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Health records and patient administration

Health records and patient administration staff collate, store and retrieve records used in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. 

This page has information on the roles available in health records and patient administration with links to further information.

Working life

Health professionals need access to vital information at a moment's notice. This makes health records and patient administrators crucial to the delivery of healthcare. They are also responsible for promoting and supporting the effective use of data, information, knowledge and technology within their organisation.

Health records staff

Roles in health records and patient administration 

Explore some of the roles in health records and patient administration:

Apprenticeships logo

  • health records assistant
  • health records manager
  • medical summariser
  • patient administrative team leader
  • waiting list co-ordinator

Health records assistant

A health records assistant undertakes routine administrative work in relation to health records. The role is likely to include:

  • locating, retrieving, tracking and delivering patients' health records and case notes
  • maintaining patient records and case notes
  • participating in audits of patient records

Health records manager

A health records manager is responsible for the overall management of a department's health records service.  The role is likely to include:

  • communicating and neogtiating contentious issues with senior management and clinical staff
  • ensuring a high-quality service
  • providing advice and guidance to a range of people on all aspects of legislation relating to health records

​Medical summariser

A medical summariser summarises all medical notes and letters.  This provides healthcare professionals with an accurate, easily accessible electronic summary of a patient's medical history. This could be crucial information in an emergency situation.  The role is likely to involve:

  • extracting information from patients' notes and entering them on to a computer programme
  • displaying any significant medical problems prominently so it is obvious to any healthcare professional using the record.

Patient administrative team leader

A patient administration team leader is responsible for a small team of administration staff.  This role is likely to involve:

  • maintaining and developing patient administration systems, including appointment systems, referrals and record keeping
  • acting as a point of contact for members of the public, clinical staff and other individuals
  • assisting in training individuals to use patient information systems

Waiting list co-ordinator

A waiting list coordinator completes and maintains the accuracy of waiting lists and plans patient activity to minimise waiting times and the ensure the best use of resources. This role is likely to involve:

  • monitoring waiting lists and ensuring they are accurate and complete
  • implementing and maintaining a system to monitor waiting times 
  • identifying changes in demand for particular services 
  • developing and monitoring plans to improve practice
  • contributing to improving the quality and overall management of the waiting list
  • providing weekly statistical information and reports on performance

Want to learn more?

  • Find out more about the entry requirements for health records and patient administration [1]
  • Find out more about the training and development opportunities in health records and patient administration [2]
  • Pay and conditions

    Most education and training jobs in the NHS are covered by Agenda for Change [3] (AfC [4]) pay scales.  This pay system covers all staff except doctors, dentists and the most senior managers. ICT staff in the NHS will usually work standard hours of 37.5 per week. Terms and conditions for non-NHS employers and contractors will vary.

  • Where the role can lead

    There are opportunities to progress your career into senior management roles. Most NHS organisations will now have chief information officers who lead the delivery of knowledge management systems locally. Find out more about the training and development opportunites [2].

  • Job market and vacancies

    If you're applying for a role either directly in the NHS or in an organisation that provides NHS services, you'll be asked to show how you think the values of the NHS Constitution [5] apply in your everyday work.

    Find out more about NHS values [6].

    Most NHS organisations advertise their job and apprenticeship vacancies on NHS Jobs [7]. You can find some of the current vacancies below. 

     

    • View Vacancy [8]

      Band 8a - Head of Health Records, Health Records

      Watford, WD18 0HB

      • Salary:

        £47544.00 to £53459.00 a year

      • Type:

        Permanent

      • Employer:

        West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

      • View Vacancy
    • View Vacancy [9]

      Health Records Supervisor

      Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, NP44 8YN

      • Salary:

        £19,737 - £21,142 per annum

      • Type:

        Fixed term

      • Employer:

        Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

      • View Vacancy
    • View Vacancy [10]

      Health Records Supervisor

      Gloucester, GL1 3NN

      • Salary:

        £19737.00 to £21142.00 a year

      • Type:

        Permanent

      • Employer:

        Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

      • View Vacancy
    • View Vacancy [11]

      Health Records Library Clerk

      Helath Records Library, 9 Artillery Road, Yeovil, Somerset. BA22 8RP, Yeovil, BA22 8RP

      • Salary:

        £18,005 - £19,337 per annum / pro rata

      • Type:

        Fixed term

      • Employer:

        Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

      • View Vacancy
    • View Vacancy [12]

      Health Records Library Clerk

      Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, BN2 5BE

      • Salary:

        £18,005 - £19,337 per annum pro rata

      • Type:

        Permanent

      • Employer:

        Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust

      • View Vacancy
    • View Vacancy [13]

      Health Records Service Team Member

      Southampton, SO14 2AA

      • Salary:

        £18005.00 to £19337.00 a year

      • Type:

        Permanent

      • Employer:

        University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

      • View Vacancy
  • Further information
    • Health Informatics Career Framework [14]
    • Faculty of Clinical Informatics [15] 
    • Institute of health records and information management [16] 

Other roles that may interest you

  • Emergency care assistant [17]
  • Clinical informatics [18]
  • Health records staff [19]
  • Patient Transport Service PTS call handler [20]

Source URL: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/health-informatics/roles-health-informatics/health-records-and-patient-administration

Links
[1] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/health-informatics/health-records-and-patient-administration/entry-requirements-health
[2] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/health-informatics/health-records-and-patient-administration/training-and-development
[3] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/about/careers-nhs/nhs-pay-and-benefits/agenda-change-pay-rates
[4] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/glossary#AfC
[5] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/glossary#NHS_Constitution
[6] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/about/working-health/nhs-constitution
[7] http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/
[8] https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/916415359
[9] https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/916406741
[10] https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/916404773
[11] https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/916402149
[12] https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/916408635
[13] https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/916407906
[14] https://www.hicf.org.uk/
[15] https://www.facultyofclinicalinformatics.org.uk/
[16] http://www.ihrim.co.uk/
[17] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/ambulance-service-team/roles-ambulance-service/emergency-care-assistant
[18] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/health-informatics/roles-health-informatics/clinical-informatics
[19] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/wider-healthcare-team/roles-wider-healthcare-team/health-records-staff
[20] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/ambulance-service-team/roles-ambulance-service/patient-transport-service-pts-call-handler