Personal Medical Secretary

at  Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

The Medical Care Group at Whiston Hospital is looking to appoint a Personal Medical Secretary to provide a comprehensive service with the minimum of supervision within the Respiratory Department.
The successful applicant will be able to organise their own workload and co-ordinate workload activities with other Personal Medical Secretaries in the team. The successful candidates will be of a pleasant disposition, have excellent interpersonal skills and a friendly telephone manner.
Applicants will be proficient in the use of audio-typing and word-processing packages and qualified to at least RSA Level 3/OCR typing/word-processing or equivalent. Knowledge of medical terminology is essential. Possession of the AMSPAR certificate is desirable. Experience of using Microsoft Office software and the Medway system is an advantage but training will be provided if necessary.
There is a need to be able to work to tight deadlines and withstand the pressure of a busy department and it is essential that you are able to work on your own initiative.

• To provide a comprehensive service to the Consultant and Speciality Team including nurse clinicians.
• Keep diary up to date, arrange appointments, and arrange travel and accommodation.
• Operate an effective bring forward system and filing system.
• Type dictation from audio transcription of clinical correspondence and documentation, ensuring all letter and workflow processes are adhered to and Standard Operating Procedures are followed.
• Type discharge summaries as appropriate
• Check against clinical letters to ensure appropriate follow up arrangements/investigations are in place. Rectify if not.
• To manage and maintain 18 week pathways including Tertiary Referrals to external Trusts and ensure these are completed on the PAS system. Keep track of referrals to ensure patient is reviewed promptly. Check that follow up appointments are arranged in conjunction with Referral To Treat (RTT) patient pathway.
• Support Consultant in non-clinical activities/Clinical Director role by preparing presentation documents using relevant packages and arranging meetings, circulate agenda/supporting papers as appropriate, and taking minutes at meetings.
• Ensure appropriate personnel are informed of consultant annual/study leave. Amend clinic/theatre lists/forms appropriately. Keep Consultants informed of junior doctor leave could have an effect on the service.
• Manage on-call rotas in absence of Rota Co-ordinator when requested, ensuring that annual/study leave and sickness do not compromise the smooth running and the department. Liaise with Medical Staffing to arrange locum cover. If emergency need is requested by members of clinical team ensure this is covered accordingly liaising closely with Clinical Director.
• Preparation of departmental induction and teaching programme for junior doctors/students taking an active part in departmental induction.
• Arrange planned patient admission to Hospital liaising with the appropriate ward and admissions department.
• Ensure Consultants are up to date with mandatory training/appraisals and ensure information is updated on the system.
• Ensure sickness/absence and annual leave of clinical staff is reported on the system.
• Assist with the investigation and compilation of responses to complaints, helping to ensure this is done within the optimum deadlines set by the Trust.
• Work from initiative using own judgment, acquired knowledge and tact to deal with queries and resolve situations or referring to appropriate person.
• Deal with enquiries either on the telephone or face to face from patients, consultants, junior doctors and colleagues in an appropriate manner.
• Ensure all correspondence relating to patient care is acted upon in a timely manner and that investigations are signed by Consultants or team and are dealt with in accordance with Trust policy.
• Cross reference invoices against investigations completed at external sites. Prepare any claims for reimbursement for consultant activities.
• Accurate check of demographics using the Patient Administration System (PAS), including registration screen to check patient details are correct.
• Maintain effective track on inpatient referrals to ensue patient is reviewed promptly.
• Receive new referral letters and ensure they are dated and triaged in a timely manner. Liaise with appointments and patients to book appointments accordingly. Check monthly breach lists.
• Receive cash/cheque donations to Trust; provide receipt/letter of confirmation.
• Assist with audit/research data collection as required.
• Obtain information requested by Administration Services Manager as and when required.
• Be able to work as part of a team, promote effective flows in the department to cover leave to ensure office runs smoothly.
• Train new and junior members of the team within own work area as required by Administration Services Co-ordinator.
• General office duties including dealing with incoming and outgoing mail, e-mail, fax, photocopying. Participate in housekeeping of the office environment.
• Attend appropriate training and education sessions at the request of manager
• Work with co-ordinators to review working practices, ways of working and find solutions to problems.
• Implement policies and procedures for own areas.
• Order stationery for own areas when required.
• To work in a flexible manner in accordance with the Trust Policy.
• Any other duties required by Line Manager