About this role
Job summary
This post is available to LWSW employees only. Please do not share these details outside of the organisation.
37.5 hours per week - 12 months Fixed Term
Are you ready for a new challenge? Are you currently working in an administrative role and looking for your next career step? The Community Mental Health Team are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic full time Medical Secretary to work at the Cumberland Centre for 37.5 hours per week across a Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm on a 12 month Fixed Term contract.
The Community Mental Health Team works with service users who have a range of mental health difficulties. We are a multi-disciplinary team of Consultant Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Support Workers and other key professionals.
Main duties of the job
Your role will be to support the mental health consultants with duties including audio typing of clinic dictations, arranging and re-scheduling appointments, maintaining accurate and up to date patient records, arranging meetings, minute taking and report monitoring. As such, we require someone with the skills to take on this demanding secretarial work. You will have proficient keyboard skills demonstrating accuracy in typing. Experience of audio typing or a willingness to learn this skill is essential.
Although you will primarily support the team based at the Cumberland Centre, there will be a requirement to cover the team at Avon House, Mount Gould on occasions when needed.
"please note that this role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility"
All Livewell Southwest staff are expected to able and willing to work across a 7 day service.
Job Share(s) Considered
Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity
About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.
As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.
We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.
We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.
Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.
Job description Job responsibilities
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
To provide an efficient audio /copy typing and word processing service as required. This includes the typing of letters and reports in an accurate and high-quality manner, adhering to the organisations turnaround time for clinic letters following appointments.
To work with the team in implementing all admin procedures including the typing letters, reports, training packages, emails, minutes and agendas as requested. This requires advanced keyboard skills, speed and accuracy within required timescales and constant use of a VDU daily.
To ensure referrals out to other services as requested by the doctors are processed in a timely manner, as well as any referrals in received.
To establish and maintain filing and administrative systems so that written or computer information is easily accessible and secure.
To retrieve medical records and assist the completion of medical/insurance records.
To receive incoming and initiate outgoing telephone calls in order to facilitate timely and appropriate communications with others, taking messages and dealing with appropriate queries.
To maintain the computer clinic system in an accurate and secure manner.
In liaison with the team responsible, maintain adequate supplies of office stationery in order to perform your secretarial duties.
Process incoming and outgoing mail, distributing to correct doctor in a timely manner.
Be responsible for all of the consultants incoming mail and e-mails, whilst using discretion to deal appropriately with any mail that does not require the consultants perusal.
Provide an efficient and accurate secretarial service to the consultant and to ensure the consultants diary of appointments is updated and confirmed with them regularly. Use discretion to make changes to the consultants diary and communicate the changes whenever necessary.
To maintain, always, the highest level of confidentiality in respect of information concerning the Livewell Southwest or any of its staff or patients.
Record and monitor the consultants attendance/absence in own diary. Apply to the appropriate parties for approval of leave and obtain consultant cover. Arrange changes to the Consultant Duty Rota as necessary and again notify all parties of such changes.
Provide secretarial support for the junior doctors working with the consultants following outpatients clinics.
Liaise with the team and other medical secretaries to cross cover for annual leave and other leave as required, in line with the secretarial standard.
Liaise with GPs, patients, carers and other professionals on a daily basis via email, telephone calls or letters.
Book patients in for clinical appointments, send appointment letters, following the appointment outcome the appointment and booking the next appointment within timeframe stated by the doctor.
Be the first point of contact on the telephone for patients and healthcare professionals including following data protection protocols for confirming callers details. Use tact, diplomacy and maintaining confidentiality when talking to patients.
Take telephone messages and pass to correct secretary/team member as appropriate.
Maintain outpatients appointments and implement changes as necessary on own initiative to ensure that the lists run effectively and efficiently.
Review the consultants caseload and waiting lists quarterly.
To coordinate and produce agendas and minutes for high level and confidential meetings, transcribing and distributing as necessary.
The post holder will liaise with patients, carers, families and other professionals and agencies to organise various meetings. Due to the urgency, some of these meetings are arranged at short-notice, requiring re-organisation of diaries to ensure service user needs are met.
To attend and participate in weekly admin team meetings, as well as the wider service meetings.
Accurately recording large amounts of information relating to staff contact with patients onto Livewell Southwest database (SystmOne) daily.
The post holder will identify new ways of working and make changes to own work, when agreed, to improve service.
Provide line management support to one Band 2 Administrator as part of development.
Ensure that all complaints, compliments, concerns, comments, and suggestions are appropriately recorded, and where possible resolved within level of role or escalated appropriately.
The post holder will be able to provide non-clinical advice and information with regards to appointments and visitors to the unit.
The post holder will undertake surveys/audits as required including staff surveys.
Respond to all communication via telephone calls, email, and written queries on behalf of the service area including call handling where appropriate.
Manage appointments, meetings, and events on behalf of the service, making bookings where necessary and ensuring all equipment and documentation is available.
Ensure that the corporate support function complies with all Livewell policies and procedures including Data Protection, confidentiality, Health and Safety, security and safeguarding.
Assist in the training of newly appointed secretarial/administrative staff and supporting them during their assimilation.
Be proactive and contribute ideas for improvement in the way the service is delivered.
Able to work on own initiative, prioritising work within defined policies and procedures to set timescales.
Supporting with all administrative tasks around FP10s, including monthly audits, ensuring signatory log is kept up to date when staff changes occur and scanning and saving the FP10 into SystmOne
Distributing and logging FP10s
Monitoring the FP10 stock monthly and arranging collection of new FP10 pad from Mount Gould Hospital as and when required.
Person Specification
Experience Essential
Previous experience as a medical secretary or senior administrator Proven experience of working to a deadline
Desirable
Secretarial/significant administrative experience in a hospital or clinical setting Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team.
Knowledge Essential
Proven secretarial and administrative experience Ability to effectively use all Microsoft packages: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Microsoft Teams Good understanding of confidentiality and data protection
Desirable
Knowledge of medical terminology. Understanding of Out-Patient, admission and waiting list procedures including RTT. Demonstrable experience of hospital software e.g. SystmOne/iPM
Specific Skills Essential
Excellent audio typing and computer skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills Excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritise workload, using initiative where appropriate Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines Able to communicate effectively with senior medical staff and service leads Ability to work as part of a team Ability to work supervised and unsupervised Ability and willingness to work flexibly to meet service need requirements Ability to deal with multiple requests from consultants and doctors and prioritise accordingly
Desirable
Ability to accurately touch type Ability to communicate to people in crisis on the telephone
Qualifications Essential
5 GCSEs (grades A-C) or equivalent, including English and Maths NVQ level 3 in Business Administration/relevant subject or able to demonstrate significant previous knowledge and experience
Desirable
ECDL IT qualification AMSPAR Diploma Secretarial/word processing qualifications RSA 2 in Typewriting or equivalent skills, knowledge, and experience
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.
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).
Employer details Employer name Livewell Southwest
Address Cumberland Centre
Damerel Close
Plymouth
PL1 4JZ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)