WorkWell Triage Officer - Band 5NHS

Job summary

30-month term: This post is offered as a FTC for candidates outside the NHS or as a secondment for those employed by an NHS organisation.

Please note: This is only open to applicants currently working within the East of England. Please include your work area when stating your current employer.

Do you want to help deliver a new programme that will make a difference across Essex? WorkWell supports people whose health affects their ability to find, stay in or return to work. Working with partners across health, care, local government, the voluntary sector and employment services, the programme will help residents improve their health, wellbeing, confidence and independence while accessing employment opportunities. We are looking for people passionate about partnership working, improvement and supporting local communities.

The WorkWell Triage Officer will manage referrals, complete eligibility checks, coordinate onboarding and provide high-quality administrative support. As a first point of contact, you will ensure timely access to support and efficient referral processing.

Working with NHS organisations, Primary Care Networks, local authorities, employment support providers and voluntary sector partners, you will maintain accurate records, support programme administration and signpost individuals to alternative services where appropriate. This is an excellent opportunity for an organised, customer-focused individual committed to improving outcomes for local residents.

Main duties of the job

You will require excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage sensitive information whilst providing a positive experience for participants and stakeholders. You will work collaboratively with WorkWell colleagues and partner organisations, providing support to inductions, and sharing knowledge of programme processes where appropriate. You will participate in training and development activities to maintain specialist programme knowledge as well as share learning and good practice across the programme team.

You should be confident in using your own initiative and working independently as needed to deliver on requirements of the role. You will be proficient in using software required to develop reports to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel). Strong attention to detail is essential, as you will be required to maintain accurate records to support contract monitoring and programme assurance as needed. You should possess good negotiation skills and the ability to build strong working relationships, enabling you to influence when needed, in order to deliver effectively through others.

Job description

The Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is a new organisation formed through the consolidation of three ICB areas in response to the NHSs ambition to deliver a more streamlined, strategic and cost-effective model of health commissioning. The ICB will oversee the commissioning of care for the approximately 2 million people who live in Essex. Operating within a reduced running cost envelope and aligned to the new requirements of ICBs in England, the ICB will focus on improving population health outcomes, health equity and smarter resource allocation.

The WorkWell Triage Officer will play a key role in supporting access to the WorkWell programme by managing referrals, undertaking eligibility and suitability checks, coordinating participant onboarding and providing high-quality administrative support. The postholder will act as an initial point of contact for participants, referrers and delivery partners, ensuring referrals are processed efficiently and in accordance with programme requirements.

Working across a complex partnership including NHS organisations, Primary Care Networks, local authorities, employment support providers and voluntary sector organisations, the postholder will support timely access to services, maintain accurate records and provide signposting where individuals are not eligible for support.

The role requires excellent organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage sensitive information whilst providing a positive experience for participants and stakeholders.

As the ICB transitions to become a leaner, more focused strategic commissioning organisation the post holder will be expected to support the WorkWell programme in delivering on the three fundamental shifts set out in the NHS 10-year plan:

• From Treatment to Prevention: Embedding preventative, personalised and population based approaches to commissioning.
• From Hospital to Community: Championing care model redesign that supports community and neighbourhood health.
• From Analogue to Digital: Enabling clinically driven transformation through digital innovation, data analytics and evidence based improvement.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To deliver on the job description set out above, the job holder will be expected to deliver on the requirements set out below:

Policy and service development

• Support implementation of WorkWell referral and triage processes.
• Ensure activity is undertaken in accordance with programme guidance, information governance requirements and ICB policies.
• Support continuous improvement of referral pathways and onboarding processes.
• Contribute to reviews of participant journeys and service processes.
• Identify operational issues and escalate improvement opportunities appropriately.

