Private Patient OfficerNHS

Job summary

The Private Patient Officer is responsible for the day-to-day management and coordination of the Trust's private patient service, ensuring a seamless, high-quality experience for insured, self-funded and private patients throughout their care journey. The post holder will oversee private patient pathways from initial enquiry through to treatment, discharge and invoicing, ensuring all activity is accurately recorded, authorised and charged in line with NHS legislation, Trust policies and contractual requirements.

Working closely with clinical teams, finance colleagues, insurers and patients, the role provides specialist advice on private patient processes, funding and charging arrangements, supports income capture and billing accuracy, and helps maximise private patient income. The post holder will also contribute to service improvement, data quality, governance and staff training, while delivering a professional, customer-focused service and maintaining excellent standards of patient care and experience.

Based at Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, the role reports to the Paying Patients Manager and requires strong organisational, communication and problem-solving skills, together with the ability to manage complex patient pathways and work autonomously in a fast-paced healthcare environment.

Main duties of the job

The Private Patient Officer is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the private patient pathway, acting as a central point of contact for patients, insurers, clinical teams and administrative staff. The post holder ensures that private, self-funded and insured patients progress smoothly through their treatment journey, from initial enquiry and admission through to discharge and invoicing. Key duties include validating funding arrangements and insurance authorisations, applying private patient tariffs, ensuring all private activity is accurately recorded and charged, resolving complex pathway and billing issues, and supporting the Trust's income generation objectives. The role also provides specialist advice and training on private patient processes and charging regulations, monitors data quality and compliance, produces performance and income reports, manages patient concerns and complaints, and contributes to service development and continuous improvement initiatives. Throughout all activities, the post holder is expected to deliver a professional, customer-focused service while maintaining compliance with NHS legislation, Trust policies, GDPR requirements and governance standards.

Job description

PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side.

To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following:

Identity ChecksProfessional registration and qualification checksEmployment history and reference checksOccupational Health clearanceSatisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service checkRight to work in the UKFor further information please visit:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/topics-networks/employment-standards-and-regulation

We reserve the right to close this advert early.

We may be able to offer flexible working. Please discuss at interview.

We may be able to offer sponsorship but this is not guaranteed.

About us

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is at the heart of acute and specialist care for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We care for a population of around 470,000 people, a number that increases during visitor seasons. We employ around 6,700 staff, united by a shared commitment to deliver safe, high-quality care. We provide services across three main hospital sites, with around 780 inpatient beds:

• Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro
• St Michael's Hospital in Hayle
• West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance

As a teaching hospital, we're proud to work in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, the University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School, supporting the next generation of health professionals. We're committed to staying at the forefront of medical advance; investing in our people, developing our facilities, and expanding the specialist care we can offer locally so more patients can receive the care they need closer to home. We have a growing reputation for research and innovation that helps shape better care for the future. The Knowledge Spa, located on our Truro site, is a vibrant hub for medical, nursing and professional education across clinical and non-clinical roles. It plays a vital role in attracting, developing and retaining highly skilled teams.

We are driven by one clear ambition, Outstanding Care for One and All, care that's safe, kind and high-quality. We are RCHT.