Personal Medical Secretary

Merseywestlancs; Knowsley; Remote; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Generous pension scheme

27 days annual leave (pro rata)

Job summary

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking a Personal Medical Secretary (Band 4) to support Dermatology consultants and clinical teams at St Helens Hospital. The role is 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, with a fixed-term contract ending 31.08.27.

We require strong audio typing, organisation and discretion, with experience in medical terminology and secretarial duties. Salary £28,392–£31,157 per year, pro rata where applicable. Applications via NHS Jobs.

Qualifications

• Keep diary up to date, arrange appointments, travel and accommodation.
• Type dictation from audio transcription of clinical correspondence and documentation.
• Type discharge summaries and follow-up arrangements.
• Manage 18-week pathways including external referrals in PAS.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive service to Consultants and Specialty Team.
• Keep diary up to date and arrange appointments.
• Type dictation from audio and discharge summaries.
• Ensure follow-ups and investigations are arranged.
• Support non-clinical activities and minutes at meetings.
• Assist in managing clinic/theatre lists and leave calendars.

Skills

Organised

Audio typing

Communication

Discretion

Independent work

Education

GSCE Standard or Higher

RSA 3 – Typing/Word Processing

RSA 3 – Medical Audio Typing

Medical Terminology

Shorthand/Speed Writing

Secretarial Diploma

ECDL

CLAIT award

Tools

MS Office

PAS system

Job description

We want talented and enthusiastic people from all backgrounds to join #TeamMWL, with us you can learn, grow and develop yourself and your career, realising your true ambitions and aspirations.

Whatever you’re looking for in your career, you’ll find it here at MWL.

Main area Admin and clerical Grade NHS AfC: Band 4 Contract Fixed term: 12 months (until September 2027) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 409-8247639

Site Whiston Hospital Town Prescot Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 28/10/2026 23:59

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third‑party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e‑mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. By applying for this post you are agreeing to "name of trust" transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Job overview

Job Advert – Personal Medical Secretary (Band 4)

Clinical Support Services Division

Based at St Helens Hospital

37.5 hours per week - working Monday - Friday 9am-5pm (contract ends 31.08.27)

We are looking for an organised and proactive Personal Medical Secretary to support our consultants and clinical teams within Dermatology. This is a key role within a fast‑paced specialty where excellent administrative support is essential to providing high‑quality patient care.

Previous applicants need not apply.

Please note- it is the applicant’s responsibility to seek authorisation from their current manager to be released for the secondment before a formal application is made.

The JD & PS are currently under AfC review and are subject to change.

Main duties of the job

About the Role

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Highly organised with strong audio typing and administrative skills.
• Able to work independently in a busy environment.
• Confident communicating with patients and clinical staff.
• Accurate, detail‑focused and discreet.

If you’re motivated, adaptable and committed to delivering excellent support, we’d love to hear from you.

Working for our organisation

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

Our services:

Acute Care

Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care

Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services

Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services

We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To provide a comprehensive service to the Consultant and Speciality Team including nurse clinicians.

Keep diary up to date, arrange appointments, and arrange travel and accommodation.

Operate an effective bring forward system and filing system.

Type dictation from audio transcription of clinical correspondence and documentation, ensuring all letter and workflow processes are adhered to and Standard Operating Procedures are followed.

Type discharge summaries as appropriate.

Check against clinical letters to ensure appropriate follow up arrangements/investigations are in place. Rectify if not.

To manage and maintain 18‑week pathways including Tertiary Referrals to external Trusts and ensure these are completed on the PAS system.

Keep track of referrals to ensure patient is reviewed promptly. Check that follow up appointments are arranged in conjunction with Referral To Treat (RTT) patient pathway.

Support Consultant in non‑clinical activities/Clinical Director role by preparing presentation documents using relevant packages and arranging meetings, circulate agenda/supporting papers as appropriate, and taking minutes at meetings.

Ensure appropriate personnel are informed of consultant annual/study leave. Amend clinic/theatre lists/forms appropriately. Keep Consultants informed of junior doctor leave could have an effect on the service.

Our Values

• We are Kind
• We are Open
• We are Inclusive

Qualifications

• GSCE Standard or Higher
• RSA 3 – Typing / Word Processing
• RSA 3 – Medical Audio Typing
• Medical Terminology
• Shorthand / Speed Writing
• Secretarial Diploma
• ECDL
• CLAIT award

Experience

• Minute Taking
• Microsoft Office Experience
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Previous Medical Secretary Experience
• Medical Audio Typing
• 2 years’ experience in a similar role or equivalent knowledge

Skills

• Excellent organisational skills
• Ability to communicate professionally at all levels
• Excellent Word Processing and Keyboard skills
• Ability to organise workload effectively and prioritise
• Use of all Microsoft Office software, Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint
• Ability to use initiative to solve problems
• Knowledge of Trust computer systems

Other

• Highly developed interpersonal skills
• Ability to use own initiative and work independently
• Capability to adapt to most situations
• Reliable and conscientious
• Ability to maintain control of stressful situations
• Able to work the hours and undertake duties required
• Ability to travel across hospital sites when required
• Possess a friendly and approachable personality
• Ability to show understanding an appreciation
• Comply with Trust policies and procedures at all times
• Ability and willingness to undergo further training for the post
• Maintain confidentiality at all times

Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.

Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.

The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under‑represented groups.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

If you are having difficulty completing an online application, or require any disability reasonable adjustments, to the application process, please contact [e-mail]

We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details are shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision‑making process.

The equality monitoring information you provide is used in the following situations: to review our recruitment practices; where a job is limited to a specific person to verify their eligibility to apply; and to offer disability reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.

Certificate of Sponsorship

eVisa Update

For successful candidates on selected work and study visa routes, who have completed and paid for their applications will no longer receive a visa vignette in passport as evidence of their permission to enter the UK.

Instead, you will be issued with an eVisa only, which is accessed by creating a UKVI account.

Before travelling to the UK, we advise applicants to:

• Understand how to generate an eVisa share code

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 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.

Please note if applicable, applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment.

If you have not already done so, you are therefore encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service to which a small annual fee of £13 per year applies.

Flexible Working

We actively support flexible working patterns throughout MWL. Changes made to the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook mean that:

• All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
• There is no limit on the number of requests they can make.
• Employees have the right to make requests, have them considered, regardless of the reason.

At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we will consider requests for flexible working. We would also encourage you to also discuss flexible working options at interview stage.

Working for Team MWL

Staff recognition is especially important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Employee of the month. Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

The Trust is a non-smoking across all our sites. Failure to follow this rule could lead to disciplinary action. For more information, see the Smoke Free NHS website.

You will be expected to undertake the Trusts' commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

You must ensure that your application, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

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