Support Medical Secretary

Job overview

A position has arisen for an experienced, well-motivated and enthusiastic support secretary to join our Nephrology Department. The appointee will work within an established secretarial team who have a commitment to improve our patient experience.

The successful applicant must be able to undertake all administrative duties, be well organised, able to plan their own workload, work on their own initiative and work to strict deadlines.

It is expected that applicants will have appropriate experience working in a medical environment and have a good understanding and knowledge of medical terminology and audio typing ; experience in the use of EPRO (clinic letter tool) would be advantageous.

The Nephrology Department is based across two sites; Aintree University Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. The successful candidate will be required to provide support on the Aintree site.

Main duties of the job

To provide a comprehensive administration/audio typing service in dealing effectively and efficiently with processing of daily workloads, and ad hoc office duties. Ensure cross cover working where possible.

Working for our organisation

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Liverpool Women’s Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK’s largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

For roles at Liverpool Women’s, visit their careers page.

• Type dictation from audio transcription of clinical correspondence and documentation.
• Quality check documentation completed in clinical administration support.
• Ensure appropriate follow up arrangements/investigations are in place. Liaise with personal medical secretary of speciality accordingly.
• Complete any tertiary referrals to external Trusts and ensure these are completed on the PAS system. Keep track of referrals to ensure patient is promptly reviewed. Check that follow up appointments are arranged in conjunction with patient pathway.
• To answer the telephone promptly and politely, telephoning patients where appropriate using tact, discretion and empathy in all situations.
• Accurate use of patient information using the Patient administration System (PAS), including registration screen, checking patient details are correct, tracking of case-notes.
• Ensure all letters and discharge summaries are copied to the appropriate professionals, including patients.
• Ensure efficient audit processes in place concerning correspondence to ensure quality levels maintained and rectify accordingly.
• Take minutes of meetings, circulating to relevant groups.
• Obtain information as requested by line manager.
• Attend appropriate training, meetings and education sessions when required.
• Work with managers to review working practices, ways of working and find solutions to problems.
• Work with managers to improve quality and range of services, with resources being managed according to agreed policies and procedures.
• Ensure all mandatory training is up to date and report accordingly.
• General office duties, including incoming and outgoing mail, e-mail, fax, photocopying. Participate in housekeeping of office environment.

Person specification

Skills/Ability/Knowledge

• Excellent communication skills
• Able to use own initiative and respond to new challenges
• Self motivated and able to work with limited supervision
• Manage/prioritise own workload
• Ability to accurately maintain computerise and manual filing/documentation system
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to manage difficult/sensitive situations
• Ability and willingness to undertake further training as required

• Knowledge of internal PAS system
• Ability to supervise and motivate a team
• Time management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills
• Understanding of Trust internal policies as appropriate

Qualities/Attributes

• Able to adopt flexible approach when required
• Ability to build and maintain good working relationships

Other Requirements

• Understanding of confidential nature of role and awareness of Data Protection Act

Education/Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE/O Level standard/equivalent
• RSA/OCR Level II or equivalent
• Word Processing/Audio typing Skills
• Knowledge of medical terminology and secretarial procedures

Experience

• Excellent I.T. skills with knowledge and experience of all Microsoft office packages
• Experience working in an NHS office environment

Please ensure you check the email account (including junk/spam boxes) from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.

Posts advertised to ‘internal staff’ are open to employees of hospitals within University Hospitals of Liverpool Group and you should confirm your employment within your application form.

Only those applicants who demonstrate clearly how they meet our person specification will be shortlisted for interview.

We reserve the right to close any vacancies from further applications when we have received a minimum number of applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role.

Candidates applying for the role of Healthcare Assistant on the staff bank should note that due to the nature of the role, workers must be aged 18 or above when commencing in post. Applicants are therefore welcome from those aged over 18 or within 3 months’ of their 18^th birthday.

Not all roles are suitable for every flexible working opportunity all of the time. Flexible working options may include reduced hours, compressed hours, fixed shifts, time back in lieu and home working.

The Trust is committed to promoting equality and diversity; we value the contribution of individual talent, skills, knowledge and experience and aim for a workforce demography representative of the local community. We encourage applicants from the following groups that are currently under-represented in our workforce black, Asian and minority ethnic, lesbian, gay, bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ+), disabled, male and age 16-24.

Bank posts require upfront payment. DBS applications submitted from 2nd December will be subject to the new DBS fee of £26.50 (standard) and £54.50 (Enhanced).

From April 2017, Skilled visa applicants and their adult dependant(s) will be required to provide a criminal record certificate from each country they have lived in consecutively for 12 months or more in the past ten years.

Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.

This organisation has a zero-tolerance approach to the abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff must ensure they adhere to the organisations safeguarding children and adults’ policy and comply with the Local Safeguarding Children and Adult Board procedures.

Staff should be mindful of their responsibility to safeguard children and adults in any activity performed on behalf of the organisation in line with the requirements of statutory guidance and legislation.

All employees (and volunteers)are expected maintain their safeguarding knowledge and skills by completing mandatory safeguarding training which includes understanding and recognising the signs of abuse and neglect and taking appropriate action.

As an organisation, we have adopted the Merseyside Domestic abuse workplace scheme which supports our staff who are experiencing Domestic Abuse /any forms of sexual violence.

If you have any personal requirements that will enable you to participate in our recruitment process please contact a member of the Recruitment Services by phone on 0151 706 4666 at the earliest opportunity to ensure that measures can be put in place to enable your application for this post.

Please note: new entrants to the NHS will commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.