Job summary
The post holder will be responsible for providing a comprehensive departmental secretarial service to the consultants, specialist nurses and other clinicians within the team. The departmental secretary will be instrumental in the smooth running of the office and will need to work without supervision, using their initiative when dealing with enquiries that arise in the absence of the clinicians, to bring about a successful outcome. The post demands the ability to communicate at all levels with patients, relatives, medical colleagues and allied health professionals whilst maintaining a high standard of service to meet the needs of the patient.
Main duties of the job
- Provide the focal point of communication for all medical, professional and allied healthcare staff, both within this Trust and with external organisations
- Deal with concerned patients/relatives with tact, patience and discretion, especially when conveying sensitive information.
- Liaise with and support the departmental pathway coordinator with the partial booking process to ensure that appointments and clinics are managed efficiently to meet service demands.
- Support the 18 week pathway by providing timely information to the medical 18 week team on a weekly basis on all tiers, 1, 2 and 3 as requested. This will involve the typing of outstanding letters on Big Hand, chasing approvals, chasing results/test/investigations and ensuring clinicians action to enable 18 week query to be reported on.
- To print off all inpatient urgent referrals from ICE and ensure that clinicians are aware the day they are received and that they are acted on and reported on that day.
- At the request of clinicians arrange any procedures required.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics.
You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career.
We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.
Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Provide the focal point of communication for all medical, professional and allied healthcare staff, both within this Trust and with external organisations, using judgment to facilitate a successful outcome for all inquiries.
- Deal with concerned patients/relatives with tact, patience and discretion, especially when conveying sensitive information. Patient contact by telephone is an integral part of the departmental secretarial role, often to convey information, which could be difficult and distressing for patients to comprehend.
- Manage own workload, follow through queries and progress chase, in order to free up clinical time for clinicians, improving information and access for patients.
- Act independently to sort, distribute and prioritise incoming mail, including fax and e-mail, using judgement and experience to prioritise and pass to clinicians or pass directly to other areas for action and information, using own initiative.
- Liaise with and support the departmental pathway coordinator with the partial booking process to ensure that appointments and clinics are managed efficiently to meet service demands.
- Be responsible for ensuring that patient pathways progress in a timely manner in order to meet required target dates in conjunction with the pathway co-ordinator.
- Manage and communicate clinic changes including setting up additional clinics, changing, moving or cancelling clinics depending on clinician availability and/or service need.
- Have an overview of all absences to identify sufficient clinic cover and capacity utilisation. Conduct a monthly forward look review with clinicians to ensure that all availability is accurate and any changes are acted upon in a timely manner.
- Support the 18/52 patient pathway by providing timely information to the medical 18 week team on a weekly basis on all tiers, 1, 2 and 3 as requested. This will involve the typing of outstanding letters on Big Hand, chasing approvals, chasing results/test/investigations and ensuring clinicians action to enable 18 week query to be reported on.
- Maintain electronic diaries for the team, make appointments, plan and organise arrangements within the office. This will necessitate the post holder being able to prioritise.
- Support the Transcription Service with typing clinical correspondence through digital dictation to ensure clinical correspondence is dispatched in a timely manner in line with Trust guidance.
- Ensure that all secretary actions from patient/GP letters are acted on in a timely manner.
- It is the responsibility of the departmental secretary to ensure that all correspondence typed through digital dictation is approved, completed and dispatched in a timely manner.
- To print off all inpatient urgent referrals from ICE and ensure that clinicians are aware the day they are received and that they are acted on and reported on that day.
- At the request of clinicians arrange any procedures required.
- Scan documents to Evolve as necessary.
- Undertake audit work as required, e.g. collection, checking and interpretation of statistical data and departmental information where appropriate.
- Maintain databases and provide reports from the databases as required.
- Order and maintain non stock equipment and stationery for the office.
- Organise and support regular/ad hoc meetings including business, clinical, educational and patient support group meetings. This will involve arranging the venue, equipment and catering and taking minutes if required. Occasionally meetings will be out of normal working hours.
- Prepare PowerPoint presentations for both clinical and educational meetings.
- Implement policies for own area and office/department.
- Ensure that the administration function within the department is appropriately staffed at all times to ensure the smooth running of the department.
- Support senior staff with the recruitment process within the department. To include, liaising with recruitment, preparing paperwork, booking interview rooms and ensuring facilities are available to support any presentations/tests which form part of the interview process.
