Job summary
Join Our Team: Administration Assistant - Learning Disabilities Intensive Support Service
Are you an organised, compassionate, and proactive individual looking to make a real difference in the lives of people with learning disabilities? We're seeking anAdministration Assistantto support ourIntensive Support Service (ISS)-- a specialist team dedicated to preventing inpatient admissions and placement breakdowns for individuals with complex needs.
As an Administration Assistant, you'll be at the heart of our multidisciplinary team, providing essential support to clinicians and practitioners. You'll help ensure smooth day-to-day operations, manage communications, and maintain accurate records -- all while contributing to a service that truly transforms lives.
- Based in Norfolk, with occasional travel across sites.
- Monday to Friday, 9:00-17:00 (flexibility may be required).
- Supportive team culture with opportunities for development.
Main duties of the job
- Manage duty inboxes, coordinate referrals, and maintain shared documentation.
- Handle phone and email enquiries with professionalism and empathy.
- Support meeting scheduling, induction processes, and governance activities.
- Uphold confidentiality and data protection standards.
- Collaborate with a team of nurses, psychologists, therapists, and support staff.
- Excellent organisational and communication skills.
- Confidence using Microsoft Office and NHS systems (e.g., Trac, The Hive).
- A kind, inclusive approach aligned with our Trust values.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
About us
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an outstanding organisation with ambitions to match. We are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission, and our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.
Our family of over 4000 members of staff provide health and social care for over 400,000 people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. We also deliver a range of nationally commissioned specialist services including Tier 4 services for children and young people, perinatal services, plus medium and low secure learning disabilities services.
The care we provide makes a fantastic difference to the lives of our service users, their families and carers - everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:
Our Trust values are:
Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.
These values are at the core of who we are, everything we do, and how we do it!
Would you like to be part of the HPFT family? Would you like work with us to ensure our service users live the fullest lives possible they can? Would you like to be supported in your career to be the best that you can be?
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Areas of Responsibility
To carry out and prioritise a variety of administrative and clerical duties and undertake other general office duties (prioritising and generate own workload), which will include:
- Greeting visitors, answering, managing queries and redirecting phone calls. Processing incoming and outgoing mail, booking rooms, preparing rooms for meetings and carrying out various admin tasks such as photocopying, scanning and archiving documents. Handling queries and maintaining data / information systems, completing typing tasks, taking formal meeting minutes, chasing actions and outcomes.
- Using a range of software programmes to produce, maintain and distribute documents, including reports, spreadsheets, databases and presentations, which may include regularly dealing with matters of a complex and/or distressing nature.
- Photocopying, scanning, emailing, distributing, filing and organising letters, reports and other correspondence promptly and efficiently, ensuring that all staff and patient records, files and filing lists are maintained and kept up to date.
- Collecting, opening, date-stamping, sorting and distributing incoming mail, relating it to previous correspondence as appropriate and ensuring that outgoing post is sent in a timely manner.
- Researching appropriate websites, downloading and circulating documents, as requested.
- Dealing appropriately with all telephone enquiries and occasional face to face contact, which may on occasion, be upsetting.
In addition, the role may also involve ensuring safety systems are in place, acting as a Fire Marshall in cases of emergencies.
The post holder will operate sometimes without direct supervision, using independent judgement and control a defined workload.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Areas of Responsibility
To carry out and prioritise a variety of administrative and clerical duties and undertake other general office duties (prioritising and generate own workload), which will include:
- Greeting visitors, answering, managing queries and redirecting phone calls. Processing incoming and outgoing mail, booking rooms, preparing rooms for meetings and carrying out various admin tasks such as photocopying, scanning and archiving documents. Handling queries and maintaining data / information systems, completing typing tasks, taking formal meeting minutes, chasing actions and outcomes.
- Using a range of software programmes to produce, maintain and distribute documents, including reports, spreadsheets, databases and presentations, which may include regularly dealing with matters of a complex and/or distressing nature.
- Photocopying, scanning, emailing, distributing, filing and organising letters, reports and other correspondence promptly and efficiently, ensuring that all staff and patient records, files and filing lists are maintained and kept up to date.
- Collecting, opening, date-stamping, sorting and distributing incoming mail, relating it to previous correspondence as appropriate and ensuring that outgoing post is sent in a timely manner.
- Researching appropriate websites, downloading and circulating documents, as requested.
