Senior Information Analyst

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

To develop, administrate the control and production process for the Trusts key performance indicators, regular reports and ad-hoc requests for information in relation to Trusts information needs.

To develop reports to deliver key performance indicator information.

To work directly with clinical staff to support their understanding of information, analytics and associated performance measures.

To support and line manage information analysts in the team.

To lead project work in the field of informatics.

To support development of Business Intelligence reporting and rich data visualisation using industry standard tools.

To work as part of a team in the Informatics team.

Duties and Responsibilities

• The main duty of this post is to coordinate and lead the Informatics requirements of a service delivery area. This post requires excellent planning and time management skills.
• The post holder will administrate the KPI production process by creating briefs and debriefs, creating and maintaining the work schedule, and holding checkpoint meetings to monitor progress.
• The post holder will draw upon well-developed communication skills and planning skills to ensure that the allocated workload is completed and that deadlines are met to agreed quality standards.
• To lead on provision of an information analysis service to support operational management, measure performance and to provide returns required by the Health Authority and other statutory bodies. These post requirements will aid senior managers in the planning of local services and patient care.
• Data analysis, interpretation and presentation are key elements of the role and the post holder will be required to work from a variety of information sources producing regular and ad hoc information reports. This is achieved by analysis, review and reporting of information held in systems which include the Trusts clinical systems and other internal Trust systems as well as external sources of information such as NHSI Model Hospital, NHS Benchmarking and the Mental Health Service Dataset (MHSDS).
• To provide analysis and commentary around data, highlighting insights and summarising performance to various audiences in order to support decision making and performance management of services. Production and presentation of reports to the service to support assurance processes and decision making such as Directorate Governance Boards and local operational performance meetings.
• The post holder will work under the supervision of the Information Manager to produce information on the regular report schedule, and to respond to ad-hoc requests for information.
• The post holder will work with staff in the organisation to ensure that the data is of a consistently high standard, investigating how information is recorded to ensure accurate reporting. This will involve identifying data quality issues and providing information, guidance and support to teams to assist with the correction of errors.
• The post holder will be responsible for assimilation, validation and submission of data for central NHS organisations and other statutory bodies.
• The post holder will use their skills in SQL scripting and spreadsheets alongside their knowledge of relational databases and advanced excel skills to understand, provide, and receive complex information. They will be required to design new spreadsheets and to write SQL code to query the SQL server database.
• The level of knowledge of T-SQL will be such that the post holder is able to create scripts, views, stored procedures and functions which contain complexities such as joins, filters and groupings.
• The post holder will be expected to lead on specific projects that relate to informatics, data reporting and performance frameworks.
• The post holder will work closely with the Senior Information Analysts in other departments to cross cover their work. The post holder will work closely with the Business Intelligence Specialist to take on the maintenance of new developments to the Informatics Hub business intelligence system. The post holder will be provided with opportunities to learn how to maintain a business intelligence system using SQL Server and Dundas BI.
• The post holder will be expected to develop other reporting techniques such as R programming, SQL Stored Procedures, views and functions, and will develop reports to enhance the current suite of analytics of the trust.
• The post involves communicating complex information to enable managers to comprehend it, overcoming any barriers to understanding, so that the correct conclusion can be reached. Specialist presentation techniques, such as run-charts, statistical process control charts and pivot tables, are necessary to assist the understanding of information.
• The post may involve providing briefings, both written and verbal, to staff within the Trust.
• The post holder will be expected to be familiar with the rationale and usage of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and will use and maintain the KPI register.
• The role will involve ensuring documentation around processes is maintained and creating instructions for any new processes.
• The post holder may be required to administer routine data collections and surveys as necessary.
• The post holder may hold line management responsibilities for Information Analysts in the team.

Person Specification

Skills and Abilities, Communication Skills, Analytical & Judgement Skills

• IT skills particularly use of Microsoft Office and use of the Intranet, Internet and email
• Good working knowledge of spreadsheets, with experience of making use of their wider functionality (e.g. formulae, charting and pivot tables).
• Understanding of and significant experience of relational databases
• Very good oral and written communication skills, with the ability to choose content and style to suit the audience.
• Possess self-confidence, enthusiasm, motivation, tact and diplomacy.
• Can relate to a wide range of staff and colleagues and including large groups.
• Able to communicate effectively with both external and internal customers and colleagues to understand the work required and present or explain work completed.
• Ability to work with large amounts of data using critical faculties to closely check the outputs and verify accuracy
• Ability to interpret complex information for a wider audience
• Ability to complete complex tasks to tight deadlines

• Experience of SQL Server including SQL query writing skills
• Understanding of Mental Health issues
• Experience of programming languages such as R or Python
• Experience of developing and using Key Performance Indicators to drive service improvement

Experience

• Considerable experience working as an Information Analyst or equivalent experience in a role which is focused on data analysis and reporting
• Experience of working with analytical systems and processes

• Experience managing staff
• Experience of working in the NHS or Public Sector.
• Experience of identifying and managing areas where there are shared and conflicting agendas.
• Ability to manage a small team and prioritise own and staffs work in line with organisational
• Experience of working on projects to deliver quality outcomes to deadline and identifying risks.

Qualifications

• Good general education to GCE/GCSE level to include English Language and Mathematics
• Educated to A level or equivalent experience
• Strong analytical and requirements gathering skills.
• Be able to interpret results from the analysis, apply the results to the given problem and suggest conclusions to be drawn.
• Able to present and explain results of analysis via written and verbal communication.
• Understanding of a wide range of data quality issues and the application of the appropriate data validation techniques
• Good working knowledge and experience of databases including database interrogation tools.
• Good working knowledge of spreadsheets, with experience of making use of their wider functionality (e.g. formulae).

• Education to degree level (preferably in an IT discipline) or equivalent experience
• Knowledge of NHS processes

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

Employer's website

https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/