Medical Secretary

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide a full range of confidential secretarial/administrative support to clinicians and supporting clinical staff, working with minimal supervision.

To undertake typing, proof reading and the distribution of clinical and other patient-related and general correspondence, dictated by Consultants and supporting clinical staff, to achieve Trust standards of accuracy and timeliness.

To be the point of contact for staff, patients and stakeholders within and outside the organisation, responding to external and internal telephone enquiries, taking appropriate and timely action required, including making appointments, giving non-clinical advice, onward referral to relevant departments etc.

To receive and respond to internal and external correspondence, taking appropriate and timely action as required, in accordance with Trust and/or departmental standards and processes.

To sort electronic mail, photocopy documents and circulate information within Trust or department timescales.

To receive any paper clinical investigation results, and pass to the relevant clinician for verification and action.

To ensure patient information is bar-coded correctly for scanning into the electronic clinical document management system (CITO).

To maintain accurate patient and GP details on the Trusts EPR and Clinical Systems, as required.

To provide cover as required during absence of colleagues.

To book investigations and any necessary follow-up appointments, as directed by clinical staff, ensuring test results are presented to medical staff on receipt, where these are not available electronically.

To manage electronic diaries, as required.

To support arrangement of on call rotas, as required.

To organise meetings, including arranging venues, preparing agendas, collating and issuing papers and attending for taking and production of minutes, as required.

To operate efficient and up-to-date administrative systems and processes for all office tasks.

To maintain accurate and timely data entry to databases to meet service requirements.

To prioritise own workload to meet the needs of the patients and clinical team and ensure all deadlines are met.

To support new and/or less experienced staff, as directed by line manager/head of service.

Supervise work experience students and apprentices requiring experience of office work.

To provide cover as required during absence of colleagues.

The post holder may be required to undertake the role of Information Asset Administrator or Information Asset Owner to provide support for the control and administration of information assets within their area/department (details available on the Health Informatics web page).

The post holder may be required to undertake the role of Registration Authority Agent/Sponsor which includes supporting the NHS Care Records Service applications using smartcards and appropriate access files

Person Specification

Special Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of computer packages, e.g. Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint IT Skills.
• Ability to analyse and present data using Excel and Access packages.
• Ability to use email and maintain and update paper and electronic diaries.
• Knowledge of Data Protection and Caldicott Principles and understanding of the need to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Good interpersonal skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to deal with and prepare routine verbal and written correspondence and the ability to obtain information and pass on comprehensive and confidential messages.
• Ability to communicate accurately, verbally, courteously and effectively with a wide range of staff, professionals and members of the public.
• Able to use own initiative to resolve routine queries, in line with departmental procedures. Able to work with minimal supervision following set procedures.
• Ability to organise and prioritise workload in order to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work as a member of a team
• Committed to quality customer care/delivering excellent customer service.
• Flexible approach to work and adaptable to change.
• Understanding of medical terminology.

Qualifications

Essential

• Good Standard of Education - Minimum of 3 GCSEs (or equivalent) at C Grade or above including English Language.
• NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration or equivalent knowledge/experience (or working towards).
• Keyboarding/typing qualification equivalent to RSA 3/OCR Advanced text/word processing or equivalent proven typing skills to a high standard (or working towards).

Special Requirements

Essential

• Ability to travel independently across the County to fulfil the requirements of the post.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of a secretarial/administrative role providing general provision of secretarial/administrative duties in a challenging and constantly changing environment.
• Demonstrate Experience of using Microsoft Word.
• Experience in setting up and maintaining office filing systems.
• Experience of maintaining and setting up databases.
• Experience in planning and organising meetings and taking notes.
• Experience of providing secretarial/administrative support to a team.

Desirable

• Experience of working within an NHS environment

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

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

County Durham

DL3 6HX

Employer's website

https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)