Job summary
Permanent up to 25 hours per week
We are looking for an enthusiastic Medical Secretary to work
with our Medical Secretary Manager and Service Support Manager supporting
doctors in the Neuro Rehab, Healthcare of the Elderly, and Long COVID services
in Adults, Frailty, and Specialist Services (AFSS) based at Mount Gould
Hospital. You will have a dedicated pathway to support with cross cover during
times of absence to ensure all people and doctors are supported.
We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced
Medical Secretary who has diverse skills and is a good communicator. The post
holder will be expected to prioritise their own workload to support the
functions of the services. You will be responsible for all medical secretary
tasks associated with the services, including attending meetings, minute taking
and independently obtaining/inputting patient data by accessing different IT
systems.
You will be required to arrange appointments, meetings, and
events on behalf of the department using MS Teams and follow up on any actions
from meetings.
In return you will be part of a highly supportive and
friendly team who endeavour to deliver the best service to the people using our
services.
Ensure you link how you can demonstrate you meet the criteria when completing the application.
Main duties of the job
Your role is to support the doctors work in the team and a
flexible approach is required.
Duties will include liaising with people using our services
to book appointments, arrange referrals, audio typing, copy typing letters,
updating SystmOne, managing the annual leave for the doctors, recording
absences, recording expenses, managing diaries, booking CPA Reviews, answering telephones,
liaising, and coordinating meetings, minute taking and supporting audit work
within the team.
You will be asked to cover periods of absences and annual leave for other medical secretaries to ensure support is maintained and the people using our services receive the required care and support.
You will need excellent organisational skills, good
communication skills, a flexible approach, good time management and the ability
to prioritise work and manage pressure well.
This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route; please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility.
Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.
Job Share(s) Considered
About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social
enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across
Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of
Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports
centres, and health hubs.
As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and
collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while
empowering staff and those we serve.
We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in
shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right
time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead
healthy, independent lives.
We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training
pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care
Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship
programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.
Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all
sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental
health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the
application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.
Job description
Job responsibilities
MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities for People Management
- Participate in interview
panels for specified jobs
- Assist in the
training of newly appointed secretarial and administrative staff and supporting
them during theirassimilation
- Actively
contribute and participate in line managements and appraisals
- Supervise
administrators of lower bandings
Responsibility for financial
and/or physical resources
- Assist in
maintenance of stock control and security of stock
- Observe a
personal duty of care when using equipment and resources
- Maintaining a
safe environment in accordance with Health and Safety Policies
Responsibility for
administration
- Able
to plan and prioritise their own workload on a day-to-day basis
- 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, etc. in an accurate and quality manner.
- To
establish and maintain filing and administrative systems so that written or
computer information is easily accessible and secure.
- To
retrieve medical records and assist the completion of medical/insurance
records.
- To
receive incoming and initiate outgoing telephone calls in order to facilitate
timely and appropriate communications with others, taking messages and dealing
with appropriate queries.
- To
maintain the computer clinic system in an accurate and secure manner.
- To
provide cover for members of the secretarial team during periods of sickness
and annual leave.
- In
liaison with the clerk responsible, maintain adequate supplies of office
stationery in order to perform your secretarial duties.
- To
receive and dispatch mail and maintain a pending system.
- Be responsible for all of the
Consultants incoming mail and e-mails, whilst using discretion to deal appropriately
with any mail that does not require the Consultants perusal.
- Provide an efficient and accurate
secretarial service to the Consultant and to ensure the Consultants diary of
appointments is updated and confirmed with him/her on a daily basis, use
discretion to make changes and communicating the changes whenever necessary.
- Record and monitor the Consultants
attendance/absence in own diary. Apply
to the appropriate parties for approval of leave and obtain Consultant
cover. Arrange changes to the Consultant
Duty Rota as necessary and again notify all parties of such changes.
- Provide secretarial support for the
Junior Doctors working with the Consultants following outpatients clinics.
- Liaise with the Team/Secretaries and
other medical secretaries to cross cover for annual leave and other leave as
required, in line with the secretarial standard.
- Liaising with GPs, patients, carers and
other professionals on a daily basis
- Book patients in for clinical
appointments, answer telephone using tact and diplomacy when talking to
patients.
- Take messages or respond appropriately.
- Maintain Outpatients appointments and
implement changes as necessary on own initiative to ensure that the lists run
effectively and efficiently. Produce and submit monthly statistical returns.
- Take minutes at team meetings where
appropriate, transcribe notes and distribute.
- Recording of large amounts of
information relating to staff contact with patients onto Livewell Southwest
database (SystmOne) on a daily basis.
- Generating reports and scans from these
lists.
- Provide support to the Clinical Lead for
Neurorehabilitation.
- Support in covering annual leave and
sickness across other services, when required
Responsibility for
people who use our services
- Liaise with patients, other
professionals and agencies to organise various meetings including Care
Planning, Aftercare, Risk Management and Discharge Planning. Due to the urgency
of some of these meetings are arranged at short notice, requiring
re-organisation of diaries to ensure service user needs are met.