Strategy and analysis

• Understanding of complex data relating to the Essex WorkWell service
• Helps present insights and reports, drawing on complex data, that can be used to inform decision making and delivery
• Use of data and insight to contribute to reporting, including performance management, financial and quality reporting against agreed contractual or project deliverables
• Review referral information and undertake initial eligibility and suitability assessments against WorkWell criteria.
• Maintain accurate programme records and management information systems.
• Produce reports and monitoring information to support programme assurance and performance management.
• Support data quality checks and contribute to programme reporting requirements.
• Monitor referral throughput and onboarding timescales to support effective programme delivery.

Planning and organisation

• Support development and delivery of project plans relating to WorkWell, helping develop effective arrangements to support governance, risk management, escalations and reporting
• Manage competing priorities, prioritizing own resources to effectively deliver agreed tasks or projects
• Ensure accurate reporting and records management
• Process referrals and expressions of interest within agreed timescales.
• Coordinate participant onboarding activities between referrers, providers and programme partners.
• Maintain effective tracking systems and case records.
• Organise meetings, maintain action logs and support programme administration.
• Prioritise workload effectively to meet service standards and performance targets.
• Support delivery of programme objectives through effective administrative coordination.

Communications and Partnerships

• Act as a first point of contact for referral enquiries.
• Communicate effectively with participants, healthcare professionals, providers and partner organisations.Provide advice regarding eligibility criteria and referral processes.
• Provide advice regarding eligibility criteria and referral processes.
• Support effective relationships with commissioned providers and Local WorkWell Partnerships.
• Signpost individuals to alternative support where WorkWell eligibility criteria are not met.
• Handle sensitive and confidential information professionally and appropriately
• Work collaboratively, modelling inclusive, respectful and compassionate behaviours
• Supports development of high quality written and verbal briefings
• Build strong, trust-based relationships across the ICB as needed

Financial and resource management

• Supports delivery of budget for WorkWell, including effective budget reporting as required
• Ensure effective use of programme systems and resources.
• Maintain accurate records to support contract monitoring and programme assurance.
• Support collection of information required for contract and performance monitoring.
• Contribute to achievement of value for money through efficient administrative processes.

Team management and capability building

• Work collaboratively with WorkWell colleagues and partner organisations.
• Support induction and sharing of programme processes where appropriate.
• Contribute to a culture of continuous learning and service improvement.
• Participate in training and development activities to maintain specialist programme knowledge.
• Share learning and good practice across the programme team.
• Able to influence in order to deliver effectively through others

Other

• Use initiative and work independently as needed to deliver on requirements of the role
• Primarily desk-based work that requires use of visual display units, focused concentration and frequent participation in on-line or in person meetings
• Able to use software required to develop report, including ability to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (word, power point, excel)

Flexibility and evolving responsibilities

As the ICB continues to evolve, portfolios may be subject to change to reflect the needs of the organization, the health and care system and national policy direction. This may include adjustments to areas of responsibility or realignment of reporting structures.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will need to build constructive relationships with partners from across the health and care system. Key relationships will be with:

• WorkWell Programme Team
• Head of Learning and Change
• Learning and Change Lead
• Senior Programme Communications Officer, WorkWell
• Primary Care Networks
• GP Practices
• Integrated Neighbourhood Teams
• Local WorkWell Partnerships
• Employment Support Providers
• Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Organisations
• Local Authority Teams
• DWP and Employment Services
• WorkWell Participants and Referrers

About us

NHS Essex ICB is a statutory organisation responsible for the planning and funding of NHS services for around 1.9 million people across Essex. Our role as an ICB is to bring health and care services together, improve the health and wellbeing of our population and ensure equitable access to services and outcome for everyone. The organisations headquarters is Seax House, Chelmsford, and we operate a hybrid working model (2 office-based days) that includes working across Essex and from home. Essex ICB currently has offices in Brentwood, Harlow and Colchester, in addition to the Chelmsford HQ.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We know that different experiences, ideas and perspectives help create a stronger and more innovative organisation that delivers better outcomes for patients. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including people of all ages, disabilities, sex, gender identity or expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or personal circumstances. Our policies ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently throughout the recruitment process, including consideration of reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants.

Please note that the organisation does not hold a sponsorship licence.