Expert Clinical Coder

Main area Health Information Management Service (HIMS) Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours * Full time * Flexible working * Other 37.5 hours per week (Hybrid) Job ref 153-CO06316-A Department name 01. UHD - General Recruitment Site University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust Town Poole/Bournemouth Salary £39,959 - £48,117 pa Salary period Yearly Closing 19/08/2026 23:59 As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m. We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve. In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals. We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work. We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce. At UHD our active staff network groups are the Womens Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group. As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes. We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process. Job overview Are you an experienced Clinical Coder looking to take the next step in your career? At University Hospitals Dorset, we are building a modern Clinical Coding service that recognises both formal accreditation and demonstrable expertise. We are committed to creating inclusive, competency-based career pathways that value experience, capability, and professional judgement. This role offers an opportunity to work across a wide range of specialties, including real-time coding within clinical environments such as wards, theatres and multidisciplinary team meetings. For further insight into this role, please view the recruitment brochure. If you are applying via Trac please click here – Recruitment Brochure - Clinical Coding Department. If you are viewing via NHS Jobs, you can find the brochure under the ‘Supporting Links’ section. We are pleased to offer a £6,000 attraction incentive payment for this role, with full details confirmed in line with Trust processes. Relocation expenses may also be available, with details confirmed in line with Trust processes Base Location: University Hospitals Dorset with cross site and hybrid working Interview Date: 28th August 2026 Main duties of the job As an Expert Clinical Coder, you will: * Deliver high-quality, accurate, and timely coding across all specialties * Work within clinical environments (wards, theatres, MDTs) to support real-time data capture * Code complex, long-stay, high risk and mortality cases * Support audit, data quality improvement, and validation activity * Act as a mentor and role model for developing coders * Sustain an accuracy score of ≥95% across all specialities * Demonstrate an extensive expert-level of clinical coding experience across the full range of specialities Working for our organisation * Be part of a service thatvalues expertise, not just qualifications * Access a structured pathway e.g toward Auditor or Trainer * Gain experience in clinically integrated coding models * Work in a supportive environment focused on development and progression * Contribute to a forward-thinking service preparing for ICD-11 and AI-enabled coding Our approach We are committed to: * Fair and inclusive progression routes * Recognising diverse pathways into expertise * Maintaining high standards through robust competency assessment * Supporting staff to achieve accreditation alongside career progression UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview. If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions. UHD has active networks including Women’s, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes. AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process. Detailed job description and main responsibilities Please refer to the job description and person specification for further details relating to this job role. Person specification Qualifications * NCCQ Clinical Coding Qualification (ACC status) Experience * A minimum of three years post-ACC clinical coding experience * Sustained coding audit accuracy of ≥95% across all specialities * Extensive expert clinical coding experience across the full range of trust specilaitiess * Experience of direct clinical engagement * Experience of leading or contributing to financial and quality assurance activity * Experience of contributing to mortality coding assurance or review processes * Experience contributing to local coding policy development or service improvement initiatives * Experience of providing structured training, mentoring, coaching or specialist support * Experience of direct clinical engagement at senior level eg consultant, surgeon * Ability to assign accurate codes using ICD-10 and OPCS 4 inline with NCCS * Ability to validate coded date for completeness and accuracy * Competent use of clinical record systems (e.g., EPR, PAS, electronic document management systems) to review records and update coding or administrative data * Strong workload prioritisation, decision making and independent professional judgement * Ability to design and deliver specialist clinical coding training and mentoring for coding staff * Experience supporting or evaluating automation, digital, or AI assisted clinical coding tools * Familiarity with benchmarking or assurance platforms eg HED * Experience contributing to workforce competency frameworks or structured development pathways Personal attributes * Proactive, solutions-focused approach to identifying and addressing coding documentation or data quality * Commitment to continuous professional development, reflective practice and maintaining expert level competence * Strong professional integrity, discretion and respect for confidentiality * Demonstrate interest in service improvement innovation, or digital transformation within a clinical coding or data quality improvement * Willingness to support the development of others through coaching, mentoring or specialist education delivery Please note: Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands. This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received. COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated. Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions. Employer certification / accreditation badges The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions. J-18808-Ljbffr