Medical Secretary

Job description

Job responsibilities

• To provide an efficient audio, copy typing and word processing service for GPs and health professionals as required. This includes the typing of letters, reports, patient referrals, minutes, memorandums, etc. in an accurate and quality manner
• To assist the Practice Business Manager and Practice Operations Manager administrative support including producing agendas, minute taking, reports etc
• To work closely with the Practice Operations Manager and be responsible for the timely writing up of all complaints liaising with the Practice Operations Manager and relevant clinicians / staff members to ensure there are no date breaches. To ensure that the complaints matrix is up to date
• To work closely with the Practice Operations Manager and be responsible for reporting all significant events at the Clinical Meeting and keep the significant events matrix up to date. To report all significant events at the significant events meetings, recording trends and root cause analysis information
• To be responsible for the Practice Policies & Procedures matrix ensuring policies are updated regularly by liaising with the responsible clinician / manager
• To be responsible for the Risk Assessments Matrix ensuring these are regularly updated by liaising with the responsible clinician / staff member
• To make appointments, bookings and admissions as required
• To complete and maintain an efficient electronic patient referrals service
• To attach post, to the practice electronic information system and to patients notes
• To code clinical letters according to the practice protocol
• Keep up to date with local pathways for referrals and use appropriate referral tools
• To maintain smooth running of e-referral data, A&G, rejected referrals, 2WW etc
• To perform weekly audit of 2WW referrals
• To apply read codes on referrals to enable effective searching
• To maintain/import and archive referral forms/practice documents within SystmOne templates
• To support the training of staff in the practice process of referrals
• To implement new procedures / work flows relating to own area of work ensuring that other staff members are informed of any important changes in practice policy
• To liaise with patients and other agencies including the CCG & NHS England, Consultants secretaries
• To liaise with external software suppliers/equipment suppliers (e.g. SystmOne, Lexacom)

Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the Practice Managers, dependent on current and evolving Practice workload and staffing levels.

Confidentiality

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.

In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Health and Safety

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the Practice Health and Safety Policy, and the Practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
• Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (annually)
• Reporting potential risks identified

Equality and Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Contribution to the implementation of services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a fast paced office environment
• Medical Secretarial experience
• Knowledge of medical terminology

Desirable

• Experience of working in primary care
• Experience of working in a GP practice

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths
• NVQ 2 in business administration
• Proven working knowledge of Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Outlook
• Awareness and understanding of GDPR, data protection and patient confidentiality

Desirable

• AMSPAR Certificate
• Experience of using SystmOne, Lexacom
• RSA typing qualification

DBS

Essential

• 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.

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

Carlton Group Practice

Address

Carlton Street

Burton-on-trent

Staffordshire

DE13 0TE

Employer's website

https://www.carltonstreet.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)