[ref. n03979900] Overseas Visitors Officer | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The post holder will determine whether patients suspected of not being eligible for free NHS care are liable. If a patient is not eligible for free care, the post holder will establish the cost of the planned treatment. In order to do this the Overseas Patient Officer will be required to interview the patient in order to establish eligibility according to Department of Health Guidance, and then collate detail on any treatment planned or provided, generate invoice requests and secure payment when possible in advance.

They will also submit status verification enquiries to the Home Office.

• Will be expected to interview, assess and identify whether a patient’s claim for free NHS treatment is valid based on latest guidance and comprehensively manage the case and ensure where appropriate funds are recovered in a timely manner (upfront), and arrange for undertaking to pay form to be completed and/or full payment collection whenever practical. Act as an advisor for queries. In relation to upfront charging the post holder will be part of a robust credit control process.
• High degree of empathy in dealing with extremely sensitive issues. There will be language barriers.
• Liaise with outside agencies, for example Border Control and department of Health.
• Participate in training staff throughout the Trust. Ensure training is available to all departments as required.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was created on 1 October 2019 following the merger of two adult acute Trusts, Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The merger provides an opportunity to reconfigure services in a way that provides the best healthcare services to the city and improves the quality of care and health outcomes that patients experience.

The Trust runs Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool University Dental Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

It serves a core population of around 630,000 people across Merseyside as well as providing a range of highly specialist services to a catchment area of more than two million people in the North West region and beyond.

To hear more about our achievements click herehttps://www.liverpoolft.nhs.uk/media/13089/1606-annual-report-booklet_final.pdf

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• To deal with ad-hoc queries from patients or relatives relating to the assessment of free NHS treatment entitlement.
• The post holder will have direct contact with patients and their families whilst dealing with patients in A&E, outpatient clinics and wards.
• The post holder will frequently be exposed to distressing and emotional circumstances. He/she must be attentive and sympathetic and be able to investigate and resolve issues surrounding these patients. These communications will involve sensitive patient information and will include the breaking of sometimes unexpected news to patients and relatives regarding the cost of their treatment and their options.
• The post holder will be required to seek payments upfront and follow up for recovery of outstanding debts by NHS chargeable patients.

• To train administrative frontline staff in conducting the first stage of the interview process which helps identify any patients that would need to be interviewed in depth by the Overseas Visitors Officers.
• Ongoing production of leaflets for staff and patients to provide information on overseas patients, ensuring that information is regularly distributed around the Trust.
• Assist with the induction training of all new staff, providing advice and support for existing staff.
• Information dealt with can often be complex, sensitive, and advice may be contentious, so good communication and negotiating skills are essential.

• Communicate clearly and concisely in both written and verbal forms, taking into account the ethical, professional and legal aspects of documentation.
• To ensure that the details of all new referrals for eligibility checks and identified overseas visitors are correctly recorded and to ensure that all potential overseas patients receive a letter and/or telephone call with the intention of establishing their entitlement to free NHS care prior to attending hospital.
• Responsible for giving appropriate advice to staff concerning the interpretation and implementation of Department of Health Guidance and Trust Policy on overseas visitors as well as best practice.
• Liaise with administrative staff ranging from clerical staff, secretaries to Service Delivery Managers and Directorate Management so that the relevant staffs are kept informed regarding overseas patients.
• To visit and form a good working relationship with each ward in the Trust when applicable on a regular basis, to ensure that all documentation is up to date, and that staff are aware of the importance of identifying overseas visitors.
• Support in the implementation of projects, with minimal supervision to agreed goals and agreed timescales
• Implements departmental policies within own work area, proposes changes to working practices as a result of new guidelines or legislation e.g. ensures Data Protection legislation is adhered to
• Participate in meetings and taking of relevant notes
• Attend and arrange meetings, workshops and training sessions as required.
• Work in conjunction with key internal contacts including but not limited to - Administration staff, Managers, Ward clerks, Consultants and clinical teams, Secretaries, Finance managers including planning, Income PALS officers, complaints , Information and contracts, the Trust counter fraud specialist and any Trust auditors.
• Work in conjunction with key external contacts including but not limited to – Patients, Insurance companies both at home and abroad, Patient’s relatives, Other NHS trust hospitals, Department of Health and the Home Office

• To seek to maximise overseas visitor income for the Trust whilst following Department of Health guidance.
• To ensure that where possible deposits equivalent to the estimated total cost are collected prior to treatment.
• To act as the main conduit between the patient and the Cashier’s office obtaining deposits or full payments where appropriate.
• To ensure timely and accurate invoice requests are raised for treatment provided to overseas visitors.
• To be responsible for handling cheques, card payments, invoices and depositions to cashiers.
• To support the process for maintaining records for timely submission of overseas patient activity to the DWP Overseas Patient Portal for reciprocal agreement patients and Overseas EU patients with EHIC, PRC & Form S2.

• To support the income relating to overseas visitors as per the Trust’s procedures and ensure they develop in line with current and new legislation; This includes:• Ensuring that invoice requests relating to the stay of Overseas Visitors are processed correctly, promptly and efficiently.
• Responsible for income recovery, including liaison directly with overseas visitors regarding outstanding bills and request payment.
• Collection of payment or receiving cash or cheques from patients or via the post.
• Obtaining the necessary medical information from patient's medical notes in order to obtain the correct clinical coding and calculate the cost of treatment.

• Develop a clear understanding of own role and to provide cover for colleagues, as appropriate.

• To be responsible for the printing and distribution of relevant Trust policies
• Maintain a robust office filing system, exploring the use of alterative storage, retrieval and archiving systems.
• Any other ‘ad-hoc’ duties as requested by the Overseas Visitors Manager.

This advert closes on Monday 16 Sep 2024