About this role
Job summary
Do you take pride in producing patient correspondence promptly and accurately, supporting senior medical secretaries and making a real difference to patient care? We are looking for a proactive, organised individual to join Family Health Services as a Support Medical Secretary within the Gynaecology service, working across Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre.
This role is central to ensuring clinical correspondence is completed within agreed timescales and patients progress through their pathways efficiently.
The role is Full time: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Based across Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre. Cross-site cover may be required in response to service needs. Limited home working may be available for a small number of days each week, subject to service requirements.
You will join a dynamic, well-established Gynaecology service. You will produce, check and distribute patient letters and other clinical correspondence accurately and within required timescales. Provide comprehensive administrative and secretarial support to senior medical secretaries, consultants and the wider Gynaecology team. Maintain accurate patient information and support effective pathway and waiting-list administration. You will be self-motivated, highly organised and able to work accurately under pressure.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Lara Di Placido.
Main duties of the job
Please refer to the job description and person specification for information on this current vacancy.
About us
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.
The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester
Our workforce is more than 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.
We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us. Our values, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.
Being open and honest
Ensuring people feel cared for
Showing respect to everyone
We are committed to developing a culture of continuous improvement by embedding the principles of our Improvement System.
We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.
DBS Checks and Costs
Any applicants who are offered posts requiring a DBS check as part of their employment check will have the cost of this check (at the current rate) deducted from their salary. Please see link in Supporting Information section for more details on DBS checks and costs.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Duties
Type the necessary correspondence and/or documentation generated by a patients passage through the hospital service and maintain patient notes pertinent to these events.
Act as a liaison between Consultant Teams and speciality-based groups of Consultant Teams and the GP, the patient and other agencies involved to expedite the care and treatment of patients as effectively as possible.
Undertake office administration functions in relation to the clinical and management work of consultant.
General Duties
To deal with incoming mail and all the Consultants correspondence. Including generating own correspondence as agreed with the Consultant
To input information onto computers for clinical audit
To type discharge summaries, clinic letters and any other official correspondence including medical reports and complaint responses from audiotapes. To undertake copy typing as required.
To arrange meetings and maintain the Consultants Diary
To prepare material for meetings and training sessions as requested
To attend meetings and take the minutes.
To attend outpatient clinics with the Consultant if necessary
To handle enquiries from patients, relatives, GPs, other hospitals, and Consultants, initiating appropriate responses
To process GP referral letters and arrange outpatient appointments and domiciliary visits.
To support and review the Patient Target List with Consultant and Band 4 to ensure that patients are seen within the current National timescales and take responsibility for initiating extra operating lists, seeking authorisation from the Directorate Management team when necessary.
To arrange for patients by supporting the Band 4 to put on the waiting lists and make minor changes to the waiting list for subsequent approval by the Consultant.
To provide training and supervision for any apprentices, or temporary secretaries allocated to the speciality.
To maintain patients records in a manner acceptable to the Trust.
To liaise with Health Records, Outpatients, Radiology, and other relevant internal and external departments regarding patient care
To ensure that Consultants absence is promptly communicated to all relevant people and departments
To ensure that cover is provided for other secretaries during periods of absence through holiday or sickness.
Outpatient appointments and waiting lists are computerised. The post holder will need to liaise with the appropriate manager of the systems and comply will Trust policies.
To take an active part in team meetings, sharing information and raising issues relating to quality or areas for improvement, and suggesting possible solutions.
To order stationery and report faults with equipment
To observe absolute confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of your work
To report any accident or untoward incidents or complaints.
To act always in a manner which will promote a good image of the department.
To undertake other duties commensurate with the post and grade as requested by the Directorate Manager or Consultants within the constraints of the existing workload.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Previous administrative, secretarial, or clerical experience
Desirable
- Experience of working within Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
- Understanding of NHS reporting requirements i.e.18 weeks RTT
Other job requirements
Essential
- Handles high pressured situations with composure and maintains a positive attitude.
- Demonstrates sensitivity and respect for diverse patient populations and colleagues from different backgrounds.
- Must always maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive information and patient data.
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE/CSE A-C Grade in English & Maths
Desirable
- RSA II Typing
- Desire to work towards Amspar Diploma or equivalent qualification
Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential
- Able to demonstrate our Trust values and behaviours: -
- Being open and honest we all communicate clearly and honestly, asking for
- help when we need it, and making it easier for the people around us to share
- ideas and concerns.
- Ensuring people feel cared for we all take responsibility for actively supporting
- and nurturing a kind and compassionate environment for ourselves and others.
- Showing respect for everyone we all act with consideration and fairness,
- valuing each other as individuals and appreciating our different perspectives.
Skills/Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding and working knowledge of Microsoft Office Packages and IT systems.
- Strong telephone etiquette, the ideal candidate will exhibit a courteous and respectful approach when communicating with patients, colleagues, and external parties.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Good organisational skills and the ability to multi-task effectively, whilst dealing with competing priorities.
- Escalates urgent issues promptly and efficiently, ensuring that necessary actions are taken to address and resolve high priority matters effectively.
Desirable
- Knowledge or familiarity with key NHS systems i.e, PAS, Bluespier, CLIP.
- Awareness of good Health & Safety Protocols.
- Experience in word processing, audio, copy typing skills
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Able to work collaboratively as part of a team.
- Always demonstrates a high level of professionalism.
- Compassionate when dealing with patients and their families.
- Adaptable and flexible to everchanging situations.
Desirable
- Capable of working independently, taking initiative to handle tasks proactively
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
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Address
Charles Hastings Way
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR5 1DD
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)