- Demonstrate a positive attitude to
patients, treating patients and their families with dignity and respect.
- Have an excellent knowledge of risk
factors and be able to make judgements about client and staff safety and raise
concerns with senior staff.
- Ensure compliance with contractual and
related quality standards, including acknowledgement of referrals and
production of written correspondence with referrers.
Responsibility
for implementation of policy and/or service developments
- Comply with all appropriate National,
Livewell Southwest and local polices and protocols. These include Health and Safety, Fire
Procedures and Confidentiality.
- Know how to report accidents and incidents and
to do so promptly.
- Behave in a manner that does not bring
the Team or Livewell Southwest into disrepute.
- Ensure that professional boundaries are
always adhered to.
- Actively participate in line management
supervision with a senior member of the Team.
- Actively participate in the Livewell
Southwest appraisal system.
- Participate in team meetings.
- Carry out other duties commensurate with
the position as required.
- Responsible for updating Knowledge and
Skills, including Livewell Southwest mandatory training.
- Identify new ways of working and make
changes to own work, when agreed, to improve service.
COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
- To maintain confidentiality regarding
information gained during the course of work.
- To be responsible for the work area and
ensure and maintain a safe environment in line with Livewell Southwest policies
and protocols.
- Ensure that the Consultants caseload
details are kept up-to-date and in line with the Care Approach programme.
- Deal with patients and service users of
all ages and requirements via all forms of communication
- Working with other administrators within
the wider teams
- Working with Service Managers and other
department managers with patient queries
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB
- Competent advanced keyboard skills including audio typing.
- There is a frequent requirement for concentration required for
dealing with various complicated medical documents and correspondence with
frequent interruptions.
- There is a frequent requirement for concentration required when
typing reports, letters etc of complicated nature with frequent interruptions.
- There is a frequent requirement for sitting in a restricted
position, maintaining correct posture, when sitting at desks; for example, when
(audio) typing or taking detailed minutes of meetings.
- The post holder will carry any deliveries in a safe manner, in
accordance with the organisations manual handling policy.
- The job requires sitting working at a desk for periods at a time,
moving patient notes to secure storage lockers which can be a number of files
at once (equipment provided to assist).
- Use of some complex computer systems.
Please see supporting information for full Job Description and Person Specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities for People Management
- Participate in interview
panels for specified jobs
- Assist in the
training of newly appointed secretarial and administrative staff and supporting
them during theirassimilation
- Actively
contribute and participate in line managements and appraisals
- Supervise
administrators of lower bandings
Responsibility for financial
and/or physical resources
- Assist in
maintenance of stock control and security of stock
- Observe a
personal duty of care when using equipment and resources
- Maintaining a
safe environment in accordance with Health and Safety Policies
Responsibility for
administration
- Able
to plan and prioritise their own workload on a day-to-day basis
- 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, etc. in an accurate and quality manner.
- To
establish and maintain filing and administrative systems so that written or
computer information is easily accessible and secure.
- To
retrieve medical records and assist the completion of medical/insurance
records.
- To
receive incoming and initiate outgoing telephone calls in order to facilitate
timely and appropriate communications with others, taking messages and dealing
with appropriate queries.
- To
maintain the computer clinic system in an accurate and secure manner.
- To
provide cover for members of the secretarial team during periods of sickness
and annual leave.
- In
liaison with the clerk responsible, maintain adequate supplies of office
stationery in order to perform your secretarial duties.
- To
receive and dispatch mail and maintain a pending system.
- Be responsible for all of the
Consultants incoming mail and e-mails, whilst using discretion to deal appropriately
with any mail that does not require the Consultants perusal.
- Provide an efficient and accurate
secretarial service to the Consultant and to ensure the Consultants diary of
appointments is updated and confirmed with him/her on a daily basis, use
discretion to make changes and communicating the changes whenever necessary.
- Record and monitor the Consultants
attendance/absence in own diary. Apply
to the appropriate parties for approval of leave and obtain Consultant
cover. Arrange changes to the Consultant
Duty Rota as necessary and again notify all parties of such changes.
- Provide secretarial support for the
Junior Doctors working with the Consultants following outpatients clinics.
- Liaise with the Team/Secretaries and
other medical secretaries to cross cover for annual leave and other leave as
required, in line with the secretarial standard.
- Liaising with GPs, patients, carers and
other professionals on a daily basis
- Book patients in for clinical
appointments, answer telephone using tact and diplomacy when talking to
patients.
- Take messages or respond appropriately.
- Maintain Outpatients appointments and
implement changes as necessary on own initiative to ensure that the lists run
effectively and efficiently. Produce and submit monthly statistical returns.
- Take minutes at team meetings where
appropriate, transcribe notes and distribute.
- Recording of large amounts of
information relating to staff contact with patients onto Livewell Southwest
database (SystmOne) on a daily basis.
- Generating reports and scans from these
lists.
