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Job overview

The post holder will manage the office administration of the Consultant and other medical staff within the team, providing an efficient and effective secretarial service to support medical staff in maintaining a safe, efficient and effective clinical service.

The post holder will be expected to organise their own time and manage and prioritise their own workload, ensuring urgent matters are dealt with efficiently and that record keeping is accurate and complete.  The post holder will be expected to utilise good communication skills to liaise effectively with colleagues and external agencies as required.

The post requires excellent organisational skills including medical audio-typing and live typing.  The post holder will utilise a range of technical skills including word-processing, email and computerised diary systems, and employ a range of electronic systems relating to clinical records.

The confidential nature of all work must be understood and safeguarded.  The post holder will be expected to cover for absent colleagues as necessary for short periods of time such as annual leave and short-term sickness.

The services provided include community nursing, health visiting and a range of therapy services including physiotherapy, podiatry and speech & language. Wellbeing services provided include smoking cessation and healthy lifestyle services. The Trust 
specialises in inpatient services, including rehabilitation services and community mental health services. 

Main duties of the job

• Maintain good working relationships with Medical Secretary Colleagues, providing cross-cover (on a reciprocal basis) for annual leave and short periods of sickness absence.
• To support the Consultant and his/her medical team members in the typing of all MDT/CPA review notes and supporting correspondence, ward discharge summaries, tribunal reports, rotas and references within designated time limits with a high standard of accuracy and presentation. 
• To arrange Consultant led meetings, e.g, Enhanced CPA, Mental Health Act Assessments and MDT reviews and other meetings as requested by the Consultant. To arrange for the Consultant to sign Section papers for patients admitted under the Mental Health Act going on leave from the ward.  To ensure all relevant professionals/relatives receive invites. 
• To relate information received from GPs regarding requests for Mental Health Act assessments, contacting the on-call Approved Social Worker at request of the Consultant and arranging a time for all parties to be present. To remind Consultant about expiring Section dates. 
• Deal with enquiries from relatives and solicitors regarding Court of Protection and provide the Consultant with relevant patient documents as required. 
• To take minutes for Consultant led meetings as requested. Live typing.
• To prepare papers for meetings and distribute as requested by the Consultant either manually or electronically as appropriate. 
• To provide effective communication both within the Trust and between other hospitals, General Practitioners, Community Mental Health Team, patients and relatives regarding appointments, admissions and any other queries. 
• To provide effective communication when dealing with patients/relatives to obtain accurate and specific information to enable the Consultant to act on the information given. 
• Take responsibility for being the first line of contact when receiving calls from carers         who are anxious, distressed or angry. To provide effective communication using tact and precise listening skills in order to reassure the carer and forward an accurate message to the Consultant. 
• To provide active support to Administration staff when they receive a difficult call from an anxious/distressed patient. 
• RSA/OCR III typing and word processing skills or equivalent speed and knowledge. 
• Broad knowledge of medical, psychiatric terminology in order to be able to transcribe consultant letters accurately. 
• A broad knowledge of Microsoft packages which can include Power Point / Excel in order to assist the Consultant. 
• The post holder will have an understanding of routine work procedures which may require job training and induction, knowledge of patient administrative systems (computerised), knowledge of hospital departments and procedures. 
• The post holder will work in a secretarial capacity to the Consultant and will, on request, contribute to his/her 360 Degree Assessment displaying an understanding of the Consultant’s workload and time management.

Working for our organisation

ancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT