Senior Medical Secretary

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• The post holder will work on their own initiative and make decisions based on experience and knowledge of own area, referring to their line manager as appropriate.
• The role requires the individual to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, to provide high quality individualised care to patients to achieve agreed KPIs.
• The post holder will be predominantly office based and undertake the following activities:
• Receiving, recording, sorting and distributing any form of communication and take appropriate action including escalation where appropriate. This may require the use of tact/ empathic or reassurance skills. In addition, persuasive skills are often required where agreement or co-operation is required in trying to avoid Trust complaints.
• Receive and make telephone calls to/from patients, relatives, GPs, wards and other NHS and non-NHS professionals/agencies, following through all enquiries in a friendly and professional manner.
• Acting as a point of contact for patients, carers, relatives and other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Dealing professionally with sensitive and challenging communication.
• Assist with booking, arranging and administering appointments and clinics as required by the service, e.g. urgent and routine referrals, elective admissions, and help to manage diagnostic lists.
• Assist with clinic cancellation requests, validating against speciality rotas, notify patients when required
• Management of medical records including tracking, tracing, filing and retrieving in line with Trust Policy.
• Support the management of timely investigative reports/results and escalate to the relevant clinical team.
• Participate in clinic reconciliation appropriate to the service.
• Administration in relation to theatre and waiting lists as required by service.
• Production/proof reading of clinical documentation (such as clinic letters) of a sensitive and confidential nature ensuring copy letters to other health care professionals / services are sent.
• Interrogate case notes to identify relevant information and to ensure accuracy of correspondence.
• Communicate complex and sensitive information to GPs and / or other health care professionals, in relation to patients conditions and prognosis.
• Data collection, update, management and maintenance of databases relevant to service.
• Where applicable, Administer, coordinate and organise diaries and arrange meetings / events, resolving conflicting appointments and schedules.
• Collate documents and other preparatory items required for meetings pertinent to the service.
• To attend meetings and appropriate Committees to provide secretarial support by taking minutes and arranging meetings, as and when required. This could include support to Consultants in their special interests role(s), eg Clinical Tutor, Child Protection, etc.
• General administrative and clerical procedures including receiving and sending e-mails, filing, photocopying, scanning of documents as required.
• Compliance with General Data Protection Regulations and patient confidentiality supporting processes for clinical governance and information governance.
• Undertake any other relevant administrative tasks that may be required for the effective running of the service.
• Utilise bespoke systems to determine outcomes/next steps and provide updates for service files and documenting appropriately e.g. via admin events
• Prioritise and ensure clinical/non-clinical investigations are acted upon appropriately and timely, within standard operating procedures and meeting KPIs
• Undertake routine or ad hoc data review as directed.
• Preparation of documentation for MDT as required.
• Keep appropriate statistical records/information as and when required for the clinical team for audit purposes. Provision of statistical returns required at regular intervals. This may involve entering statistical data onto databases.
• The post holder will manage their workload effectively, applying prioritisation and time management skills, ensuring information is timely, accurate and complete and relevant for the purpose for which it is provided. The post holder will have an appropriate manager available for guidance.
• The post will be a professional role model, have no direct reports but will work collaboratively to meet service demand. The post holder will provide support and training to less experienced staff. They will be required to demonstrate own activities, processes, and champion the Trust values.
• The post holder will be proactive with respect to personal and professional development and become fully conversant with new developments affecting the role
• It is a requirement of the Trust that no secretarial support for private practice will be undertaken within contracted hours for the Trust.
• Provides and receives complex information to/from patients, occasionally of a sensitive nature in relation to appointments, correspondence and associated trust processes, policies and procedures.
• Will use their experience and knowledge base, to resolve problems for patients, carers and staff in relation to appointments and diary commitments, analysing associated information to signpost, advise or decide on the best course of action.
• They must also be flexible both in availability and being able to offer appropriate cover for colleagues when they are absent from work due to annual leave or sickness etc.
• In some circumstances, there may be a temporary requirement to provide appropriate secretarial and administrative support to other services.
• Support the implementation of policies for own work area and proposes changes.
• Engage in discussion in relation to service development.
• To ensure standardisation and consistency across services.
• Champion and lead quality improvement initiatives across your immediate team and within your service
• Postholder will ensure the appropriate use of trust resources escalating as appropriate
• The post holder will learn and develop existing skills appropriate to maintain standards and quality of care and ensure compliance with mandatory training and other role specific training.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Confident
• Calm under pressure
• Flexible approach to working arrangements
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Self motivated
• Professional appearance

Desirable

• Evidence of ongoing personal development and willingness to further progress (knowledge and skills framework and continuing personal development

Knowledge and Awareness

Essential

• Awareness of General Data Protection Regulations and patient confidentiality
• Awareness of own limitations.
• Knowledge of general medical terminology which will enable the post holder to resolve non-routine patient queries
• Understanding of a range of work procedures associated with outpatient clinic arrangements, secretarial office procedures and case note procedures

Qualifications

Essential

• Medical Secretary Diploma or appropriate Level 3 qualification in Business Administration or equivalent level of demonstrable experience
• GCSE in Maths and English or Functional Skills (level 2) or equivalent level of demonstrable experience
• Audio-typing qualification/experience

Desirable

• Customer Care qualification level 2

Experience

Essential

• Medical secretarial experience to commensurate with the organisations Medical Secretary Competency Framework including having the general knowledge of medical terminology
• Experience and knowledge of multi-disciplinary team working
• Experience of working with filing systems
• Experience of good customer or patient care
• Working with computer software programmes such as Microsoft Office, e-mail and internet
• Experience of scheduling/co-ordination activities and/or resources
• Substantial working knowledge of functionality of Patient Administration Systems

Desirable

• Experience of working with patients requiring health care
• Experience with NHS/healthcare software systems
• Experience of working with confidential material

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent planning, prioritisation and organisational skills
• Ability to deal with conflict
• Good Time management skills
• Ability to engage and motivate others
• High standard of accuracy
• High level of initiative
• Flexibility and able to adapt to change
• Able to work as part of a team
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships
• Advanced Keyboard Skills
• Audio Typing

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).