About this role
Job summary
We are seeking a highly organised and motivated Medical Secretary to join the Neuro Rehabilitation team for 26.15 hours per week.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced administrative professional to provide comprehensive secretarial and clerical support within a busy healthcare environment. The post holder will contribute to the smooth and efficient delivery of Neuro Rehabilitation, Stroke Rehabilitation, Neuropsychology, and Community Geriatrics services.
The role involves coordinating administrative processes, acting as a key point of contact for patients and professionals, and supporting the effective management of clinics and caseloads. You will be expected to organise your own workload efficiently, prioritising tasks to meet deadlines while maintaining a high standard of accuracy.
Working closely with colleagues, internal departments, and external agencies, you will support the continuity of patient care. The primary purpose of the role is to provide dedicated secretarial support to a consultant and specialty doctors, requiring a flexible and proactive approach.
The successful candidate will demonstrate strong organisational and communication skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure in a busy environment.
Main duties of the job
Your role will be to provide comprehensive secretarial support to doctors within these outpatient services. This includes arranging and rescheduling appointments, managing referrals, and maintaining accurate, up-to-date patient records. You will act as a key telephone contact, manage generic inboxes, and handle queries in a timely and professional manner. You will also input confidential information onto SystmOne accurately and in line with organisational policies.
This is a busy role requiring strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a varied workload. You must have proficient keyboard skills and demonstrate a high level of accuracy in typing.
The post requires excellent communication, time management, and the ability to prioritise tasks and work on your own initiative. A patient, positive approach and strong customer service skills are essential, alongside the ability to work effectively within a close-knit team.
The Job Description and Person Specification outline the key tasks, responsibilities, and expected outcomes of the role. The post holder will be required to demonstrate flexibility and undertake any other duties that may reasonably be requested by their line manager.
This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.
Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline.
All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.
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
Able to plan and prioritise your own workload on a day-to-day basis.
To provide an efficient audio, copy typing and word processing service for GPs and health professionals as required. This includes the typing of letters, reports, patient referrals, etc. in an accurate and quality manner.
To establish and maintain filing and administrative systems so that written or computer information is easily accessible and secure.
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 clerk responsible, maintain adequate supplies of office stationery in order to perform your secretarial duties.
To receive and dispatch mail and maintain a pending system.
Provide an efficient and accurate secretarial service to the Consultant and to ensure the Consultants diary of appointments is updated and confirmed with him/her on a daily basis, use discretion to make changes and communicating the changes whenever necessary.
Liaise with the other medical secretaries and administrator to cross cover for annual leave and other leave as required, in line with the secretarial standard.
Liaising with GPs, patients, carers and other professionals on a daily basis.
Book patients in for clinical appointments, answer telephone using tact and diplomacy when talking to patients.
Take messages or respond appropriately.
Maintain outpatient appointments and implement changes as necessary on own initiative to ensure that the lists run effectively and efficiently.
Take minutes at team meetings where appropriate, transcribe notes and distribute.
Recording of large amounts of information relating to staff contact with patients onto Livewell Southwest database (SystmOne) on a daily basis.
Participate in interview panels for specified jobs.
Assist in the training of newly appointed secretarial and administrative staff and supporting them during their assimilation.
Actively contribute and participate in line managements and appraisals.
Supervise administrators of lower bandings.
Demonstrate a positive attitude to patients, treating patients and their families with dignity and respect.
Ensure compliance with contractual and related quality standards, including acknowledgement of referrals and production of written correspondence with referrers.
Carry out other duties commensurate with the position as required.
To maintain confidentiality regarding information gained during the course of work.
To be responsible for the work area and ensure and maintain a safe environment in line with Livewell Southwest policies and protocols.
Person Specification
Experience Essential
Previous medical secretarial experience or significant administrative experience in an office environment. Proven experience of working to a deadline. Ability to work as part of a team. To maintain confidentiality at all times.
Desirable
Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
Knowledge Essential
Knowledge of a range of secretarial procedures. Ability to use Microsoft packages: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Teams.
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
Additional Requirements Essential
The ability to prioritise own workload whilst dealing with competing demands from different doctors.
Qualifications Essential
5 GCSEs (grades A-C) or equivalent, including English and Maths. NVQ level III in Business Administration and/or able to demonstrate the skills, knowledge and ability work to this level.
Desirable
ECDL AMSPAR Diploma Secretarial/word processing qualifications RSA 2 in Typewriting or equivalent skills, knowledge, and experience
Specific skills Essential
Audio typing/competent computer skills Ability to accurately touch type Evidence of good communication skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills Ability to work supervised and unsupervised Ability and willingness to work flexibly to meet service need requirements Ability to organise and prioritise workload
Desirable
Ability to communicate to people in crisis on telephone Ability to work under pressure Highly organised and efficient
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 200 Mount Gould Road
Mount Gould
Plymouth
Devon
PL4 7PY
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)