Trust Medical Secretary - Diabetes & Endocrinology

Job overview

We are very proud of our department: the Diabetes and Endocrinology department is the largest in the East of England, and one of the largest in the UK. Our department directorate supports a full range of specialist and general clinical services.

The main Endocrinology & Diabetes department is based on level 3 in the East Outpatients block. We also have a team working in Rouen Road, Norwich. We work closely with the Clinical Investigation Unit, Medical Outpatients and Eye Screening.

The post holder will be expected to contribute to the provision of the highest standards of patient care.

Main duties of the job

This is where we need you! We are looking for a Trust Medical Secretary to join the Endocrinology & Diabetes Department. Are you methodical, conscientious, caring and people-focused? Do you like working in a supportive team but happy with your own workload too, working in a busy environment?

If this sounds like you, please read on:

As a medical secretary, you will act as a key link between the clinicians, patients, relatives, all hospital staff, General Practitioners, and outside agencies, maintaining a close working relationship between the clinicians and patients as appropriate.

You are expected to provide outstanding administrative support to the other medical secretaries and administrators in the department.

The role includes clinic management, typing clinic letters and ensuring patient pathways (RTT) are recorded accurately and timely, utilising our inhouse Diabetes patient management system, using our hospital’s PAS system, responding to patient queries, working with the waiting list coordinators and other secretaries to ensure clinics are filled, supporting the wider secretarial team. You may be required to manage diaries. You will assist in the organisation of the office and help provide continuity of service during absences. You will organise and minute meetings. You will be responsible for the secretarial management of at least one clinician.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We are looking for someone with a high level of confidentiality as you will be handling confidential patient information. You will be confident in the use of IT, including knowledge of Microsoft Office, in particular Outlook, Word and Excel. You will need an excellent telephone manner. You will be able to prioritise your workload and work on your own initiative. You will need good diary management and time management skills and will be organised and efficient with a high ability to multi-task. You will need to be able to type from transcription and have previous secretarial experience. You will have good minute taking skills. You will have a calm manner, excellent interpersonal skills and have a positive approach to all you do. You may well have your own responsibilities within the wider team so need to be able to work autonomously.

Previous experience in the NHS, medical terminology and knowledge of the hospital’s PAS system would be desirable, although training will be given. We support learning and progression so once fully embedded in the department there are opportunities for further training.

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.

• 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 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.
• Support meetings with minute taking as necessary.
• Maintain diaries as appropriate.

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.