Job summary
Working Full time: 37.5 hours per week
You will contribute and commit to promoting a positive team-based attitude, striving for the highest standards of service and achieving excellence by providing a comprehensive secretarial service and administration support to the Team. You will be expected to workwith minimum supervision but within a close-knit team. All work must be carried out in a timely and accurate manner, with confidentiality being maintained at all times.
We are looking for a highly motivated individual to provide a high standard of audio typing / clerical support. The successful candidate must be able to work using their own initiative, but also as part of a team.
Excellent communication and administrative skills are essential for this role, along with a keen eye for accuracy and detail. Organisational skills are also essential. Consultant diaries and associated clinical activity must be kept up to date to ensure the service we provide to our patients runs smoothly and efficiently.
A working knowledge of general office procedures and Microsoft packages is required, but full training will be given in the use of Medisec and EPR+ software. Knowledge of medical terminology also would be an advantage.
Main duties of the job
- To provide a comprehensive secretarial service to the consultants as part of the secretarial team, managing a busy workload and shifting priorities.
- To deal with enquiries from patients, relatives, GP's and hospital staff in an effective, timely and sensitive manner, answering queries and resolving problems appropriately while ensuring patient confidentiality is maintained at all times.
- To type clinic letters, referrals and other correspondence using digital dictation, prioritising urgent and Fast Track correspondence while also maintaining awareness of Trust targets for outpatient letters.
- To participate with the team in administering the Email Advice service, including logging activity within time limits and accurately recording clinical advice on the electronic patient record.
About us
The Trust's services are provided from three locations: o The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds. o Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility. o Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population. The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service.Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service.Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent
- GCSE Standard English or equivalent
Desirable
- RSA Typing III
- Audio/Short Hand Typing Qualification
- AMSPAR Medical Secretarial Diploma or Equivalent
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Touch typist
- Recent secretarial experience
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office Packages
Desirable
- Experience as medical support secretary or medical audio typist
- Knowledge/ experience of specific patient administration systems
- Knowledge of Medical Terminology
- Knowledge of NHS or other health/social care settings
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent
- GCSE Standard English or equivalent
Desirable
- RSA Typing III
- Audio/Short Hand Typing Qualification
- AMSPAR Medical Secretarial Diploma or Equivalent
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Touch typist
- Recent secretarial experience
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office Packages
Desirable
- Experience as medical support secretary or medical audio typist
- Knowledge/ experience of specific patient administration systems
- Knowledge of Medical Terminology
- Knowledge of NHS or other health/social care settings
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).
