Oesophago Gastric Surgery Medical Secretary

Job description

Job responsibilities

To undertake a full range of secretarial duties for consultants and their team.

To produce and forward all patient letters, and other correspondence in line with current standards using audio typing and/or dedicated software.

To deal with all post, faxes, e-mails, results etc. on a daily basis and prioritise as necessary to ensure consultants and their team are aware of urgent results and information.

Take responsibility for all new referrals; liaise with the appointment centre staff and other coordinators such as specialist nurses and cancer MDT coordinators, other nursing and medical staff to ensure new referrals are promptly seen/treated in line with the current guidelines.

Arrange appointments as required.

Oversee preparation of relevant notes, results and scans for clinics. Use initiative to obtain missing details, results and x-rays.

To understand the full patient pathway, and the impact of local decisions on this pathway by having thorough knowledge of working practices, medical treatments, associated speciality(ies), and departments.

Understand and work to achieve the national and local standards and guidelines for patient care (e.g. two week wait rule, inpatient and outpatient waiting targets, targets for investigations, turnaround times for correspondence, 62/31 day cancer targets, 18 Weeks / MDS etc);

To play a key role in establishing and implementing local policies and procedures that ensure working practices meet the above standards/targets and is centred around the Patient

Take responsibility for amending a patients pathways wherever possible and escalate as necessary.

Understand the implications of Patient Choice and electronic booking and proactively manage changes that will need to be incurred in the speciality.

To be aware of funding arrangements and ensure funding is confirmed for patients out of area / out of contract, in close liaison with general/speciality manager and PCT Liaison offices.

To make arrangements relating to patient admissions in liaison with admission staff, diagnostic departments and transport desk as required.

To take all telephone calls from patients, relatives, members of the public and other professional organisations in an efficient, tactful and compassionate manner.

Listen to and manage patient concerns. This involves listening to and as far as possible resolving situations that can be highly distressing to patients/relatives who may be upset, angry or concerned.

Provide information to patients as agreed with the consultant, and in close collaboration with the team.

Understand of the complaints procedure and use initiative to resolve complaints from patients and any other individuals as far as possible. Escalate outstanding concerns as required.

Manage the implications of annual leave, organise the amendment of clinics, other fixed commitments and arrange cover for consultants during their absence.

Provide a comprehensive personal assistant service to consultants. This may involve diary management, facilitate meetings, travel and conference details as required.

Regulate out-patient clinics as required.

Ensure efficient filing and information tracking systems are adhered to, providing continuity of care, including electronic case note tracking.

Send out information leaflets where appropriate and provide telephone information/advice to patients as agreed within the team and in accordance with guidelines.

To utilise the Trusts Patient Administration System (APAS) and other information systems (e.g. ICE for Pathology / CRIS) as required. Ensure patient information has been entered correctly and amend as necessary.

To provide short-term, emergency cover for other secretarial staff as required.

Supervise and train agency and bank temporary staff and provide appropriate checks to ensure that standards are maintained.

Day to day supervision and training of medical secretarial staff and/other clerical staff.

Support the induction of junior doctors

Collect and capture audit data as required.

Assist General / Specialty/ Officer Manager or Consultant with statistics and information requirements on spreadsheets and power point presentations.

To liaise with other departments within the RSCH, liaise and co-ordinate with GP practice staff and staff in other hospitals as necessary.

Be willing to adjust own working practices and support speciality wide and trust wide changes that will occur e.g. as a consequence of implementation of Connecting for Health (CfH), the national programme for IT. (This may require further training).

Ensure that the supply of stationery and office equipment is well maintained with particular emphasis on waste. Take responsibility for ordering stationary.

Attend and contribute to specific working groups and policy forums (e.g. Trust Secretarial Group, Patient and User Involvement Strategy Group, Patient Line of Sight Teams.

Any other duties appropriate to the grade and nature of the post.

Agree individual Personal Development Plan with line manager

Person Specification

SKILLS

Essential

• Working knowledge of the Trust Patient Administration System (APAS)
• Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of NHS priorities and understanding of the guidelines and targets in Surgery
• Excellent spelling and grammar
• Excellent telephone manner
• Working knowledge of a range of software packages e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint and locally used databases e.g. APAS
• Working knowledge of word, email and internet.
• Thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems.

Desirable

• Broad knowledge of patient pathways and advanced medical terminology in Surgery.
• Knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology.

Qualifications

Essential

• Good general standard of education to GCSE level or equivalent; including English

Desirable

• RSA Stage II or equivalent in word processing/RSA Stage III Audio Typing, medical secretarial qualification (BSMS Certificate) or equivalent.

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrates the ability to prioritise workload and to adapt effectively to changing priorities.
• Advanced keyboard and audio typing skills.
• Experience of dealing with the general public.
• Demonstrable experience in a medical environment, as a medical secretary
• Experience of working in a large complex organisation and a multi-disciplinary environment
• Experience in using patient administration systems

Desirable

• Experience of working in a busy environment.
• Experience of establishing and maintaining effective filing systems.
• Awareness and understanding of NHS issues.
• Experience of mentoring, training or supervising others.

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Egerton Road

Guildford

Surrey

GU2 7XX

Employer's website

https://www.royalsurrey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)