Senior Medical Secretary - Band 4 - #1737866

Thank you for your interest in this vacancy! We highly recommend reading our Tips on how to apply page to give you an insight on how applications are scored & shortlisted by our Recruiting Managers. These tips have been provided to give you a better chance of being shortlisted for our vacancies.

Please note that if you apply for a position with North Bristol NHS Trust, you may be contacted via TRAC or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your TRAC Account and email accounts including junk and spam folders.

Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job Overview

To provide an exceptional secretarial and administrative service to consultant neurologists and/or their teams. You will be responsible for ensuring a high quality secretarial service and coordinating the administrative support of clinical activity.

The post holder will need to have good computer and communication skills, as well as being a team player and have an ability to use their own initiative. We are a busy department so the ability to work under pressure is essential.

Main duties of the job

• To ensure the outcome of patient attendance has been recorded correctly on the electronic patient records.
• To maintain and manage lists of patients awaiting follow-up.
• To ensure necessary tests have been requested from clinic, that these are regularly progressed, and that they are brought to the attention of the appropriate clinician.
• To ensure accuracy of information recorded on local systems and sent to external partners.
• To handle telephone enquiries from patients and medical/nursing staff in relation to the clinical pathway.
• To understand and relate to the Trust and departmental guidance on patient access, data protection and patient confidentiality to apply to every day work practices.
• To deal with all queries competently and professionally.
• To communicate with health care professionals both locally and externally eg, GP’s, clinicians in the local community, in an articulate and confident manner.
• To ensure that funding is in place for patients out of the area, or progress applications for procedures not funded.
• To assist with the administration of outstanding patient appointment outcomes (uncashed appointments).
• To take on a supervisory role of a team, supervising the training of new colleagues, appraisals and approving leave for your team.
• To carry out general clerical duties such as filing, photocopying and covering the department email.
  
  

Working for our organisation

North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.

We commit to treating each patient as an individual with respect and dignity, aiming to deliver excellent clinical outcomes and a first-class experience for everyone who uses our services.

North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• Responsible for typing clinic notes/reports and general correspondence, and other tasks required by the department within the required time frames.
• Receive, sort and prioritise daily correspondence.
• Ensure clinic letters and results letters are extracted from the Dictate IT system, checked for quality and sent to GPs and patients promptly.
• Maintain good communication with the wider team in order to achieve efficient teamwork.
• Contribute to the review of administrative and clerical functions within the department and make recommendations to enhance the service provision for all users of the department.
• Photocopying/filing and other administrative duties to ensure the efficient running of the office.
• Prioritise conflicting deadlines and know when to ask for help.
• Organise meetings, including the booking of rooms as necessary, for the clinicians and their teams as required.
• Act as a contact point, liaising with patients, medical and nursing staff and other external agencies dealing with queries competently and professionally, taking action when appropriate in accordance with Data Protection.
• To provide secretarial cover and undertake general office duties as necessary within the department.
• To effectively deal with incoming mail for clinicians.
• Manage patient waiting lists appropriately.
  
  

Person specification

Education, Training And Qualifications/Work Experience

Essential criteria

• Previous secretarial/administrative experience
• Good education including GCSE in English and Maths (or equivalent)
• Experience of supervising a team
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Experience of using Care Flow PAS system
  
  

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Essential criteria

• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent customer care skills
• Able to promote good working relationships amongst colleagues
  
  

Personal Qualitites

Essential criteria

• Ability to remain calm and professional when working under pressure
  
  

If you apply for this vacancy and have not received a communication from North Bristol NHS Trust within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.

Please note that North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses relating to interview attendance.

If you feel you meet the requirements of the Disability Act / Two Ticks scheme and require further support/advice, please contact us on tel 0117 414 1151.

North Bristol NHS Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.

At North Bristol Trust (NBT), we know diverse and inclusive environments lead to happier and healthier teams and improved patient care and outcomes. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.

Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.