Medical Secretary

Job responsibilities

Provision of full secretarial service to Consultant and supporting medical team which includes typing letters, psychiatric reports, non-clinical typing and recording minutes of meetings.To carry out general administrative duties for the Consultant and his/her supporting medical team to include information gathering and circulating correspondence. Dealing with internal and external mail (paper and electronic), managing this communication by responding to routine matters not requiring the urgent attention of the Consultant and ensuring timely dissemination. Filing, scanning and photocopying documents.To deal with telephone enquiries (often from patients who are distressed) and give advice wherever possible, in a diplomatic and sensitive way, following these through with the appropriate member of staff, in a responsible and tactful manner.Responsible for recording referrals, appointments and related information in a timely manner in accordance with the Data Quality Policy and supporting Data Quality Guidelines. To directly collate and input data on PARIS in relation to outpatient and/or inpatient activity. To deal with telephone enquiries (often from patients who are distressed) and give advice wherever possible, in a diplomatic and sensitiveway, following these through with the appropriate member of staff, in a responsibleand tactful manner.To take additional referral information or clarify the nature of referrals by telephone and signpost to appropriate agencies, as required.Arrange urgent clinic appointments, ensuring all relevant departments are notified accordingly including Community Mental Health Teams and the Outpatient Department.On behalf of the Consultant and his/her team, to actively manage patients who disengage in line with Tableau reporting and ensuring opt-in letters are sent, responses are obtained and further intervention is arranged.Able to work unsupervised and manage own workload, exercising the highest standard of confidentiality using independent judgement and initiative, based on acquired knowledge and experience,Demonstrate influence and composure when working under pressure and to strict deadlines.Ensure effective liaison between a range of staff, patients and relatives. To arrange community visits by Consultant, communicating with patients relatives to arrange personal interviews with Consultant and giving appropriate advice wherever possible.Ensure the prompt typing of discharge summaries (as necessary), subsequent follow up appointment letters, reports and general correspondence within agreed standards.Maintain Consultants electronic diary, incorporating a bring forward system, ensuring that documentation is available prior to scheduled meetings.Timely filing to ensure that accurate copies of correspondence and investigative reports are scanned and uploaded to electronic health records, which will include sorting investigation results and retrieving relevant health records. Chase results in cases of urgency.Proactively receive visitors to the Outpatient Department, when necessary, dealing personally with matters where appropriate and demonstrating diplomacy in dealing with issues of a sensitive nature, re-routing enquiries if necessary.To support data collection for the Outpatient Department and assist with reporting key performance indicators for the team.

To record incidents, as and when, on the Trusts Ulysses system, taking remedial action as necessary.Control and maintenance of health records (including archiving and culling) in accordance with the Trusts Records Management Policy and ensuring all are electronically tracked to the correct location within PARIS.Organising and maintaining an efficient and effective filing system.Exercise independent judgement and initiative when problems arise by taking appropriate action to resolve the situation or referring to the appropriate person.Informing Consultant of any long waiting times for new patients; discussing and implementing any changes to the clinics to rectify any concerns.Assist in covering other Consultants and their supporting medical teams secretarial needs when demand is high, after prioritisation.

Education & Qualifications

Essential

• Good level of general education including GCSE English or equivalent qualification
• Level 4 qualification to diploma level or equivalent experience including knowledge of medical terminology

Desirable

• Customer Care training
• ECDL Certificate or equivalent
• AMSPAR qualification
• Audio typing qualification
• Shorthand / speed-writing qualification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of dealing with complex enquiries that require further investigation and identification of a resolution
• Competence in using information technology including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Email
• Previous experience in managing own workload with the ability to prioritise tasks
• Good interpersonal skills with experience of liaising effectively with a range of agencies (clinical and non-clinical)
• Evidence of providing a competent administration/PA service to a senior manager / clinician

Desirable

• Previous NHS experience
• Previous experience of working within Mental Health Services
• PARIS or equivalent experience or working with large databases

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of a full range of administrative and organisational policies and procedures
• Working knowledge of patient administrative systems

Desirable

• Understanding of mental illness
• Understanding of the Mental Health Act

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Excellent communication (verbal and written) skills in order to communicate in an appropriate manner to all staff and members of the public
• Excellent IT and audio-typing skills
• Self-motivated and able to act on own initiative but recognise when additional advice is required
• Capable of prioritising and organising own workload, achieving objectives within agreed timescales and able to work under pressure
• Ability to develop working partnerships with individuals, teams and other agencies
• Decision making skills and the ability to solve problems effectively
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• Ability to work independently, on own initiative without close supervision, and as part of a team
• Ability to demonstrate tact and diplomacy
• Ability to maintain information in a confidential and secure manner
• Ability to handle sensitive information with the utmost discretion
• Produce reports and analyse them at an operational level

Desirable

• Able to demonstrate flexibility in working hours to meet the demands of the service

Work Related Circumstances

Essential

• Willing to undertake all necessary training required to carry out the role
• Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust's Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
• Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).