Health Records Clerk

Typical Salary

£15,000 To £28,250

Typical Hours

38 to 40 a week

evenings on a rota

How To Become a Health Records Clerk

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
applying directly

College / University

You could take a college course to learn some of the skills and knowledge needed in this job. Courses include:

Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Business Administration
Level 3 Diploma in Business Administration

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You could get into this job through a business administrator advanced apprenticeship.

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

You can apply directly for jobs in this area. Many employers will ask for GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) . It will also help if you have previous experience of office work, including word processing and spreadsheet computer packages.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to work well with others
administration skills
the ability to use your initiative
to be flexible and open to change
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
analytical thinking skills
excellent verbal communication skills
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

creating, checking and updating patient records
storing test results and letters
recording illnesses and treatments using a system of codes known as clinical coding
recording patient admissions, transfers, discharges and deaths
transferring details from paper records into computer systems
collecting statistics like admission numbers, discharges and waiting lists

Working Environment

You could work in an NHS or private hospital, in an office or at a GP practice.

Career Path & Progression

You can study with the Institute of Health Record Information and Management (IHRIM) for a more senior role or to specialise in areas such as clinical coding.

With qualifications and experience you could become a medical secretary or a health records manager.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Professional and industry bodies

You may find it useful for professional recognition and training opportunities to join organisations like:

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a health records clerk from Health Careers.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass enhanced background checks