Issue 39 - Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Staff Profile
Name: Dawn Gibson
Dawn Gibson >
What is your Job
I work as a Clinical Coder in South Tyrone Hospital, Dungannon.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I live in Lurgan and I am married with three children aged: 17, 15 and 8.
What is Clinical Coding
It is the way in which every condition, diagnosis,
operation or clinical procedure is logged, stored and
shared. It is a method of confi dentially comparing the
costs, quality and safety of our hospital care across
Northern Ireland, and nationally. This helps hospitals
report on patient safety, cost effectiveness and quality of
care so that any variations can be investigated to make
improvements. Mention clinical coding and most people
are likely to wonder whether or not it’s a postcode for the
nearest health centre but Clinical coders in the Southern
Trust make a vital contribution to this worldwide process!
How did you get started as a Clinical Coder
I worked as a secretary before applying to become
a clinical coder. I worked in Lurgan Hospital, before
transferring to South Tyrone Hospital last year. It takes
two years to become a fully qualifi ed coder, with initial
training provided regionally, and supported through on the
job training and regular refresher courses.
Describe the type of work done by you and the rest
your team
There are three coding teams based in: South Tyrone,
Daisy Hill and Craigavon Area Hospitals. There are 15
staff as well as one manager.
Clinical Coders receive every patient’s casenote after
they are discharged from hospital or as a daycase and
they ensure that every condition, diagnosis, operation
or procedure from every individual patient is coded on
the Patient Administration System. I have wards and
specialties for which I am responsible, and it is my job to
Chair Visits
The Trust’s Chair, Roberta Brownlee, has made her fi rst visit
to Newry, Bessbrook and Mullaghbawn to meet with staff and
service users.
She met staff and service users at Millview Resource Centre,
and staff from the Physical Disability Social Work Team and
the Sensory Impairment Team. Within Learning Disability, the
Chair visited staff and service users at the ARC, Clougharaven
Road, Bessbrook, a joint project with the USPCA. There were
visits to Ardaveen Manor in Bessbrook and Teach Sona in
Mullaghbawn, the Laurels and Windsor Day Centre.
The Chair visited Cloughreagh House, Orchard Day Centre,
Newry and Mourne Social Work Team for Older People and
Newry and Mourne Trust Homecare Team. Mrs Brownlee
review the notes, extract each individual diagnosis and
conditions which affect their stay in hospital, allocate
a code and then record on PAS. There are around
110,000 inpatients and daycases discharged from the
Southern Trust hospitals each year, which means that
each coder codes around 7,300 patients’ treatment per
year and includes the vast range of conditions treated
and managed within our hospitals!
Is your job difficult
It can be complex and time consuming – for instance
it can be diffi cult to assign a code to some complex
diagnoses and innovative new procedures. In those
cases, we have to alert the regional co-ordinator who
in turn works with colleagues nationally to agree a new
unique code. That ensures that our staff are credited
with the innovative and progressive work being done
across the Trust. The World Health Organisation
produce a comprehensive reference book for coding –
it runs to over 1200 pages and shows what a detailed
and comprehensive process it is!
Is your job satisfying
Coders are a vital support function in the health
service. We have our own set of performance targets
– 95% of coding should be complete with 30 days
of the patient’s discharge from hospital with 100%
complete within 60 days. It is satisfying to know that
our work is part of a vital national support system for
the health service and that the job we do is part of an
internationally recognised process which helps improve
our understanding of health issues.
met Dromalane House staff and visited the two
residential homes for young people in Newry.
Speaking about her visits Mrs Brownlee said,
“I am delighted to have met so many dedicated
and enthusiastic staff providing services to older
people, young people, and those with learning
and physical disabilities. Community facilities in
Newry, Bessbrook and Mullaghbawn are important
to meet the needs of service users, groups and
carers and provide individuals with independence,
control and choice in their lives. It is my intention
to visit as many facilities in the Trust area and
meet staff and service users over the next year.”
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Millview staff Darren Campbell, Leon McShane, Andrew Smyth,
Allyson Steenson, Roberta Brownlee, Gemma Sloan and Philip
McGhee
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Service users Edith McGinn, Francie Kearns, William Morris
and Brendan Murphy with (back row) Orchard Centre
Manager Maureen Smith; Roberta Brownlee; Marie Quinn,
user; John Hollywood, user; Helen O’Hare
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