- Provide support to the Clinical Lead for
Neurorehabilitation.
- Support in covering annual leave and
sickness across other services, when required
Responsibility for
people who use our services
- Liaise with patients, other
professionals and agencies to organise various meetings including Care
Planning, Aftercare, Risk Management and Discharge Planning. Due to the urgency
of some of these meetings are arranged at short notice, requiring
re-organisation of diaries to ensure service user needs are met.
- Demonstrate a positive attitude to
patients, treating patients and their families with dignity and respect.
- Have an excellent knowledge of risk
factors and be able to make judgements about client and staff safety and raise
concerns with senior staff.
- Ensure compliance with contractual and
related quality standards, including acknowledgement of referrals and
production of written correspondence with referrers.
Responsibility
for implementation of policy and/or service developments
- Comply with all appropriate National,
Livewell Southwest and local polices and protocols. These include Health and Safety, Fire
Procedures and Confidentiality.
- Know how to report accidents and incidents and
to do so promptly.
- Behave in a manner that does not bring
the Team or Livewell Southwest into disrepute.
- Ensure that professional boundaries are
always adhered to.
- Actively participate in line management
supervision with a senior member of the Team.
- Actively participate in the Livewell
Southwest appraisal system.
- Participate in team meetings.
- Carry out other duties commensurate with
the position as required.
- Responsible for updating Knowledge and
Skills, including Livewell Southwest mandatory training.
- Identify new ways of working and make
changes to own work, when agreed, to improve service.
COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
- To maintain confidentiality regarding
information gained during the course of work.
- To be responsible for the work area and
ensure and maintain a safe environment in line with Livewell Southwest policies
and protocols.
- Ensure that the Consultants caseload
details are kept up-to-date and in line with the Care Approach programme.
- Deal with patients and service users of
all ages and requirements via all forms of communication
- Working with other administrators within
the wider teams
- Working with Service Managers and other
department managers with patient queries
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB
- Competent advanced keyboard skills including audio typing.
- There is a frequent requirement for concentration required for
dealing with various complicated medical documents and correspondence with
frequent interruptions.
- There is a frequent requirement for concentration required when
typing reports, letters etc of complicated nature with frequent interruptions.
- There is a frequent requirement for sitting in a restricted
position, maintaining correct posture, when sitting at desks; for example, when
(audio) typing or taking detailed minutes of meetings.
- The post holder will carry any deliveries in a safe manner, in
accordance with the organisations manual handling policy.
- The job requires sitting working at a desk for periods at a time,
moving patient notes to secure storage lockers which can be a number of files
at once (equipment provided to assist).
- Use of some complex computer systems.
Please see supporting information for full Job Description and Person Specification.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Previous medical secretarial experience.
- Proven experience of working to a deadline
- Confidentiality
Desirable
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of a range of secretarial procedures
- Use of all Microsoft packages: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Microsoft Teams
Desirable
- Knowledge of medical terminology.
- Understanding of Out-Patient, admission and waiting list procedures including RTT.
- Demonstrable experience of hospital software e.g. SystmOne/iPM
Qualifications
Essential
- 5 GCSEs (grades A-C) or equivalent
- NVQ level III in Business Administration and/or able to demonstrate the skills, knowledge and ability work to this level
Desirable
- ECDL
- AMSPAR Diploma
- Secretarial/word processing qualifications
- RSA 2 in Typewriting or equivalent skills, knowledge, and experience
Skills
Essential
- Audio typing/Competent computer skills
- Ability to accurately touch type
- Evidence of good communication skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Ability to work supervised and unsupervised
- Ability and willingness to work flexibly to meet service need requirements.
- The ability to prioritise own workload and deal with multiple requests from different consultants
Desirable
- Ability to communicate to people in crisis on telephone
- Ability to organise and prioritise workload
- Ability to work under pressure
- Highly organised and efficient
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Previous medical secretarial experience.
- Proven experience of working to a deadline
- Confidentiality
Desirable
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of a range of secretarial procedures
- Use of all Microsoft packages: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Microsoft Teams
Desirable
- Knowledge of medical terminology.
- Understanding of Out-Patient, admission and waiting list procedures including RTT.
- Demonstrable experience of hospital software e.g. SystmOne/iPM
Qualifications
Essential
- 5 GCSEs (grades A-C) or equivalent
- NVQ level III in Business Administration and/or able to demonstrate the skills, knowledge and ability work to this level
Desirable
- ECDL
- AMSPAR Diploma
- Secretarial/word processing qualifications
- RSA 2 in Typewriting or equivalent skills, knowledge, and experience
Skills
Essential
- Audio typing/Competent computer skills
- Ability to accurately touch type
- Evidence of good communication skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Ability to work supervised and unsupervised
- Ability and willingness to work flexibly to meet service need requirements.
- The ability to prioritise own workload and deal with multiple requests from different consultants
Desirable
- Ability to communicate to people in crisis on telephone
- Ability to organise and prioritise workload
- Ability to work under pressure
- Highly organised and efficient
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
