Band 3 Clinical Services Administrator

Avon And Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Nhs Trust; Devizes; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A mental health care provider in England is seeking a motivated administrator to support Clinical Staff in Devizes and Chippenham. The role involves diary management, arranging appointments, and producing documents, with a focus on IT skills and communication. Strong organizational abilities and empathy for individuals with mental health issues are essential. Working hours are 37.5 hours per week, with potential for hybrid working after probation. Previous administrative experience in a healthcare setting is preferred.

Benefits

Hybrid working options after probation

Training opportunities

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Experience in providing administrative support in a healthcare setting.
• Ability to manage a busy workload across multiple sites.
• High standard of secretarial and administrative skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to Clinical Staff in mental health.
• Manage diaries, arrange appointments, and take minutes.
• Liaise with various stakeholders and manage sensitive information.

Skills

Organizational skills

Strong IT skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Tools

Microsoft Office

RiO Electronic Patient Record

Job description

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic administrator to join our friendly team. You will be providing administrative support to Clinical Staff of the North East Wiltshire Community Mental Health Team based in Devizes and Chippenham. The role will involve working directly with Consultants, Resident Doctors and Clinical Staff as well as other administrative staff, outside agencies and third-party sectors. We are looking for someone who is well organised, able to work to tight deadlines, with strong IT skills and proficient in using all Microsoft Office packages. You will be able to demonstrate good interpersonal and communication skills. The role involves diary and email management, arranging appointments and clinics, producing documents, organising meetings and taking minutes. You will need to be flexible and reactive to changing priorities, whilst managing your own workload. This role requires you to work across multiple sites, so access to transport is essential. Your working hours will be 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. The successful candidate will be offered some hybrid working, after their probation period. Please note that hybrid working needs to be in line with the needs of service and will be reviewed on regular basis. You will need to be able to prioritise and organise your own workload, as well as sharing admin work streams, to ensure effective and efficient support to Consultants, Resident Doctors and Clinical Staff. You will possess a high standard of secretarial and administrative skills and have a good working knowledge of all Microsoft Office systems, especially Word and Excel. You will be willing to undertake training in order to use other software packages, including our electronic patient record system (RiO). The role will involve taking calls from Service Users, Carers, GPs and other External Agencies, as well as liaising with Clinical Teams and Staff, so good communication skills both written and verbal are essential. You will be required to arrange appointments and clinics, manage waiting lists on behalf of Consultant's. You will keep the prescription spreadsheet updated and liaise with Consultants, Clinical staff and Pharmacy with regards to prescription queries. You will need to produce documents, reports, as well as taking minutes at a variety of meetings. Note taking training can be provided by AWP. You will be required to undertake general administrative tasks, this includes ordering stationary, clinical supplies and non-stock ordering, using NHS Supply Chain and Business World. You will need to have empathy and compassion, when dealing with people who have mental health issues. Previous experience working as a medical secretary would be a benefit. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. You will liaise with a wide range of people, including outside agencies, sometimes requiring tact and persuasive skills where there may be barriers to understanding or agreement. Exchange verbal and written information with patients, staff and carers relating to appointments, admissions and meetings etc. Provide and receive routine and complicated information, including dealing with enquiries from external stakeholders and the public. This may include sensitive information. Work within a multi-disciplinary environment ensuring that communication with appropriate team members is effective. To receive and open mail (paper and electronic as necessary) and distribute/despatch accordingly ensuring appropriate action is taken with high priority items. To manage both telephone and face to face contacts with distressed service users in a supportive and empathetic manner. Exercise judgement when dealing with patient inquires, analyse and resolve non-clinical patient problems including resolving conflicting diary appointments or schedules, clinics, meetings, tribunals etc. Manage the organisation of meetings and compile and prepare agendas and supporting papers for meetings. Type patient reports/correspondence/e-mails as required, deal with telephone/face to face enquiries from patients. Input accurate and up to date patient data onto the RiO system. Manage clinics and waiting lists on behalf of Consultants and Resident Doctors, ensuring appointment letters are sent out in a timely manner. Deal with prescription enquiries from Service Users, while liaising with Consultants, Resident Doctors and Pharmacy. Update prescription spreadsheet ensuring information is recorded accurately.

Generic Job Responsibilities

• Liaise with a wide range of stakeholders, both internal to the organisation and external, including Medical Staff, Multidisciplinary Teams (Community or Inpatient), Services Users and Carers, Health and Social Care teams, Third sector/voluntary agencies, Community groups and local authority provision, Other statutory agencies e.g. Police, Ministry of Justice etc.
• Set up and manage effective office management/filing systems to support the service delivery.
• Plan own workload to ensure that weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual tasks are met.
• Prioritise workload with particular consideration to issues arising and responding to shifting priorities appropriately.
• Assist patients during incidental contact, to provide non-clinical advice or information to patients/relatives or carers.
• Answer the main phones and deal with enquiries.
• Take accurate messages and passing them on in a timely manner.
• Upload and record information on RiO (Patient Electronic file).
• Type clinical letters, upload them to RiO and post them.
• Arrange clinics on behalf of consultants and resident doctors.
• Maintain waiting lists on behalf of the consultants and clinical staff.
• Update and maintain prescription spreadsheet.
• Deal with prescription enquiries, while liaising with consultants, resident doctors, care homes and pharmacy, to ensure service users receive their medication.
• Take minutes of various meetings.
• Order supplies, including non-stock orders.
• Perform any other general administrative task.

Person Specification – IT Skills

• Excellent IT skills utilising various systems
• Fast and accurate keyboard skills
• Minute taking

Organisational Skills – Essential Criteria

• Experience of organising and maintaining a busy office
• Experience of administrative systems and office procedures
• Demonstrates good time keeping and management of own diary

Desirable Criteria – Organisational Skills

• Previous experience of working in NHS
• Experience of working in mental health services
• Previous experience of working as a medical or legal secretary

Customer Care Skills – Essential Criteria

• Previous customer care skills
• Empathetic and sensitive to others needs
• Shows understanding of mental health

Customer Care Skills – Desirable Criteria

• Experience working within the NHS
• Passionate about mental health and/or perinatal mental health
• Understanding on how to manage challenging conversations

Governance – Essential Criteria

• Demonstrates clear understanding of principles of confidentiality

Governance – Desirable Criteria

• Experience working in the NHS or managing patient information

We are proud to be fostering a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. A key commitment to this is improving staff representation from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, those from the LGBTQ+ communities, people with 'lived-experience' of mental health conditions and people living with disabilities, we are a 'Disability Confident Employer' offering a guaranteed interview to Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. This includes people with a variety of disabilities and neurodivergent conditions (for example autism, ADHD, sensory, physical, learning disabilities).

Working for our organisation We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care. We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset. Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care. AWP is committed to support and create a positive research and evidence-based environment and culture, which can have a beneficial impact on everyone who works for the organisation and the care we provide to those who use our services. At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.