Administrative Assistant

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an administrative assistant to provide audio typing and clerical support to the Gastroenterology and Hepatology service. The role requires meticulous attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple hospital systems in a fast paced environment.

You will type letters, process clinic correspondence, maintain patient records with confidentiality and support the Medical Secretary and wider admin team to ensure smooth daily operations across the service.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE English standard or equivalent experience.
• Excellent typing skills and proofreading ability.
• Experience in an NHS or similar healthcare environment desirable.
• Able to communicate with patients, GPs and staff with empathy.

Responsibilities

• Type letters and documents accurately using audio dictation.
• Process patient administration and clinic letters with accuracy.
• Check data on electronic patient records and addresses.
• Save work on network drives with consistent formats.
• Raise queries with Medical Secretary where needed.
• Maintain patient confidentiality at all times.

Skills

Communication

Confidentiality

Independent working

Microsoft Office

Audio typing

Education

GCSE English

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Outlook

Excel

Job description

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

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

The post holder will provide administration support and audio typing to the Gastroenterology and Hepatology service. Provide support to ensure efficient and effective day to day running of the service. The role requires someone who has great attention to detail and excellent organisational skills for working in a fast paced, busy department. The role will consist mainly of processing clinic and adhoc letters using multiple hospital systems. You will be required to complete letters to a high standard with accuracy as well as carrying out general clerical duties such as filing, photocopying, scanning, post and any other administrative task in line with banding. The post holder will be required to prove efficiency, whilst maintaining accuracy in detail, ensuring appropriate document layout and often proof reading content to ensure clear and professional dissemination of information.

Main duties of the job

Skills

• Excellent communication and telephone skills, with the ability to communicate sensitively, tactfully and professionally.
• Maintain confidentiality and discretion at all times.
• Ability to work independently, use initiative and prioritise workload effectively.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Word, Outlook and Excel, with excellent keyboard skills.
• Able to follow procedures accurately when processing correspondence and related actions.

Experience

• Fast and accurate typing and processing of large volumes of information.
• Excellent written skills, including proofreading and checking accuracy.
• Experience in an office environment undertaking correspondence, filing, photocopying and general clerical duties.
• Confident and empathetic communication with patients, GPs and healthcare professionals.
• Experience working effectively within a team, ensuring tasks and responsibilities are clearly understood.
• NHS or similar healthcare experience desirable.

Knowledge

• Computer literate with good knowledge of Word and Outlook; Excel desirable.
• Experience entering and retrieving information from computer systems.
• Knowledge of medical terminology desirable.
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection requirements.

Training

• Experience of audio typing/digital dictation, or willingness to undertake training.
• Willingness to learn and use the Trust's patient record system.
• Ability to support and train new team members.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• To accurately and efficiently type letters and documents using an audio dictation system in a timely manner.
• Processing of patient admin and clinic letters, reviewing, editing, completing, printing and sending a paper copy to the patient.
• To look up and check data on the electronic patient record system, including confirmation of the patient/GP address etc. There may be times when patient notes are not available, and more information will need to be retrieved from the IT system.
• To save work on the network drive in a format which is consistent with the department and can be easily located and retrieved.
• To raise any queries relating to specific patient letters or the overall clinic with the appropriate Medical Secretary.
• To ensure any actions in dictated correspondence are passed for action to the appropriate personnel.
• To accurately trace patient notes from one location to another on the electronic patient record system
• Diligent and accurate processing of patient’s information.
• To enter patient level data onto a spreadsheet in order to monitor test results.
• To carry out other clerical activities as required, such as photocopying, filing, sorting and distributing letters, sorting post etc.
• To answer queries relevant to role from administrative and clinical staff in a professional and courteous manner, referring on to a relevant staff member if necessary.
• To work in partnership with the Medical Secretary and wider administrative team.
• To provide cross-cover for colleagues during times of absence.
• To ensure patient confidentiality is maintained at all times.
• To carry out other reasonable duties, appropriate to the grade, as agreed between the post holder and Support Manager.

Person specification

Education/Training/Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to GCSE English standard or relevant experience.
• Awareness and compliance of Trust policies and procedures.
• Requirement to train on and use the Trust computerised patient record system
• Experience of audio typing/digital dictation, or requirement to train

Desirable criteria

• A typing qualification such as RSA will be a distinct advantage

Experience

Essential criteria

• Must be able to type and process large amounts of typing quickly and accurately
• Experience of working in an office environment dealing with correspondence, filing, photocopying and general clerical tasks
• Ability to speak to patients, GPs, and other health care professionals confidently and with empathy. Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience of working in the NHS or similar organisation
• Excellent written skills in order to be able to proof read typing

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Essential criteria

• Must be computer literate and have working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Outlook, with Excel being an advantage
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of entering and accessing data on an organisational computer system
• Knowledge of medical terminology would be an advantage

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

• As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

Important

Please note that if you apply for a position with this 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. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification.

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.