Medical Secretary | Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; England; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in the United Kingdom is looking for a Key Departmental Secretary in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. This role requires excellent communication skills and the ability to manage office operations independently. Responsibilities include coordinating appointments and serving as a communication hub for healthcare staff. The ideal candidate will be organized, proactive, and capable of handling sensitive conversations discreetly. Opportunities for training and career development are available.

Benefits

Access to training and development programs

Commitment to equality and diversity

Qualifications

• Proven ability to handle sensitive conversations with tact and discretion.
• Capable of independently managing emails and correspondence efficiently.
• Experience in coordinating appointments and managing diaries.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a communication hub for medical staff and external organisations.
• Coordinate patient appointments, particularly for cancer pathways.
• Manage typing and processing of correspondence and maintain electronic diaries.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Organizational skills

Problem-solving skills

Empathy

Job description

Overview

Join Our Team as a Key Departmental Secretary in Obstetrics and Gynaecology! Are you someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment and loves being the go-to person who keeps everything running smoothly? In this vital role, you’ll provide comprehensive secretarial support to our Obstetrics and Gynaecology Consultants, specialist nurses, and clinicians — becoming an essential part of a compassionate and dedicated team. You’ll often work independently, using your initiative and problem-solving skills to handle enquiries and ensure seamless office operations, especially when clinicians are unavailable. Your excellent communication skills will shine as you connect with patients, families, medical professionals, and allied health colleagues — always delivering a warm, professional, and efficient service that meets the needs of our patients. If you’re organized, proactive, and ready to make a real difference behind the scenes, this role offers an exciting opportunity to be at the heart of a dynamic healthcare team.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a vital communication hub for all medical, professional, and allied healthcare staff both within the Trust and with external organisations. Use your judgement and expertise to ensure enquiries are handled smoothly and effectively, facilitating successful outcomes for everyone involved.
• Handle sensitive conversations with patients and relatives thoughtfully and discreetly, demonstrating tact, patience, and empathy
• Work independently to manage incoming mail and emails, sorting, distributing, and prioritising correspondence with sound judgement.
• Coordinate closely with the bookings team to arrange timely appointments for patients on Referral to Treatment (RTT) or cancer pathways, supporting seamless patient care.
• Actively support the progress of patient pathways—especially those on the cancer pathway—to ensure all targets and deadlines are met, working alongside the Clinical Nurse Specialist and Service Manager.
• Manage typing and processing of outstanding correspondence through BigHand, proactively chasing approvals, results, and investigations to keep clinicians informed and actions on track.
• Maintain electronic diaries for the team, expertly organising appointments, meetings, and office arrangements to keep the department running smoothly
• Communicate promptly any changes to consultant availability, keeping relevant staff informed and services running without interruption.

About the Trust

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Please see attached documents below for more information of Job Description and Person Specification.

This advert closes on Sunday 19 Oct 2025