Trust Medical Secretary - Anaesthetics

Job overview

The Anaesthetic Department, located in centre block level 4, comprises of 80 Consultant Anaesthetists and up to 50 Resident Doctors. The purpose of this role is to act as a point of contact for all communications between the Consultants, patients, relatives, all hospital staff, General Practitioners and their staff and outside agencies, maintaining a close working relationship between Consultants and patients as appropriate. Assist in the management of the office administration of the Consultant and designated clinical team. Provide an effective administrative secretarial service, ensuring continuity of service.

Main duties of the job

• Deal efficiently and effectively with direct and indirect (i.e. telephone, face to face) enquires from patients, all levels of medical and nursing staff, GPs, Social Services and other health professionals and staff.  Respond to 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.
• Attend to all communications, for example, emails, faxes, investigation results on a daily basis and prioritising and actioning as required.
• 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. 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

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Deal efficiently and effectively with direct and indirect (i.e. telephone, face to face) enquires from patients, all levels of medical and nursing staff, GPs, Social Services and other health professionals and staff.  Respond to 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.
• Attend to all communications, for example, emails, faxes, investigation results on a daily basis and prioritising and actioning as required.
• 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. 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 and waiting lists as required in local work area, escalating to senior staff as required.
• Adding patients to waiting lists as requested taking into account the urgency of the case and the patient’s preference.
• Arrange urgent admissions direct from clinic and ambulatory care areas, contacting the patient and liaising with ward/theatre/clinics as required.

Please refer to the Job Description for the full specification of responsibilities and requirements for this post.

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.