Medical Secretary

Job responsibilities

JOB TITLE: MEDICAL SECRETARY

REPORTS TO: PRACTICE MANAGER

HOURS: Approx 20 hours per week - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

Job summary:

To provide general secretarial support to the doctors, health professionals and the practice manager.

Job responsibilities:

• To provide efficient service to patients and Clinicians including referrals, both ERS and e-mailed. The typing of reports including child protection and post-mortems/coroners, insurance letters, the tracking of referrals and dealing with subsequent queries arising from this. Processing hospital discharge reports, clinic letters and e-mails. This list is not exhaustive and includes following surgery processes and protocols.
• To assist the practice manager with all clerical and administrative duties.
• To establish and maintain filing and administrative systems so that written or computer information is easily accessible and secure.
• To scan or file patient records and correspondence in patient medical records and ensure medical records are updated as appropriate with necessary read coding
• Dealing with all queries, whether this is in the Practice or hospitals, this will involve making telephone calls to be able to solve issues quickly. Leaving the required information so they can contact us to discuss.
• To maintain the computer clinical system in an accurate and secure manner.
• To ensure all the referral proformas are properly merged and maintained on the clinical system.
• To assist with the gathering of statistics and information when required.
• To provide cover for members of the secretarial team during periods of sickness and annual leave.
• To attend professional meetings and take minutes as required, circulating minutes within an appropriate timeframe. Maintaining confidentiality.

Confidentiality:

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers; practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
• Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)

• Reporting potential risks identified
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Equality and diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the implementation of services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate

Special requirements of the Post

The ability to work under pressure and prioritise workload is necessary.

Attention to detail is of paramount importance.

An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality is paramount.

Be approachable

Be flexible in the way you work

Please note this list is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.

Experience

Essential

• Secretarial experience
• Experience of dealing with members of the public

Desirable

• Experience of working in a GP practice.
• Experience of working in a secretarial role within a General Practice Office environment.
• Practical experience of liaising with other Healthcare Professionals, Primary Care Trusts, Patients, Solicitors and other External Organisations.

Behaviours

Essential

• Planning and organising.
• Performing under pressure.
• Adaptability.
• Taking the initiative.
• Team working.
• Self-motivated.
• Flexibility.

Knowledge

Essential

• Ability to understand and learn new software and administrative procedures.
• Familiar with email and the internet
• IT literate including experience in using Word and Excel
• Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills
• Accuracy and attention to detail

Desirable

• A detailed understanding of a General Practice Office environment.
• Working knowledge of medical terminology.
• An understanding of the Practice clinical system (SystmOne).

Qualities and Attributes

Essential

• An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality.
• Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities.
• Ability to manage stress and work under pressure.
• Adaptable to change
• Ability to learn new tasks and work to instruction

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral).
• IT skills including Word, Excel, emails and the internet.
• Time Management and the ability to work to deadlines.
• Problem solving skills.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.

Desirable

• Negotiation and conflict management.
• Audio typing.

Qualifications

Essential

• 5 or more GCSEs A-C grade or higher in relevant subjects

Desirable

• AMSPAR Medical Secretary Diploma