- Induct/train new departmental staff, including taking all new starters through the local induction booklet, arranging security badges, car parking, IT training etc.
- Advise junior staff of work pattern and inform of departmental procedures.
- Ensure that the departmental web page and intranet page are kept up to date.
- To carry out any reasonable work requests to meet the needs of the service.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Provide the focal point of communication for all medical, professional and allied healthcare staff, both within this Trust and with external organisations, using judgment to facilitate a successful outcome for all inquiries.
- Deal with concerned patients/relatives with tact, patience and discretion, especially when conveying sensitive information. Patient contact by telephone is an integral part of the departmental secretarial role, often to convey information, which could be difficult and distressing for patients to comprehend.
- Manage own workload, follow through queries and progress chase, in order to free up clinical time for clinicians, improving information and access for patients.
- Act independently to sort, distribute and prioritise incoming mail, including fax and e-mail, using judgement and experience to prioritise and pass to clinicians or pass directly to other areas for action and information, using own initiative.
- Liaise with and support the departmental pathway coordinator with the partial booking process to ensure that appointments and clinics are managed efficiently to meet service demands.
- Be responsible for ensuring that patient pathways progress in a timely manner in order to meet required target dates in conjunction with the pathway co-ordinator.
- Manage and communicate clinic changes including setting up additional clinics, changing, moving or cancelling clinics depending on clinician availability and/or service need.
- Have an overview of all absences to identify sufficient clinic cover and capacity utilisation. Conduct a monthly forward look review with clinicians to ensure that all availability is accurate and any changes are acted upon in a timely manner.
- Support the 18/52 patient pathway by providing timely information to the medical 18 week team on a weekly basis on all tiers, 1, 2 and 3 as requested. This will involve the typing of outstanding letters on Big Hand, chasing approvals, chasing results/test/investigations and ensuring clinicians action to enable 18 week query to be reported on.
- Maintain electronic diaries for the team, make appointments, plan and organise arrangements within the office. This will necessitate the post holder being able to prioritise.
- Support the Transcription Service with typing clinical correspondence through digital dictation to ensure clinical correspondence is dispatched in a timely manner in line with Trust guidance.
- Ensure that all secretary actions from patient/GP letters are acted on in a timely manner.
- It is the responsibility of the departmental secretary to ensure that all correspondence typed through digital dictation is approved, completed and dispatched in a timely manner.
- To print off all inpatient urgent referrals from ICE and ensure that clinicians are aware the day they are received and that they are acted on and reported on that day.
- At the request of clinicians arrange any procedures required.
- Scan documents to Evolve as necessary.
- Undertake audit work as required, e.g. collection, checking and interpretation of statistical data and departmental information where appropriate.
- Maintain databases and provide reports from the databases as required.
- Order and maintain non stock equipment and stationery for the office.
- Organise and support regular/ad hoc meetings including business, clinical, educational and patient support group meetings. This will involve arranging the venue, equipment and catering and taking minutes if required. Occasionally meetings will be out of normal working hours.
- Prepare PowerPoint presentations for both clinical and educational meetings.
- Implement policies for own area and office/department.
- Ensure that the administration function within the department is appropriately staffed at all times to ensure the smooth running of the department.
- Support senior staff with the recruitment process within the department. To include, liaising with recruitment, preparing paperwork, booking interview rooms and ensuring facilities are available to support any presentations/tests which form part of the interview process.
- Induct/train new departmental staff, including taking all new starters through the local induction booklet, arranging security badges, car parking, IT training etc.
- Advise junior staff of work pattern and inform of departmental procedures.
- Ensure that the departmental web page and intranet page are kept up to date.
- To carry out any reasonable work requests to meet the needs of the service.
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent including English and Mathematics
Communication
Essential
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and use of Microsoft software including office, word, excel, powerpoint
- Knowledge of NHS IT systems including ipm, evolve, bighand or equivalent
- Knowledge of managing patient waiting lists/appointments on 18 week treatment pathway
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent including English and Mathematics
Communication
Essential
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and use of Microsoft software including office, word, excel, powerpoint
- Knowledge of NHS IT systems including ipm, evolve, bighand or equivalent
- Knowledge of managing patient waiting lists/appointments on 18 week treatment pathway
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).
