Job summary
An opportunity has arisen for a Service Support Officer
within Family Health. Operating in a
small and very well established team, the post holder will act as a point of
contact for the General Managers, Matrons and senior nursing staff of
Paediatrics and Neonates. The role
includes diary management and minuting meetings.
It is essential that you have experience of microsoft
packages, eg. Word, excel, outlook and powerpoint. You must be able to use email and be able to
maintain and update electronic diaries.
A flexible, pro-active team player is
required. You will also have excellent
organisational and communication skills and be able to work under pressure and
to tight deadlines
Main duties of the job
To provide full secretarial support to General Managers
To ensure data quality is maintained
Attending meetings and minute taking as appropriate
Act as a point of contact for departments and support the
management team to deliver patient focused clinical services.
Effective management of diaries
Monitor rotas to ensure on calls are in all diaries
Providing annual leave cover for other team members
Cross site cover.
About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.
You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.
We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.
Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.
Over reliance on
AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of
success.
For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.
From April 9th 2025 - Healthcare assistants - You must have been employed for a minimum of two years
of as a HCA Band 3 within the NHS for the Trust to consider
sponsorship (we will only consider sponsorship if you meet this criteria and
have a current visa expiring within 3 months).
Job description
Job responsibilities
To provide a full
range of confidential secretarial/administrative support to the General
Manager, Service Manager, Matrons and Clinical Directors.
To deal
with telephone enquiries, taking and conveying messages appropriately
To
undertake typing and distribution of confidential correspondence
To be the
point of contact for staff, patients and others within and outside the
organisation, responding to external and internal telephone enquiries, taking
appropriate and timely action required
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 manage
electronic diaries, as required
To
support arrangement of on call rotas, as require
To
organise meetings, including arranging venues, preparing agendas, collating and
issuing papers and attending for taking and production of minutes, as required
To
maintain an up to date filing and archive filing system, disposing of archived
records and documentation according to Trust policy
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 order
office supplies through Cardea and maintain agreed stock levels
To
prioritise own workload to meet the needs of the head of service and supporting
staff and ensure all deadlines are met
To
support new and/or less experienced staff, as required
Supervise
work experience students and apprentices requiring experience of office work
To
support interview arrangements for medical staff
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.
Ability to travel independently across the
County to fulfil the requirements of the post
Job description
Job responsibilities
To provide a full
range of confidential secretarial/administrative support to the General
Manager, Service Manager, Matrons and Clinical Directors.
To deal
with telephone enquiries, taking and conveying messages appropriately
To
undertake typing and distribution of confidential correspondence
To be the
point of contact for staff, patients and others within and outside the
organisation, responding to external and internal telephone enquiries, taking
appropriate and timely action required
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 manage
electronic diaries, as required
To
support arrangement of on call rotas, as require
To
organise meetings, including arranging venues, preparing agendas, collating and
issuing papers and attending for taking and production of minutes, as required
To
maintain an up to date filing and archive filing system, disposing of archived
records and documentation according to Trust policy
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 order
office supplies through Cardea and maintain agreed stock levels
To
prioritise own workload to meet the needs of the head of service and supporting
staff and ensure all deadlines are met
To
support new and/or less experienced staff, as required
Supervise
work experience students and apprentices requiring experience of office work
To
support interview arrangements for medical staff
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.
Ability to travel independently across the
County to fulfil the requirements of the post
Person Specification
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)
Desirable
- Qualification in secretarial and / or computer skills
Special Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of computer packages, e.g Word, Excel, Outlook and Powerpoint
- IT Skills
- Ability to use email and maintain and update paper and electronic diaries
- Knowledge of Data Protections and Caldicott Principles and understanding of the need to maintain strict 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 organize 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
Desirable
- Working knowledge of Medical Terminology.
Special Requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel independently across the County to fulfil the requirements of the post.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of an administrative role providing general provision of administrative duties in a challenging and constantly changing environment Demonstrate experience of using Microsoft Word Experience in setting up and maintain office filing systems Experience of maintaining and setting up databases Experience in planning and organising meetings and taking notes Experience of providing administrative support to a team
Desirable
- Experience of working within an NHS environment Understanding of health informatics such as waiting lists, patient access systems
Person Specification
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)
Desirable
- Qualification in secretarial and / or computer skills
Special Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of computer packages, e.g Word, Excel, Outlook and Powerpoint
- IT Skills
- Ability to use email and maintain and update paper and electronic diaries
- Knowledge of Data Protections and Caldicott Principles and understanding of the need to maintain strict 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 organize 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
Desirable
- Working knowledge of Medical Terminology.
Special Requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel independently across the County to fulfil the requirements of the post.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of an administrative role providing general provision of administrative duties in a challenging and constantly changing environment Demonstrate experience of using Microsoft Word Experience in setting up and maintain office filing systems Experience of maintaining and setting up databases Experience in planning and organising meetings and taking notes Experience of providing administrative support to a team
Desirable
- Experience of working within an NHS environment Understanding of health informatics such as waiting lists, patient access systems
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)
