Support Secretary

Job overview

To provide a comprehensive secretarial support service to consultants, junior medical staff and medical secretaries, ensuring the highest level of confidentiality is maintained at all times.

The post holder will be required to demonstrate a significant level of initiative in organizing their workload and in making decisions and taking action in accordance with departmental policy.

Main duties of the job

This post will be to provide efficient clerical support service to the Consultant Histopathologists and the department. This will involve the distribution of histology reports, filing of information and request forms and distribution of material for second opinion.

A major part of the role involves audio typing of histological reports, recording and typing minutes of meetings,  extracting histological slides and retrieving cases needed for MDT meetings and liaising with staff of all grades in the department to ensure all information is available for the meeting. They will be the initial point of contact for callers to the department either via telephone or in person.

Successful candidates would be expected to work during core laboratory hours of Monday to Friday 08.30 to 17.00.

Candidates must have a minimum of GCSE Mathematics and English or equivalent. In addition, candidates must have a word processing and / or typing qualification such as OCR I / II or equivalent.

Potential candidates should be motivated, keen to learn and develop new skills, have a flexible approach to work and be able to operate under pressure as part of a team in an often busy clinical laboratory environment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To provide high quality audio-typing and word processing facilities with, medical terminology, as required by Medical Staff, ensuring that the work is completed in an efficient and timely manner. To access confidential histology reports and send out to external/internal agencies as appropriate. To ensure all information and messages received from patients, colleagues and Medical Staff are communicated efficiently and correctly. This can be of a sensitive or complex nature. To assist with all duties in the  absence of the Office Manager, ensuring all duties are completed in an effective and efficient manner to ensure an optimum service is maintained at all times. To provide cross cover for the secretarial team during absences. Respond positively and promptly to enquiries and problems received from patients, medical staff and other agencies, using initiative to take appropriate action in accordance with departmental policies and procedures. Be committed to continual self development and training to meet the requirements and further development of the specialty. Respond in a professional and sensitive manner when dealing with confidential issues to patients, relatives, and other agencies. To accurately create records and update patient related information onto the computerised Patient Administration System. Take responsibility for patient notes in the office pertaining to own work. Assist with the training and induction of any new, or less experienced, secretarial/support staff.