Support Service Team Secretary
Job overview
As a Band 3 Support Service Team Secretary within the Forensics Service, you will provide efficient and effective secretarial and administrative support to the multidisciplinary team, working under the direction of the team coordinator. Your role involves daily interaction with service users, staff, and external partners, handling sensitive information in line with NHS confidentiality standards, and delivering a customer-focused meet and greet service.You will be responsible for managing communications, maintaining accurate records, supporting meetings, and ensuring the smooth operation of office systems, all while demonstrating excellent organisational and communication skills.
You will be expected to work collaboratively within the team, adapt to new systems and procedures, and contribute to the ongoing development of best practice. The role requires flexibility, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritise tasks in a busy environment.You will also support the implementation of Trust policies, participate in personal development and training, and uphold the values of the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, including a commitment to equality, diversity, and safeguarding.
Main duties of the job
Secretarial and Administrative Support:Provide efficient secretarial and administrative services to the multidisciplinary team, including managing communications, maintaining records (both electronic and manual), and supporting meetings by taking minutes and organising appointments.
Customer Service and Communication:Act as the first point of contact for service users, carers, visitors, and staff, delivering a customer-focused meet and greet service. Handle confidential and sensitive information in line with NHS standards, and respond to telephone and face-to-face enquiries professionally.
Teamwork and Collaboration:Work closely with the team coordinator and other administrative staff, participating in meetings, peer networking, and supporting colleagues to ensure the smooth running of the service. Provide cover for colleagues as needed.
Information Management:Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, input data into Trust systems, and support the implementation of new office systems and procedures. Ensure compliance with information governance and data quality standards.
Organisational and Planning Skills:Prioritise workload, manage backlogs, and support the coordination of appointments, meetings, and transport. Maintain office supplies and ensure the work area is fit for purpose.
Working for our organisation
The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) is the main provider of Mental Health and Learning Disability services in Leeds. We also provide specialist inpatient services in York and some highly specialised services across the country.As a teaching trust with strong links to local universities, we are a centre of excellence for teaching, research and development.
There are many benefits of working for LYPFT including fantastic employee wellbeing support, 27 - 33 days annual leave, flexible working and remote working arrangements, the NHS Pension Scheme, coaching, support and opportunities for career development and training and education support alongside a range of exclusive discounts and payment schemes including for cars, extra leave days and more NHS Discount Offers.
We also have a bank department, offering variety of roles in nursing, allied health professions, healthcare support worker and administration clerical. Permanent employees are automatically added to bank.
Applicants should be aware that individuals requiring a visa to work in the UK, the Trust only provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles (this does not include Healthcare Support Workers). This is an essential requirement, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you do not meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Policy, Procedures, and Compliance:Adhere to Trust policies, including health and safety, equality and diversity, safeguarding, and infection control. Participate in personal development, mandatory training, and contribute to the implementation of best practice.
Financial and Resource Responsibilities:Observe Trust financial policies, assist with petty cash and procurement processes, and report any issues to the team coordinator.
We recruit people based on their values and qualifications (where required) and believe that their lived experience is an advantage, this means that together we are as diverse as the communities we care for. Simply put, when we employ caring people who act with integrity and have the right skills, we can give those with mental health challenges, learning disabilities and neurodiversity high-quality care and support to live fulfilling lives, and make our staff feel purposeful, happy and valued.
All our information is available in accessible formats. Please contact the Recruitment team [email protected]
Attached to this advert is our candidates guide to values-based recruitment and supporting guidance on how to make a successful application.
If you require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Recruitment Team or see the attached candidate guide to reasonable adjustments.
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading.
So that you’re even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, you’ll need to take time to read the Candidate Guide to Values Based Recruitment. This document provides you with information to help you apply.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Educated to GCSE or O level or equivalent including Maths and English grade C or above
Experience
Essential criteria- IT experience in the user of computer software packages (Microsoft office)
- Experience of working in a busy and demanding team, specifically with experience of planning and organizing your own workload.
- Experience in an administration role
Skills
Essential criteria- RSA III or equivalent audio typing
- Able to record accurate minutes from meetings.
Values Based
Desirable criteria- Tell us about a time when you spotted something small going wrong and did something to stop it becoming a bigger issue.
- Tell us about a time when you realised a colleague or someone you know needed a bit of support and you offered to help.
- Tell us about a time when you showed someone kindness or understanding.
Applications are welcomed from candidates who wish to apply for a position based on a smarter (Hybrid) or flexible working arrangement. Where candidates are successful at interview, flexible working arrangement requests will be taken into consideration and may be accommodated where the needs of the service allow.
Fixed Term Contracts for existing NHS Employees – temporary contracts for employees of LYPFT, or colleagues joining from another NHS Trust, will be offered on a secondment basis wherever possible. In the event this is not possible, an FTC would be issued and this would require a break in service of two weeks.
The purpose of a temporary is role could be for maternity cover, temporary funding or some other reason. At the end of which the need for the temporary work will cease. Temporary roles can stop, be extended and/or made permanent at any point during the period of work.Should the role become permanent then the post-holder will be informed of the process to be followed to convert the position to a permanent one.
All new employees are required to subscribe to the DBS Update Service.
Patient Safety is a priority at LYPFT with a focus on system-based improvement and creating opportunities for learning. We will ensure compassionate engagement with all those involved in an incident and all incidents are met with a proportionate response.LYPFT is committed to upholding its’ statutory responsibilities in relation to safeguarding adults and children. Please refer to job description for further information.
LYPFT is a member of the Disability Confident scheme and is committed to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process.
As part of the Trust's commitment to its Gold Standard Armed Forces Covenant status, members of the Armed Forces Community are entitled to a guaranteed interview subject to meeting the role criteria.
We welcome applicants with lived experience of providing unpaid care and/or support to a family member or friend with a disability, health condition, frailty, mental health problem, addiction or other health needs.
Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if enough applications are received. It is in the candidate’s best interest to apply as soon as possible. In submitting an application form, you authorize Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the ESR IAT process should you be appointed to the post.
In applying for a role please ensure that you only declare qualifications that are relevant to the role itself. We reserve the right to check all declared qualifications on an application form, whether they are directly relevant to the role or not.
Please note: The Trust does not offer reimbursement of interview expenses.