About this role
Job summary
Are you an organised and proactive administrator who enjoys making a difference behind the scenes?
Join our friendly Paediatrics team at Musgrove Park Hospital as a Medical Secretary and play a vital role in supporting children, young people, their families, and the clinical teams who care for them. This is a 30-hour per week, 10-month fixed-term opportunity to provide maternity cover within a welcoming and supportive service.
In this varied role, you will be at the heart of our service, helping consultants and multidisciplinary colleagues deliver safe, efficient, and compassionate care. Your organisational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities will help ensure patients receive the support they need throughout their healthcare journey.
Working within a dedicated team, you will enjoy a role where no two days are the same. You'll build valuable relationships across the service, develop your administrative expertise within a specialist healthcare setting, and contribute to improving the experience of patients and families across Somerset.
If you are a motivated team player who takes pride in providing a professional, high-quality service, we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
As a Medical Secretary, you will:
Provide comprehensive administrative and secretarial support to consultants and the wider Paediatrics team, helping services run smoothly and efficiently.Manage correspondence, appointments, referrals, patient records, and clinical documentation with accuracy and professionalism.Communicate with patients, families, and healthcare professionals, ensuring information is shared promptly and sensitively.Support patient pathways by helping appointments, investigations, and referrals progress effectively.Work closely with colleagues across multidisciplinary teams to coordinate information and deliver excellent administrative support.Contribute to a positive team culture by supporting colleagues, sharing knowledge, and helping new team members settle into the service.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
Flexible working options to help you balance work and lifeNHS pension scheme for long-term financial securityGenerous annual leave allowance to recharge and relaxA strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potentialAdditionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Job description Job responsibilities
You will join an established Paediatric Secretarial Team providing high-quality administrative support within a busy healthcare environment. The role offers a great balance of independent working and teamwork, requiring excellent organisational skills, initiative, and the ability to prioritise a varied workload.
You will be responsible for managing clinical correspondence, including audio typing, handling telephone and email enquiries, arranging appointments, processing referrals, maintaining patient records, and supporting consultants with diary and workload management. You'll also work closely with clinical and administrative colleagues to ensure information is available when needed and patients receive a seamless experience throughout their care journey.
To be successful, you will have:
A good standard of education and excellent literacy and communication skills.Strong administrative and keyboard skills, with experience of word processing and managing multiple priorities.Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.The ability to communicate confidently and professionally by telephone, email, in writing, and face to face.Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage your workload effectively in a fast-paced environment.A flexible and adaptable approach, with a commitment to confidentiality and outstanding customer service.Experience within an NHS, healthcare, or medical secretarial environment, along with knowledge of medical terminology and audio typing, would be advantageous.At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we are proud of our values of kindness, respect, and teamwork. You'll be supported by experienced colleagues who are committed to helping one another succeed while delivering the highest standards of care for the communities we serve.
If you're looking for a rewarding opportunity where your organisational skills can make a real difference to children, young people, and their families, we'd be delighted to receive your application.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Good standard of general education RSA/OCR III WP/Typing or equivalent AMSPAR or British Medical Secretary Diploma (includes medical terminology) or equivalent knowledge
Desirable
ECDL or equivalent
Experience Essential
Audio typing/word processing Medical audio typing
Desirable
Previous NHS administration experience
Additional Criteria Essential
Working knowledge of Microsoft office suite Knowledge of medical terminology
Desirable
Working knowledge of in house hospital systems Knowledge of patient notes / retrieval and related tasks/medical records procedure Knowledge of Department and Divisional Structure
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.
Employer details Employer name Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Address Musgrove Park Hospital
Musgrove Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA1 5DA
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)