Clinical coding auditor and trainer

Band 6 · Clinical coder · 446 job evaluation points

A clinical coding auditor and trainer audits the accuracy of coded data, designs and delivers coding training, and advises the organisation on coding standards. In some organisations this level also leads a coding team day to day.

Responsibilities

Plan and carry out coding audits across specialties, measuring accuracy against national and international standards.
Report audit findings to coding, clinical, finance, and information teams, and agree improvement actions.
Design and deliver coding training, from foundation courses for new coders to refresher training on standard changes.
Advise clinicians and managers on how coding affects payment, mortality indicators, and performance data.
Lead the introduction of changes in classification versions, coding standards, and coding tools.
Lead a coding team day to day where the organisation combines this with audit and training.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
Clinical codingThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: code complex episodes across specialties audit coding quality and train coders
Clinical terminology and classificationThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: design data models and reference sets using clinical terminologies map between terminologies and classifications, and explain the limits of a mapping advise teams on terminology use in products and analytics
Health records managementThis reference	Working (2)	You can: process requests for access to records apply retention schedules and record-keeping standards
Data quality managementThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: define data quality rules and measures work with data providers to fix the root causes of poor quality
Information governance and data protectionThis reference	Working (2)	You can: apply data protection principles to your work contribute to data protection impact assessments handle information requests and records correctly
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Working (2)	You can: explain the clinical and care workflows your work supports use common health care terms correctly with clinical and care colleagues recognise when a change could affect patient care and raise it
Communicating informationUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: work collaboratively in a group and build relationships with others identify issues through Agile 'health checks' and work with others to address them manage stakeholder expectations be flexible and capable of proactive and reactive communication host or moderate difficult discussions within the team or with senior stakeholders
Quality assurance of data and analysisUK GDaD PCF	Working (2)	You can: identify appropriate ways to collect, collate and prepare data decide if data and analysis is accurate and fit for purpose perform data preparation and cleansing with limited guidance undertake quality assurance processes peer-review colleagues’ outputs from data analysis to ensure quality
People managementThis reference	Working (2)	You can: supervise day-to-day work and give feedback take part in recruitment and induction hold regular one-to-one conversations

Typical qualifications and experience

A recognised clinical coding qualification and a recognised clinical coding audit or training qualification, or equivalent experience.

Band 6 outline

Knowledge: Specialist knowledge across a range of procedures, built through further training or experience.
Autonomy: Works independently; interprets policy for own area; seeks advice on complex issues.
Scope: A product, service, or workstream.
Leadership: May lead a small team or mentor colleagues.
Accountability: Outcomes of own workstream and quality of advice given.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	4	Gives complex, sensitive, or contentious information needing persuasion, negotiation, or training skills, or highly complex information.	32
Knowledge, training, and experience	6	Specialist knowledge across the range of the specialism (postgraduate diploma level or equivalent).	156
Analytical and judgemental skills	4	Judgements on complex facts or situations needing analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.	42
Planning and organisational skills	3	Plans several complex activities, adjusting plans as needed.	27
Physical skills	3	Developed skills needing speed or accuracy, such as advanced keyboard use.	27
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	3	Implements policies for own area and proposes changes that affect other areas.	21
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	1	Takes personal care of equipment and resources used in own work.	5
Responsibility for people	3	Manages a group of staff day to day, teaches core or specialist training, or gives core HR advice.	21
Responsibility for information resources	4	Adapts or designs information systems to others' specifications, or runs information systems for a department as the main duty.	24
Responsibility for research and development	2	Regularly does research, development, trials, or equipment and system testing as part of the job.	12
Freedom to act	4	Results are defined, but the job holder decides how to achieve them, within broad policy.	32
Physical effort	2	Frequent sitting or standing in a restricted position, or occasional light to moderate effort.	7
Mental effort	4	Frequent prolonged concentration, or occasional intense concentration.	18
Emotional effort	2	Occasional exposure, or frequent indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.	11
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 6: 396 to 465)			446

People is level 3 because designing and teaching specialist coding training is a main duty. Research is level 2 because coding audit is a regular part of the job.