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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication

• To deal with incoming telephone calls (from other trust staff, patients, company representatives, and external service users) in an efficient and courteous manner, making decisions as to those requiring re-routing to the Clinician or dealing with queries which may be of a highly complex nature. 
• Communicating results that may be of a highly sensitive nature to service users as requested by the Consultant or other senior laboratory staff.
• Organise meetings, including venue, refreshments and invitations as required.

• Arrange and organise meetings for the medical team as required, taking minutes of these if necessary.

• To communicate highly complex information (e.g. communicating a change to hospital policy, reduced theatre lists or staff numbers etc.) to other departments within the hospital; overcoming significant barriers using a high level of interpersonal and persuasive skills.
• To take initial receipt of all incoming correspondence, telephone, written and verbal enquiries as appropriate.
• To attend meetings relevant to the role of medical secretary.

• Communicate with other Consultants, GP surgeries, Primary Care Trusts, other hospitals, patients and their carers’, managers, wards, admissions and many other departments. Arranging meetings/appointments and provide information on a day-to-day basis.
• To ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained at all times in accordance with the Data Protection Act/Caldicott, acting in accordance with Trust policies.
• To demonstrate extreme tact, diplomacy, patience and empathy in the course of considerable client/patient contact, both in person and over the telephone.

• To impart clear, concise appointment related information to clients/patients.
• To reassure anxious patients who have been recalled for further investigation and explain the procedures which will be undertaken.
• To use interpersonal skills to interact with a variety of patients and to put each individual at ease.
• To communicate appropriately with patients from different backgrounds and cultures.
• To communicate appropriately with patients who have special needs including those with physical and mental disabilities, learning difficulties and with clients who are anxious and/or upset.
• To communicate appropriately with patients who are behaving in an aggressive manner.
• To deal appropriately with messages left on the out of hours answer service.
• To communicate effectively and work collaboratively as a member of the Multidisciplinary team.

Service Delivery and Improvement

• An autonomous responsibility to manage a comprehensive and well-organised administrative and secretarial service for the department, working with limited supervision and on own initiative, prioritising own workload and organising own work to meet designated deadlines.
• Provide a complete secretarial service transcribing author dictation utilising a digital dictation voice recognition system. Audio typing correspondence relating to out-patient attendances, in-patient stays, medical reports, lectures and publications as appropriate.
• Maintain a diary on behalf of the clinical team ensuring that the Secretarial Supervisor and Patient Access Manager is notified of any planned absences in accord with the Trust’s Leave Policy. Organising and recording the consultant’s diary ensuring all paperwork is available as needed for appointments and meetings.
• Take initial receipt of all incoming correspondence, telephone calls, written and verbal enquiries from patients, their families and medical professionals within the Department, the Trust and elsewhere. Using personal knowledge and experience to assess the nature and urgency of the call, and prepare a prompt and/or immediate response when appropriate.
• Using experience and knowledge judge and prioritise before forwarding all other communications to the Consultant, medical team or other appropriate persons in preparation for action or response.
• To actively participate in the audit process in collaboration with Consultants collating patient demographic data and laboratory results into appropriate database and statistical manipulation packages (e.g. Microsoft Excel and Access).
• To comply explicitly with the Trust policies and procedures.
• To perform general clerical tasks including dealing with e-mails, photocopying and filing, maintaining office filing systems and storage of information to meet the needs of the service including uploading documents to PANDA.
• Maintain and utilise department and Trust information systems and ensure the accuracy of information held on the Patient Administration Systems.
• To provide cover for other secretarial and administrative staff, in times of absence.
• To attend departmental meetings as required and ensure that knowledge and skills are kept up to date by attending courses for personal training and development.
• To be proficient in the use of IT software, e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel. There will also be the requirement to use Trust systems and departmental databases for which training will be given.
• Comply explicitly with the Trust’s Complaints Procedure. Without delay forward to appropriate parties all formal complaints and responses. Ensure details of all written plaudits are passed on to appropriate staff.
• At no time should clinical staff work outside their defined level of competence. If the post holder has concerns regarding this they should immediately discuss this with their Manager, Supervisor or Consultant.  The post holder has the responsibility to inform those supervising their duties if they are not competent to perform a duty.

 People Management and Development

• To mentor new staff when necessary and undertake an active role in the induction of new staff.
• To supervise all temporary and bank secretarial staff employed within the Department, directing their work in line with Departmental guidelines.