Senior Trust Medical Secretary - Respiratory Medicine

Job overview

The Respiratory Medicine directorate has an exciting opportunity to join the diverse and friendly admin team as a Medical Secretary. The forward-thinking and developing department incorporates new and exciting areas of interest including lung cancer, sleep, interstitial lung disease, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, oxygen, COPD, tuberculosis; as well as a vibrant outpatient department, respiratory investigation unit, lung function lab and a large inpatient footprint, all innovated collaboratively between the clinical, nursing and administrative teams. We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic, pro-active and organised to join our vibrant and supportive team.

If you are looking for a role that provides you with the opportunity to show off, you’re caring and compassionate side, you enjoy a busy atmosphere, working methodically with a good attention to detail, and you can work flexibly, we want to hear from you!

Main duties of the job

As post holder you will:

• Be a member of a large dynamic admin team and will provide an essential first point of contact between the hospital, patients and their relatives, and diverse staff groups including clinicians, nurses and administrative teams.  •    Deal efficiently and effectively with direct and indirect patient contact. •    Be able to work well autonomously and as part of a team. •    Demonstrate and maintain knowledge of Trust and National policies. •    Gain experience of the sub-specialties in Respiratory and provide high-quality secretarial support.

To support the delivery of a high quality, safe and compassionate healthcare service, all staff are expected to act as a role model to others in all aspects of their work and consistently demonstrate NNUH’s ‘PRIDE’ values of People focused, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence and demonstrate behaviours that support and encourage an inclusive culture.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Deal efficiently and effectively with direct and indirect (i.e. telephone, face to face) enquiries from patients, all levels of medical and nursing staff, GPs, Social Services and other health professionals and staff.  Respond to complex enquiries, providing routine and non-routine information and non-clinical advice, resolving problems where possible. Communicate appropriately with patients who may be fearful, aggressive or have sensitive concerns, needing reassurance and who may present difficulties in communication e.g. terminally ill patients, deaf patients, mentally ill patients and elderly confused patients. To sensitively provide and receive complex information using tact and adapting communication style to meet the needs of individual levels of understanding. Recognise the importance of individual rights in accordance with legislation, policy and procedures.
• Attend to all communications, for example, emails, faxes, investigation results on a daily basis.  Use judgement to undertake a preliminary assessment of content to determine the appropriate course of action and the priority for the consultant’s/clinical team’s attention.
• Accurately transcribe all correspondence by touch typing from audio/digital dictation or shorthand using knowledge of medical terminology.  Generate routine and non-routine correspondence independently.
• Assist patients and their carers by arranging translation/interpretation facilities.
• Demonstrate and maintain knowledge and understanding of Trust RTT policy.
• Update RTT in accordance with Trust guidelines and ensure accurate patient pathways, investigating and correcting errors as required. Assist the Administration and Clerical team with data management utilising PAS and other departmental patient databases.
• Complete the Tertiary referral proforma/template for internal/external referrals as per Trust policy.
• Promptly action clinical investigations, results and outcomes. Utilise Trust reports to service and administer waiting lists, which may include outpatient, inpatient, diagnostic and waiting lists where relevant.
• Book patients from waiting lists and update associated booking systems (e.g. ORSOS, ARIA etc.) in line with departmental requirements and in line with the Trust RTT Policy.
• Utilise outpatient and inpatient PTLs to track patients through pathway.
• Arrange urgent admissions direct from clinic and ambulatory care areas, contacting the patient and liaising with ward/theatre/clinics as required.
• Organise and support higher level meetings, such as divisional/directorate/governance meetings, on behalf of Clinical Director or other senior staff, including attending to take formal minutes as necessary.

Please see the attached job description for full details.

Please note that this advertised position, which is part of occupation code 4211 does not meet the UKVI eligibility requirements for a Skilled Worker Visa (this includes if you are already in a sponsored post and looking to change employer). The Trust would not be able to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role.