Livewell Southwest

Medical Secretary

The closing date is 03 October 2025

Job summary

37.5 hours per week

Are you an enthusiastic and motivated person who enjoys working as part of a team? Are you friendly, helpful, and approachable? If so the Glenbourne Unit within Livewell Southwest would love to hear from you.

We are looking to recruit a full time Medical Secretary to join our established team within the Inpatient Mental Health Acute Services. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with both teams from the inpatient and community settings to meet the needs of our patients, following policies and procedures.

This position will be to provide Medical Secretary support to the 19 bedded female acute ward however cross cover to the male ward will be required during periods of annual leave. This is a fantastic opportunity for a dynamic, organised individual with excellent communication and IT skills who has a passion for supporting clinical teams and playing a key role in our patients journeys through mental health services.

Please note that 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.

Main duties of the job

Main duties of the job

To have overall responsibility for all of the Consultants work and his/her Senior Registrar and SHO as appropriate. To prioritise own workload, with support from the Manager.

The post holder is Personal Secretary to the Consultant and is a high profile and demanding role. The emphasis is to provide an efficient and high quality secretarial service to the Consultant, to liaise and communicate effectively with patients and their relatives, internal and external colleagues, other departments and directorates within Livewell Southwest and all agencies/organisations that interface with the Consultants area of clinical responsibility, including Clinical Governance issues.

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.

Details

Date posted

18 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year pa, pro-rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

B9832-2025-AC-1883

Job locations

The Glenbourne Unit

Morlaix Drive, Derriford

Plymouth

Devon

PL6 5AF


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To provide an efficient audio (rarely used now)/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.
  • 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

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To provide an efficient audio (rarely used now)/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.
  • 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

Person Specification

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 RSA 2 in Typewriting or equivalent skills, knowledge and experience

Desirable

  • ECDL AMSPAR Diploma Secretarial/word processing qualifications

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of a range of secretarial procedures
  • Use of all Microsoft packages: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint

Desirable

  • Knowledge of medical terminology.
  • Understanding of Out-Patient, admission and waiting list procedures. Understanding of IT generally.

Specific skills

Essential

  • Audio typing/Competent computer skills
  • Evidence of good communication skills
  • Good written and verbal skills
  • Ability to work supervised and unsupervised
  • Ability and willingness to work flexibility to meet requirements of Consultant Psychiatrist, Associated Doctors & CMHT staff
  • The ability to prioritise own workload and deal with multiple requests from different consultants

Desirable

  • Breakaway
  • Ability to communicate to people in crisis on telephone
  • Ability to organise and prioritise workload
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Highly organised and efficient

Experience

Essential

  • Proven experience of working to a deadline.
  • Confidentiality

Desirable

  • Previous medical secretarial experience.
  • Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
Person Specification

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 RSA 2 in Typewriting or equivalent skills, knowledge and experience

Desirable

  • ECDL AMSPAR Diploma Secretarial/word processing qualifications

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of a range of secretarial procedures
  • Use of all Microsoft packages: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint

Desirable

  • Knowledge of medical terminology.
  • Understanding of Out-Patient, admission and waiting list procedures. Understanding of IT generally.

Specific skills

Essential

  • Audio typing/Competent computer skills
  • Evidence of good communication skills
  • Good written and verbal skills
  • Ability to work supervised and unsupervised
  • Ability and willingness to work flexibility to meet requirements of Consultant Psychiatrist, Associated Doctors & CMHT staff
  • The ability to prioritise own workload and deal with multiple requests from different consultants

Desirable

  • Breakaway
  • Ability to communicate to people in crisis on telephone
  • Ability to organise and prioritise workload
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Highly organised and efficient

Experience

Essential

  • Proven experience of working to a deadline.
  • Confidentiality

Desirable

  • Previous medical secretarial experience.
  • Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Livewell Southwest

Address

The Glenbourne Unit

Morlaix Drive, Derriford

Plymouth

Devon

PL6 5AF


Employer's website

https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Livewell Southwest

Address

The Glenbourne Unit

Morlaix Drive, Derriford

Plymouth

Devon

PL6 5AF


Employer's website

https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Business Support Manager

Emma Biggs

emma.biggs1@nhs.net

01752434309

Details

Date posted

18 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year pa, pro-rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

B9832-2025-AC-1883

Job locations

The Glenbourne Unit

Morlaix Drive, Derriford

Plymouth

Devon

PL6 5AF


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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