Job responsibilities
MAIN DUTIES
- Transcription and production, from digital dictation or shorthand, of typewritten reports/correspondence, using word processing packages, for the Consultants team, which may include outpatient reports, discharge summaries, operation notes and other relevant clinical and non clinical correspondence.
- Open and prioritise correspondence (which is often of a highly sensitive and confidential nature) on behalf of Consultant ensuring that urgent correspondence receives prompt attention. In the Consultants absence, the Medical Secretary is responsible for ascertaining which correspondence requires referral to an appropriate clinician for urgent attention.
- Maintain accurate 18 week referral to treatment (RTT) pathway for patients. The role includes data cleansing by identifying inaccuracies, inconsistencies and gaps in data records for patients on an 18 week pathway. Working closely with Assistant Business Manager, elective admissions and other key stakeholders you will be involved in the successful delivery of RTT pathways. This will include use of ongoing patient tracking list (PTL) databases undertaking weekly validation and maintenance to ensure up to date 18 week pathway. Following validation be responsible for accurate and timely recording, reporting exceptions to senior personnel.
- Retrieve and act upon correspondence received by fax or e-mail.
- Process patients discharged from hospital; follow through ongoing care plans as indicated in notes or on Cerner (as relevant). Allocate notes to relevant clinician for dictation, or ensure that any standard letters are completed as appropriate. Where standard letters have been generated at ward level, ascertain from case-notes or Cerner whether any supplementary letter/action is indicated and action appropriately. Ensure that follow up appointments or referrals to other specialties are arranged where necessary. Ensure that relevant investigation results received after patients discharge are communicated to GPs when indicated.
- Ensure that all correspondence is dictated and typed within the designated time limits.
- Receive, manage and prioritise telephone enquires, complaints, messages and information from patients, relatives, General Practitioners, Consultants and other medical staff and external organisations on behalf of Consultant and clinical team. Deal with enquiries relating to the medical and social welfare of patients and relatives in a sensitive manner, referring to medical staff or other Healthcare Professionals where appropriate. When responding to enquires, ensure that relevant guidelines or protocols are followed.
- Respond to enquiries from patients and healthcare personnel as appropriate. Provide empathy and reassurance to patients where necessary. May be required to convey clinical/medical information to patients and clinical personnel when instructed by, or with, permission of Consultant.
- Manage patient investigation results. Check all any incoming laboratory/radiology results, ensuring that abnormal results are communicated promptly to appropriate Clinician. Ensure all reports are seen and signed by Clinician prior to filing in case-notes where appropriate. Retrieve patient results from Cerner/ICE system, ensuring that results are actioned as soon as possible. Maintain systems for monitoring and retrieving outstanding investigations and chase up missing results. May be required to instigate appropriate referrals to other disciplines in respect of specific abnormalities in line with Departmental protocols.
- Participate in the training and supervision of Support Medical Secretaries, Medical Audio Typists and apprentices/work experience students, which will involve planning and allocation of work, and checking of letters produced for accuracy, as appropriate
- Undertake self-supervision and effective self-organisation in terms of:
a) co-ordinating annual and other leave in co-operation with other secretaries and with the approval of management;
b) liaising with other secretaries to ensure fair distribution of work by mutualassistance;
c) liaising with manager and other secretaries regarding any flexi-timearrangements within the office.
- Establish and maintain efficient office systems, including filing systems and maintain a booking out and/or booking in system for case-notes if required in your specialty.
Co-ordinate arrangements for urgent outpatient appointments/hospital admissions, domiciliary visits etc - liaising with wards, departments and other agencies as required.
- Liaise with Admissions Department in respect of patients requiring hospital admission, ensuring that relevant information or instructions are communicated effectively. Ensure that all relevant investigations are available prior to admission and in particular that any problem with the potential to delay admission/surgery is brought to the urgent attention of the relevant clinician (may be necessary to liaise with or organise input of other Clinicians prior to admission, eg anaesthetic assessment) or to co-ordinate arrangements where procedures require multidisciplinary input).
- Maintain confidentiality at all times, ensuring that information is only divulged to authorised sources and by appropriate means.
- Input and extract data from patient administration system Cerner and other relevant software programmes, which may be Trust-wide or specialty-specific (eg, ICE and Winscribe).
- Process documentation and correspondence for Senior and Junior Medical Staff (eg, travel claims, family planning claims, references) liaising with Medical Staffing and bodies such as General Medical Council where necessary
- Provide administrative and secretarial support for Consultants non-clinical NHS obligations and commitments.
OTHER DUTIES
- Liaise with Reception Staff/ Booking Clerks etc regarding follow up appointments.
- Liaise with diagnostic services in arranging or expediting urgent or routine investigations.
- Generate correspondence and take appropriate action, in line with Trust policy, in respect of patients who fail to attend.
- Ensure that referrals are dealt with in accordance with Consultants guidelines and/or departmental or Trust protocols.
- Maintain Consultants diary. Keep records of clinician leave and absence and report all absences to line managers/DDMs within the Directorate.
- Ensure that clinics/theatre lists are cancelled where necessary, and the relevant personnel are notified in respect of Consultants or other medical staff absence. May be required to inform appropriate personnel of cover arrangements for Consultant or other medical staff.
- May be required to produce and circulate duty rotas.
- Type medico-legal summaries, maintain medico-legal files and liaise with legal department in respect of medico-legal cases.
- Make arrangements for Consultant to attend clinical conferences, seminars or other relevant events, as necessary, which may include booking travel and accommodation, forwarding remittance and arrangements for study leave.
- May be required to take and transcribe minutes of clinical or non-clinical meetings at the request of Consultant or Departmental Manager.
- Co-ordinate arrangements for relevant clinical meetings, liaising with appropriate disciplines, ensuring that case-notes for discussion are available if relevant and that appropriate agendas or case summaries are prepared, produced and circulated as necessary.
-Distribute and/or duplicate appropriate information using photocopier, fax or e-mail.
- Responsible for safe use of, and basic maintenance of office equipment/machinery.
- May be required to arrange for repair/servicing of office equipment and machinery as necessary.
- Maintain levels of stock/stationery for own work area.
- Ensure effective communication with all work colleagues, patients and visitors.
- Ensure Departmental security is maintained.
- Complete and/or attend all mandatory training before becoming non-compliant.
