Job summary
A rare and exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Ophthalmology team as an Assistant Personal Assistant (APA) for 6 months, to support a very busy department.
You will be working alongside a PA to 3 consultants and their respective clinical teams.
The post holder will be required to provide secretarial support and general office duties to a high standard including medical audio typing, theatre discharges, organisation of investigations and supporting consultant clinic utilisation.
You will also be required to provide cover for the Personal Assistant team during periods of absence. The post holder will need to be flexible in their working with good prioritisation skills.
Audio typing, excellent accuracy, attention to detail and communication skills are essential for this post. You will be liaising with various individuals from patients, peers, nursing staff to consultants.
The ability to work under pressure, prioritise your workload and use one's own initiative are also essential in this role. A knowledge of excel, medical terminology and experience using the internal PCS system would be desirable.
Main duties of the job
- Medical audio typing
- Secretarial support
- General administration duties
- Theatre discharges
- Telephones / voicemail
- RTT validations
- Supporting consultant clinic utilisation
- Covering PA absences
- Keeping up to date with mandatory training
About us
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (MCHFT) provides good quality, safe and effective healthcare to the people of Cheshire and beyond. The Trust, which manages Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford, was established as an NHS Trust in April 1991 and became a Foundation Trust in April 2008.
We employ almost 5,000 members of staff, provide around 540 hospital beds, with a range of services including accident and emergency, maternity, outpatients, therapies, and children's health.
The Trust is also part of Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership (CCICP), a unique local health partnership that provides a range of community services for people across South Cheshire and Vale Royal.
During the Coronavirus pandemic, the Trust was recognised nationally for its 'Be Safe Be EquiPPEd' campaign, which aimed to make the Trust as safe as possible for staff and patients, through supporting the correct use of PPE. The results in the 2020 national NHS Staff Survey showed improvements in all elements of the safety culture theme, with 92% of respondents feeling their role made a difference to our patients. We were also recognised nationally for our workforce health and wellbeing initiatives.
At Mid Cheshire, we value our staff and appreciate that in order to give our patients the best quality, compassionate care, we also need to look after our colleagues.
Job description
Job responsibilities
SERVICE DELIVERY
- Provide a comprehensive secretarial/administrative service, organising and making arrangements, typing and distribution of documents and reports, recording information and filing, ensuring that all information and documentation is produced to expected standards of performance, and according to agreed timescales.
- Assist with managing diary commitments by liaising with others, internally and externally, ensuring that all the required preparation is accurate and available, and that all Consultants/clinical professional teams/others are briefed on any difficulties, problems or issues.
- Maintain constructive relationships with others, within and across Divisions and externally in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of services to patients.
- Be fully conversant with all required electronic systems for correspondence, including specialist computer systems associated with the management of patients and/or health information, and being able to obtain information using the Internet.
- Provide information to patients/relatives and carers where appropriate, including agreed information on waiting lists, tests and referrals, according to agreed guidelines, and in the absence of the PA.
- Assist with the production of documentation, handbooks, and any relevant information packs, ensuring accuracy, consistency and completeness of information.
GOVERNANCE
- Maintain systems and processes to establish and maintain effective communication, and confidentiality of information.
- Assist with the maintenance of systems and processes to continually monitor standards, e.g. benchmarking, audit, and implement action plans to improve quality of services.
- Assist the PA/Support Manager/Service Manager to ensure that lessons are learnt from issues arising from risk reports/complaints etc, and that they are promptly and positively addressed.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of policies, procedures and guidelines related to own service.
- Ensure compliance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, taking action/alerting senior management team if practice appears to contravene policy, or if concerned about any aspect of patient care.
MANAGERIAL/LEADERSHIP
- Maintain systems and processes to establish and maintain effective communication, and confidentiality of information.
- Assist with the maintenance of systems and processes to continually monitor standards, e.g. benchmarking, audit, and implement action plans to improve quality of services.
- Assist the PA/Support Manager/Service Manager to ensure that lessons are learnt from issues arising from risk reports/complaints etc, and that they are promptly and positively addressed.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of policies, procedures and guidelines related to own service.
