holder must be a nationally approved auditor (registered with NHS England Terminology and Classifications Service) or willing to obtain the qualification within 12 months of appointment. They must be able to produce audit reports suitable for all levels of management within the Trust and to provide expert advice as necessary.
Coding Auditors are also involved in the process of external audits, signing off any errors, challenging external auditor decisions when appropriate and helping to implement any recommendations as necessary.
The Coding department is responsible for recording activity of around 260,000 inpatient Finished Consultant Episodes per year. There are around 35-40 Coders in the Coding department. The Clinical Coding Auditor will be directly responsible for formulating and strategically implementing a programme of audits to monitor the work produced by each team and individual Coder within the department. The Audit programme will cover all speciality areas requiring extensive Coding knowledge, the individual will also have to undertake ad-hoc audit work at short notice to answer specific queries which will require adjustments to the planned work.
Audit work impacts on all Clinical CSUs as the auditor will aim not only to address incorrect coding but work with clinical teams around documentation. Highlighting and correcting errors will have a financial implication for the organisation it is essential the auditor works with the finance team and ICB to ensure notice periods are adhered to.
The post holder will be responsible for the feedback of audit results and training related to coding and PAS issues to not just the Coding team but to triumvirates, Clinical teams and external organisations such as the ICB.
The individual will be responsible for making recommendations for service improvement and implementing a comprehensive audit policy document for the department, researching and implementing local clinical coding policies and maintaining these policies to ensure continued accuracy and consistency of the clinically coded information.
The post-holder will be responsible for assisting with external audits there are generally one to two of these per year. Each year, they must compile and submit a more extensive audit of coding in the Trust (200 episodes).
They must have extensive knowledge of the Clinical Coding process and the National Standards surrounding them.
Clinical Coding is the driver behind nationally collected information and the correct reimbursement of funds for activity undertaken in LTHT. It is essential that the clinical coding is accurate.
The Auditors role is vital for the organisation to improve and then maintain high standards of coded information.
The effects of improving the Clinical Coding are long reaching as it will affect all Clinical CSUs, Finance and Informatics, requiring the individual to have extensive knowledge of Acute Hospital Trusts and the external organisations involved.
The individual will be responsible for the safe and efficient use of specialist Clinical Coding equipment for use by themselves and others within the clinical coding function.
A key responsibility for the individual will be to provide training for the department through audit, ensuring that the team are adhering to National standards and working through errors with the team to understand the root cause.
4. PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Coding Related
Audits the work of the department, in line with national and local coding standards and the auditor code of conduct.
To provide expert advice, training and feedback to the Clinical Coding team.
Provides input into reviews of coding local policies to ensure that they are comprehensive and meet national standards and guidelines.
Develops and maintains a comprehensive internal audit plan, in line with the needs of the department and wider organisation.
Gives detailed audit feedback, producing professional reports, fit for presentation at board-level. Agrees recommendations with the management team.
Is involved in giving direct feedback to the targets of all audits, tactfully and constructively.
Carries out (yearly) an extensive audit of coding produced by the team, for inclusion in the Trusts Information Governance Toolkit submission.
Carries out audits on individual Coders when requested, to support internal management processes.
Performs audits to assess whether Trainee Coders have met the accuracy requirements for progression.
Assists with preparation for external audits (NHSPS assurance and ICB-requested). Challenges external auditor decisions when appropriate.
Uses all available tools to identify and monitor data quality improvements, reporting findings to the management team.
Keeps a personalised audit logbook in line with CCAP requirements, to evidence continuing professional development and to maintain approved auditor status.
Assists with the day-to-day work of the department and carries out any other appropriate duties as and when required by the management team.
The post holder will have excellent communication skills to be able to impart complex clinical coding information to groups and individuals with no Clinical Coding background such as Clinicians and Business Managers.
The post holder will act as lead specialist for the department, the individual will be able to use their own discretion on how to undertake activities within the Auditor role. The Individual will implement programs of audit and the audit process. Based on the needs of the department and the individual the Auditor is able to propose changes in working practices and procedures to improve the quality of the Clinical Coding.
