Medical Secretary

Fuller and Forbes Partnership; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Plymouth is seeking a Secretary to manage patient referrals and coordinate with healthcare professionals. The role emphasizes attention to detail, excellent organization, and effective communication. Candidates should have experience in referral coordination and a typing qualification. This position requires flexibility in working hours across multiple sites.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Secretary or Administrative Assistant, with a focus on referrals.
• Strong typing skills and experience with medical terminology.
• Capacity to learn new software systems quickly.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full referral process from start to finish.
• Maintain and update referral systems, ensuring efficiency.
• Act as the first point of contact for patients regarding referrals.

Skills

Secretarial and typing qualification

Office Management

Healthcare systems experience

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Education

Educational Background

Job description

The Secretary plays a vital role in managing and coordinating patient referrals, ensuring the smooth operation of referral systems and supporting patients throughout the process. This role is essential in linking clinical care pathways with administrative workflows, helping to ensure timely and well-coordinated patient care.

Key responsibilities include accurate management of referral entries, prompt updating of referral statuses, and handling all correspondence related to referrals. The Secretary will ensure that all processes comply with healthcare standards and contribute to improving efficiency and patient satisfaction. The role requires strong attention to detail, excellent organisational skills, and clear, professional communication when liaising with healthcare professionals and patients.

The Practice aims to provide a primary site for the post holder to work from to support stability and team integration. However, flexibility is required, and the post holder must be willing to work at other branch sites when needed, either temporarily or permanently. Practice core hours are 8am6:30pm Monday to Friday, with extended hours from 6:30pm8pm on weekdays and 8am4pm on Saturdays. Where necessary, the post holder must be willing to work their contracted hours across both core and extended hours, although preferences will be considered.

Main duties of the job

• Referral Coordination Manage the full referral process from start to finish, ensuring referrals are handled promptly and accurately. Coordinate with clinicians, patients, and external organisations as needed.
• System Management Maintain and update referral systems, resolving issues quickly and ensuring they remain efficient and up to date.
• Documentation Type referrals, manage correspondence, and keep clear and accurate records of all referral actions and outcomes.
• Patient Communication Act as the first point of contact for patients regarding referrals, providing updates, answering queries, and guiding them through the process. Verify patient details, insurance information, and referral requirements to avoid delays.
• Administrative Support Carry out clerical tasks such as filing, photocopying, and organising referral-related documents. Prepare reports on referral statuses and outcomes for the Assistant Practice Manager. Schedule and organise meetings related to referral processes. Summarise medical records and manage the receipt and dispatch of records. Support with any other administrative tasks as required.
• Internal and External Liaison Work closely with internal teams to ensure smooth integration of referral processes across the practice. Communicate effectively with external healthcare providers, specialists, and insurance companies to support timely and efficient referrals.

About us

The Fuller and Forbes Partnership is a primary care provider with practices currently in Devon, Leeds, Burnley and Gateshead.

Mayflower Medical Group, located in Plymouth, is a healthcare provider offering a range of services to meet the medical needs of the community. The group typically provides primary care services, including general health check‑ups, chronic disease management, and preventative care. Mayflower Medical Group is known for its patient‑centered approach, focusing on accessible care and building strong relationships with patients to ensure long‑term health and well‑being. It is an essential healthcare resource for the Plymouth area, often serving a broad demographic of individuals and families.

The organisation is patient‑driven and has used patient feedback in the past to develop innovative services such as a bespoke smart phone app, patient‑centred practice websites, joint working with the third sector and a bespoke e‑consultation service.

Our vision is to enable patients to live longer healthier lives that are full active and meaningful.

Person Specification

Skills

• Educational Background
• Secretarial and typing qualification
• Office Management or Administration, qualification or a related field is highly advantageous.
• Experience
• Proven experience as a Secretary, Administrative Assistant, or similar role with a strong focus on referral coordination and patient interaction.
• Experience using healthcare systems, especially those related to referral processes.
• Proficiency in managing electronic health records and referral systems, ensuring accurate and timely processing of information.
• Strong typing skills and experience with medical terminology to efficiently handle referral correspondence and documentation.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, capable of effectively interacting with patients, healthcare providers, and insurance companies.
• Strong interpersonal skills to provide empathetic and informed responses to patient inquiries.
• Exceptional organisational and time management skills; able to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Attention to detail, especially in compiling and managing accurate records and reports on referral statuses and outcomes.
• Ability to analyse referral data and reports to identify trends, issues, and opportunities for process improvement.
• Skill in using software tools to generate insights and enhance the efficiency of referral processes.
• Proactive in identifying and resolving issues within the referral system or in patient communications.
• Ability to anticipate needs and deliver solutions to facilitate seamless referral operations.
• Flexible and adaptive to changing workflows and technology integrations in healthcare administration.
• Capacity to learn and master new software systems related to referral management quickly.
• Experienced in working collaboratively in a team‑oriented environment, ensuring clear communication and coordinated efforts in patient care management.
• Supportive of team goals and cooperative in handling shared tasks.
• Commitment to ethical practices, ensuring confidentiality and integrity in handling patient information.
• High level of professionalism and reliability, particularly in managing sensitive or critical patient information.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.