- Ensure compliance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, taking action/alerting senior management team if practice appears to contravene policy, or if concerned about any aspect of patient care.
EDUCATION/LEARNING
- Take responsibility for own learning and development by recognising and taking advantage of all opportunities to learn, including full participation in KSF/appraisal, supervision, action learning and by maintaining a professional/personal portfolio of learning.
- Assist with systems and processes to ensure that learning needs are identified and met, and that all learning is planned, implemented, evaluated and shared in order to change and improve services according to changing health care needs.
This job description is an outline of the role and function. It is not intended to describe all specific tasks.
Job description
Job responsibilities
SERVICE DELIVERY
- Provide a comprehensive secretarial/administrative service, organising and making arrangements, typing and distribution of documents and reports, recording information and filing, ensuring that all information and documentation is produced to expected standards of performance, and according to agreed timescales.
- Assist with managing diary commitments by liaising with others, internally and externally, ensuring that all the required preparation is accurate and available, and that all Consultants/clinical professional teams/others are briefed on any difficulties, problems or issues.
- Maintain constructive relationships with others, within and across Divisions and externally in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of services to patients.
- Be fully conversant with all required electronic systems for correspondence, including specialist computer systems associated with the management of patients and/or health information, and being able to obtain information using the Internet.
- Provide information to patients/relatives and carers where appropriate, including agreed information on waiting lists, tests and referrals, according to agreed guidelines, and in the absence of the PA.
- Assist with the production of documentation, handbooks, and any relevant information packs, ensuring accuracy, consistency and completeness of information.
GOVERNANCE
- Maintain systems and processes to establish and maintain effective communication, and confidentiality of information.
- Assist with the maintenance of systems and processes to continually monitor standards, e.g. benchmarking, audit, and implement action plans to improve quality of services.
- Assist the PA/Support Manager/Service Manager to ensure that lessons are learnt from issues arising from risk reports/complaints etc, and that they are promptly and positively addressed.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of policies, procedures and guidelines related to own service.
- Ensure compliance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, taking action/alerting senior management team if practice appears to contravene policy, or if concerned about any aspect of patient care.
MANAGERIAL/LEADERSHIP
- Maintain systems and processes to establish and maintain effective communication, and confidentiality of information.
- Assist with the maintenance of systems and processes to continually monitor standards, e.g. benchmarking, audit, and implement action plans to improve quality of services.
- Assist the PA/Support Manager/Service Manager to ensure that lessons are learnt from issues arising from risk reports/complaints etc, and that they are promptly and positively addressed.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of policies, procedures and guidelines related to own service.
- Ensure compliance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines, taking action/alerting senior management team if practice appears to contravene policy, or if concerned about any aspect of patient care.
EDUCATION/LEARNING
- Take responsibility for own learning and development by recognising and taking advantage of all opportunities to learn, including full participation in KSF/appraisal, supervision, action learning and by maintaining a professional/personal portfolio of learning.
- Assist with systems and processes to ensure that learning needs are identified and met, and that all learning is planned, implemented, evaluated and shared in order to change and improve services according to changing health care needs.
This job description is an outline of the role and function. It is not intended to describe all specific tasks.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Computer skills, ECDL or equivalent, Microsoft Office
- Previous secretarial experience
Desirable
- Knowledge of Medical Terminology
- Knowledge of the validation of 18 week RTT pathways
Skills
Essential
- Effective customer service skills
- Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills,
Desirable
- Understand and manage health records/waiting lists and PCS computer systems
Physical Requirements
Essential
- Good attendance record
- Ability to perform a wide range of duties according to the Job Description
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Computer skills, ECDL or equivalent, Microsoft Office
- Previous secretarial experience
Desirable
- Knowledge of Medical Terminology
- Knowledge of the validation of 18 week RTT pathways
Skills
Essential
- Effective customer service skills
- Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills,
Desirable
- Understand and manage health records/waiting lists and PCS computer systems
Physical Requirements
Essential
- Good attendance record
- Ability to perform a wide range of duties according to the Job Description
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
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).