- Dealing appropriately with all telephone enquiries and occasional face to face contact, which may on occasion, be upsetting.
In addition, the role may also involve ensuring safety systems are in place, acting as a Fire Marshall in cases of emergencies.
The post holder will operate sometimes without direct supervision, using independent judgement and control a defined workload.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Education/Training
Essential
- oMaths and English GCSE (Grade C or above), or equivalent.
- oShorthand
- oNVQ level 3 in business Administration
Desirable
- oWillingness to complete an apprenticeship
Previous Experience
Essential
- oAdministration experience in a busy office environment
- oExperience working as part of a team
Skills/Knowledge/Ability
Essential
- oAble to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language
- oEffective listening skills
- oGood Keyboard and IT skills
- oReport-writing skills, etc.
- oAble to provide and receive routine information requiring tact or persuasive skills, considering barriers to understanding. Eg. anxious patients, cultural differences, language or communication difficulties
- oProven ability to work on own initiative, without direct supervision, prioritising and managing own workload.
- oProblem solving
- oGood organisational skills, including diary & email management
- oGood working knowledge of Microsoft Office, and electronic patient records
- oCar driver (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which
Desirable
- oTouch Typing
- oAudio Typing
Physical Effort
Essential
- oLow level moving and handling certain items, eg: taking delivery of equipment
- oLong periods VDU use
Mental Effort
Essential
- oArticulate, calm, polite and well-motivated, with a positive attitude to customer care
- oMaintain good level of concentration despite frequent interruptions.
- oDue to the client group having some challenging behaviour, you may be exposed to challenging conversations.
- oWork pattern can be unpredictable. Concentration for e.g. preparing notes, filing, taking, and accessing patient details, answering queries, processing data and records.
Emotional Effort
Essential
- oYou may be required to manage distressed or emotionally-charged clients over the phone.
- oIndirect exposure to distressing circumstances by typing letters and reports.
Other
Essential
- oAble to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults
Desirable
- oKnowledge of NHS ordering systems
- oKnowledge of PARIS and/or Liquid Logic
- oWillingness to cover in other geographical locations
- oFlexible attitude and approach to work
Values/Motivational/Personal Qualities/Diversity
Essential
- oWelcoming oKind oPositive oRespectful oProfessional
Person Specification
Qualifications/Education/Training
Essential
- oMaths and English GCSE (Grade C or above), or equivalent.
- oShorthand
- oNVQ level 3 in business Administration
Desirable
- oWillingness to complete an apprenticeship
Previous Experience
Essential
- oAdministration experience in a busy office environment
- oExperience working as part of a team
Skills/Knowledge/Ability
Essential
- oAble to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language
- oEffective listening skills
- oGood Keyboard and IT skills
- oReport-writing skills, etc.
- oAble to provide and receive routine information requiring tact or persuasive skills, considering barriers to understanding. Eg. anxious patients, cultural differences, language or communication difficulties
- oProven ability to work on own initiative, without direct supervision, prioritising and managing own workload.
- oProblem solving
- oGood organisational skills, including diary & email management
- oGood working knowledge of Microsoft Office, and electronic patient records
- oCar driver (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which
Desirable
- oTouch Typing
- oAudio Typing
Physical Effort
Essential
- oLow level moving and handling certain items, eg: taking delivery of equipment
- oLong periods VDU use
Mental Effort
Essential
- oArticulate, calm, polite and well-motivated, with a positive attitude to customer care
- oMaintain good level of concentration despite frequent interruptions.
- oDue to the client group having some challenging behaviour, you may be exposed to challenging conversations.
- oWork pattern can be unpredictable. Concentration for e.g. preparing notes, filing, taking, and accessing patient details, answering queries, processing data and records.
Emotional Effort
Essential
- oYou may be required to manage distressed or emotionally-charged clients over the phone.
- oIndirect exposure to distressing circumstances by typing letters and reports.
Other
Essential
- oAble to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults
Desirable
- oKnowledge of NHS ordering systems
- oKnowledge of PARIS and/or Liquid Logic
- oWillingness to cover in other geographical locations
- oFlexible attitude and approach to work
Values/Motivational/Personal Qualities/Diversity
Essential
- oWelcoming oKind oPositive oRespectful oProfessional
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
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Address
base negotiable, to be based at one of the Norfolk Community Learning Disability Team bases.
Park View Resource Centre
King's Lynn
PE30 5QD
Employer's website
https://www.hpft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)
