Clinical Coding Divisional Lead

Job summary
Working Full time: 37.5 hours per week

The post holder will report to the Clinical Coding and Data Governance Manager and will be responsible for providing clinical divisions with a high quality, comprehensive clinical coding service.

This post has a Recruitment and Retention Premium (RRP) payment of £1500 per annum which is paid in monthly instalments. The RRP payment will be reviewed on an annual basis.

Work closely with the Division and advise on data recording practices to ensure clinical coding accurately reflects care delivered. To act as the lead contact with the designated Division and associated specialties, working with both clinical and operational managers to resolve coding queries, and communicate complex coding rules and standards to ensure accuracy and consistency of information

Abstract, analyse, translate and data entry of complex medical patient care records into diagnostic and procedural coding in an accurate and timely manner adhering to the Trust deadlines

Main duties of the job

• Liaison between divisional clinicians and management teams for all coding related queries.
• Proactively develop and provide regular reports for each division's clinical coding data, including but not limited to income, clinical coding accuracy, benchmarking and consultant validation.
• Work with each division to provide better access to the clinical coding department and drive forward improvements in the Trust's clinical coding data, in terms of accuracy and depth of coding.
• Develop a strong clinical coding presence within the organisation, to ensure constant engagement with the Trust's clinical divisions to continuously drive improvements within clinical coding.
• Ensure each divisional clinical coding team has experienced, accurate and high performing clinical coders, to ensure maximum quality and required outputs are maintained by the department.
• Act as the Divisional expert and lead on all coding issues using, the clinical coding classifications and the implementation of these on Trust systems.
• Create and maintain a strong working relationship with all key stakeholders including Divisional Managers, Clinicians, Heads of Nursing and operational staff within the organisation.
• To hold and develop an excellent working knowledge of local and national clinical coding payment systems, with the ability to relay highly complex information effectively to a wide range of clinical and hospital staff groups.

About us
The Trust's services are provided from three locations: o The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds. o Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility. o Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population. The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery

Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.

If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?

Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.

The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.

If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service.Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website -

The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Degree level or equivalent experience in clinical coding, within an acute hospital setting
• National Clinical Coder Qualification (NCCQ)
• Clinical Coder Refresher Status is current

Desirable

• NHS Digital approved clinical coding auditor ort trainer qualification or working towards

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Substantial clinical coding experience in an acute NHS Trust post ACC qualification
• Experience of assigning ICD-10 and OPCS-4 codes in a wide range of specialties
• Ability to relay highly complex information effectively to a wide range of clinical and non-clinical staff groups

Desirable

• Experience in managing change

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).