Medical Secretary - NHS

Job overview

They will support the Admin Team Leader to undertake change management and ensure that patients are treated with courtesy, dignity and respect.

They will work with very little supervision, prioritising and managing their own workload on a day to day basis.

• Ensure all results of tests and investigations are tracked effectively, shown to the relevant consultant promptly and to undertake appropriate action as instructed
• Independently deal with patient/carer telephone calls and enquiries in an efficient, sensitive and confidential manner, exercising judgement to analyse

• All clinic outcomes must be recorded accurately and complete or amend any that have not been done
• Clinical diaries (both paper and electronic) are to be maintained and checked against the published timetables. Discretion and initiative used when arranging meetings and appointments for patients, relatives and others
• Ensure that arrangements regarding medical staff leave and cover

• Taking and transcribing formal minutes if required
• Open and act on correspondence received and bring to the attention of the clinician along with the medical notes
• Undertake a variety of office duties such as filing, opening and distributing post, photocopying, moving and lifting of patient notes to ensure the efficient and effective support to the department
• Plan and organise own workload efficiently and to highlight any concerns to the Admin Team Leader
• Produce and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for all aspects of the Medical Secretary role

Working for our organisation

The Rheumatology Department is based at Kitson Hall, Torbay Hospital.

We work as a close multi-disciplinary team which consists of six Consultants, nursing staff, administrative team, and Specialist Registrars.

• To work closely with all grades of clinical and administrative staff, along with other employees within the Trust. To liaise with patients, GP’s and other external agencies
• This position requires empathy and tact when dealing with patients that may be angry or upset regarding any aspect of their care
• To review discharge summaries and ensure investigations/appointments are booked appropriately
• To train and support new/less experienced staff within the team
• To ensure that private, overseas and Scottish/Welsh and Northern Irish patients for out/in-patients are identified and documented appropriately
• To support any Secretarial Assistants within the department in their role and ensure compliance with Standard Operating Procedures
• To communicate effectively in writing and verbally on a daily basis
• To ensure that all clinical and non-clinical correspondence is typed within local targets, using the Infoflex system. (Audio and copy typing)
• Ensure appropriate follow up is actioned i.e. outpatient appointments, investigations, patients added to waiting lists, referrals to other departments etc.
• To ensure that all results/reports/correspondence are filed in the hospital case notes in accordance with Health Records standards
• To provide cover for other members of the whole rheumatology team as required to ensure optimum efficiency of the department
• To identify areas for service improvement and support implementation
• To comply with the Trust’s Patient Access Policy and Standard Operating Procedures
• Any other appropriate duties/tasks as requested by management
• To enter, monitor and update all aspects of the Referral to Treatment (RTT) pathway events accurately and ensure Inter Provider Transfers (IPT) are completed and updated. Review statuses are to be updated at every patient interaction
• To manage the e-referral worklists on a daily basis
• To use the relevant IT systems to register patients, respond to enquiries, make appointments, transfer medical records, input clinical letters and care planning summaries, as required
• Minute taking in admin team meetings where deemed appropriate
• Compilation of staff meeting agendas
• Diary Management of specified clinical staff
• Action clinic changes making sure that all clinic forms have been actioned appropriately

Person specification

Essential

• Good standard of education (to include GCSE in Maths and English or equivalent)
• Typing at a level of speed & accuracy equivalent to 40 WPM
• Proven secretarial and administrative experience
• Good communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with patients, all grades of staff and external contacts, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to effectively use the Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

• Medical Secretary/NHS experience
• Understanding of Referral to Treatment Pathways
• Knowledge and experience of the Trust patient administrative and information systems
• Understanding of hospital policies and procedures including the Trust Access Policy
• To be proficient in the use of Internet/Intranet and email

You will be joining the organisation at an exciting time. As the first fully integrated care organisation in England, we are working to improve the way we deliver safe, high-quality health and social care. We have a positive and vibrant working atmosphere, we are proud of our investment in our staff both in terms of developing potential career skills and valuing people.

If you provide support to a family member or friend with health or care needs, we aim to be a Carer-friendly employer. We have a ‘Staff Carers’ policy which includes flexible working where possible and a Carer’s Passport scheme that links you into support and discounts.

• We reserve the right to close vacancies early if we receive a high volume of applications. Please apply promptly
• Please read the job description and tailor your application to reflect the role
• Correspondence will be via Trac, text and email. Please check your email and Trac account regularly.
• Applicants with no previous NHS experience will ordinarily be appointed to the minimum of the band
• If you have not received an invitation to interview within 28 days of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion
• It is your responsibility to assist us in the timely receipt of appropriate references

If you require support you can obtain this from our Equality Business Forum which has representatives from all protected groups.