Experience of using the Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
The individual will be responsible for the testing of upgrades to the Medicode (encoder Software) prior to implementation by Daedalus (PAS software provider).
Demonstrated enhanced data extraction skills in order to correctly reflect/interpret clinical information into a coded format and accurately input the coded information onto the encoder software to ensure correct re-numeration of funds for LTHT. A highly developed eye for detail is essential.
Develop and maintain audit database for the Clinical Coding team.
The individual will be responsible for bringing together the information required to develop a suite of reports to monitor areas where additional training has been provided. The individual will be required to regularly create reports through national benchmarking software to assess LTHT performance against peer hospital groups.
Expert knowledge of data protection issues in coding, including a familiarity with the requirements of the Data Protection Act, the Freedom of Information Act and the Caldicott principles.
Communication Skills - The auditor, will be responsible for providing audit feedback to a wide range of individuals both from within coding and the wider organisation. This will require highly developed communication skills to feedback complex clinical coding information to individuals, who may or may not have performed to expected standards. The Auditor must be able to communicate sensitively and empathically in order to make a potentially negative conversation into a positive learning experience.
The Auditor, when feeding back to the wider organisation, must have a highly developed understanding of what is causing errors in order to feed back to CSUs or medical teams to rectify these issues.
The post-holder must be able to work constructively with the team in order to improve quality.
They must be able to deliver effective verbal and written feedback to a wide range of audiences, including Consultants, Coders, local and senior management.
Teamwork - The auditor works closely with the Clinical Coding Trainer to establish and implement improvement programmes for the department. The Auditor will be required to work closely with triumvirates to understand where additional audits may be required and based on the results the wider implications of making changes in these areas, such as financial or against national benchmarking.
Analytical Skills - Must be an expert in analysing medical documentation. Able to break down complex problems and interpret the National Coding Standards in a consistent manner.
The individual must be able to analyse information on national benchmarking to understand where LTHT stands with the peer group of acute Trusts and to review and understand if the Trust is outlying in any areas.
Displays Good Judgement - Must be able to select the most appropriate resolutions to complex problems (e.g. coding of non-directly classifiable conditions / procedures, seemingly conflicting coding guidance), based on a variety of different possibilities. The reasoning must then be explained clearly and effectively.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Must be an Accredited Clinical Coder (ACC), having passed the National Clinical Coding Qualification (NCCQ).
- Must have attended a National Coding Standards Course or Standards Refresher Course within the past three years.
Desirable
- Must be an Approved Clinical Coding Auditor, registered with NHS England (or willing to work towards this).
Experience
Essential
- Must demonstrate an expert-level knowledge of the ICD-10 classification and associated national standards for England.
- Must demonstrate an expert-level knowledge of the OPCS-4 classification and associated national standards for England.
- Must have extensive experience of working in an acute trust as a senior-level coder over multiple complex specialities.
- Must have demonstrated an ability to write professional reports and to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences (individuals and groups).
- Must have experience of identifying and investigating anomalous results, providing solutions and monitoring their effectiveness.
Desirable
- Have previous experience working as a Coding Auditor in an acute trust.
- Experience of using 3M Medicode, including the coding, reporting and audit functions
- Experience of using the Daedalus PatientCentre PAS or similar systems.
- Experience of directing the work of small teams for ad-hoc projects
- A good understanding of the workings of LTHT its services, structure, objectives and policies
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Displays consistently good analytical and judgement skills. Able to correctly interpret and apply highly complex rules and standards.
- Gives feedback clearly but tactfully and with regard to the likely consequences of the results.
- Shows enthusiasm for the work of the team. Keeps up to date with changes in the field and develops / maintains professional contacts in other Trusts.
- Works with others from outside the department and conducts themselves in a profe
Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.
C9298-INF-170
You need to sign in or create an account to save a job.
Get job alerts
Create a job alert and receive personalised job recommendations straight to your inbox.
Create alert