Team Medical Secretary (XN03)

NHS; Leeds; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Medical Secretary in the Haematology Department at Leeds Cancer Centre. The role involves typing clinical documents, managing patient correspondence, and supporting clinical teams to ensure timely patient care. Candidates should possess strong organizational and interpersonal skills, alongside a commitment to maintaining the highest standards within a busy healthcare environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in secretarial work, preferably in a healthcare setting.
• Ability to use IT systems for managing clinical documentation.
• Proven skills in audio typing and proofreading.

Responsibilities

• Typing and proofreading clinical correspondence efficiently.
• Managing patient inquiries and facilitating follow-up appointments.
• Collaborating with clinical teams to enhance patient care.

Skills

Interpersonal and communication skills

Organisational skills

Time management

Understanding of customer care principles

Ability to deal with sensitive information

Tact and diplomacy

Education

GCSE Grade C or above in English and Maths

Audio typing/Word Processing Skills RSA II

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Patient information systems (e.g., PAS, PPM)

Job description

Anexciting and rewarding opportunity has arisen to join the HaematologyDepartment, within the Oncology CSU. We are looking for a driven, focused andhighly motivated individual to join our team in the role of MedicalSecretary. The position is 37.5 hours over 5 days flexibility with in thecore hours between 8.00am until 5.30pm. The successful candidate will play apivotal role as a Medical Secretary for the Thrombosis, VTE and Haemophiliateams and be the backbone of patient care, ensuring timely clinicalcorrespondence, managing workloads efficiently, and supporting a seamlesspatient journey. Your dedication will contribute to exceeding nationalstandards, improving patient experiences, and upholding our values of beingpatient-centred, collaborative, fair, accountable, and empowered. Embrace adiverse and inclusive culture, working collaboratively to create a positiveimpact. As a vital member of our Haematology, Haemophilia, Thrombosis and VTEteam, you'll be responsible for typing and proof reading clinicalcorrespondence, using IT skills to support consultants, and activelyparticipating in administrative processes. Your dedication will ensure thatpatients smoothly progress through their pathways by coordinating follow-upappointments and addressing inquiries. Embrace a proactive approach incollaborating with colleagues and other departments to deliver excellentpatient care.

previous applicants need not apply.

Main duties of the job

Thispivotal role involves serving as a crucial link between clinical teams andpatients in Leeds, ensuring the seamless flow of medical correspondence andadministrative processes. As a medical secretary, you'll be responsible foraudio typing/typing and proofreading clinical documents, minute taking,utilising diverse IT skills to support consultants, and managing workloads inalignment with departmental requirements. Your role extends beyond paperwork,as you actively contribute to improving patient experiences by facilitatingthe movement of patients through their 18-week pathway or other nationalwaiting time standards. Handling patient inquiries and phone calls, you'llplay a key role in maintaining effective communication channels betweenmedical teams, patients and external stakeholders.

Inaddition to clinical correspondence, the position involves maintaining anefficient administration service. You'll collaborate with fellow Team MedicalSecretaries to proactively plan workloads, create and manage record systems,and provide guidance. Ensuring the confidentiality and accuracy of healthrecords is paramount, and you'll be responsible for tracking and storingrecords appropriately. This role also includes accessing information systems,covering for colleagues during absences, and undertaking any other dutiesdeemed necessary by the Trust or Directorates.

About us

LeedsCancer Centre is one of the most prestigious oncology departments in the UK,providing an ideal infrastructure for high quality multidisciplinary cancerservices and ensuring the best outcomes for the catchment population of WestYorkshire and the Yorkshire Cancer Network.

Ourvalues are part of what make us different from other trusts. They have beendeveloped by our staff and set out what we see as important to how wework. Our five values are:Patient-centred, Collaborative, Fair, Accountable and Empowered. All actionsand endeavours are underpinned by these values.

TheOncology CSU includes: Medical and Clinical Oncology, Specialist PalliativeMedicine, Haematology, as well as Breast and Endocrine Surgery, ThoracicSurgery and Gynaecology Oncology. We are based within the Bexley Wing at St.Jamess Hospital.

LeedsTeaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job advertsare subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or removeadverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in theshortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while thisprocess is completed, and contact the named contact if you have anyquestions.

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

Toprovide a comprehensive and high quality medical secretarial service tosupport clinical teams (Consultants, their medical teams e.g. junior medicalstaff or specialist nursing staff as appropriate) in delivering high qualitycare to the patients of Leeds and beyond. This role will additionally make akey contribution in improving the patient experience by supportingDirectorate teams with the movement of patients through their 18-week pathwayor other national waiting time standards as appropriate.

. Job Dimensions

Thepost-holder will:

Work as part of a team to ensurethat all clinical correspondence is turned around in a timely manner to allowpatients to move through their pathway without any delays

Work with Consultants and theirmedical teams.

Manage their workload in line withdepartmental requirements or as identified by the Senior Medical Secretary.

Deal with patient enquiries.

Play a key role in ensuring thatpatients move systematically through their pathways by ensuring that the nextsteps are in the pipeline.

. Knowledge, Skills and ExperienceRequired

Qualifications

Audio typing/Word Processing Skills(RSA II) or equivalent experience (essential)

GCSE Grade C or above English andMaths (or equivalent e.g. AMSPAR Level 2 qualification) (essential)

Experience

Using a variety of Microsoft officepackages including word, excel and PowerPoint (essential)

Using patient information systemssuch as PAS (essential) and PPM (desirable) or the ability to quickly developthis knowledge in a short time frame. In some specific cases additionalsystem knowledge would be considered desirable e.g. using Mosaic within theOncology & Physics teams.

Prioritising and managing workloadto meet deadlines (essential)

Dealing with internal and externalenquiries originating from a variety of sources including but not limited to:staff in other Departments, patients, staff in GP surgeries (desirable)

Secretarial experience (essential)

Previous secretarial experience ina healthcare setting (desirable)

Skills& Knowledge

Thecandidate must demonstrate excellence and ability within the following areas:

Interpersonal and communicationskills (essential)

Organisational skills and timemanagement (essential)

Understanding of customer careprinciples (essential)

A broad understanding of medicalterminology and its use within clinical correspondence (essential)

Ability to work as part of a team(essential)

Ability to communicate sensitivelywith a wide range of people including patients, using tact and diplomacy(essential)

Ability to deal with sensitive andoften emotive information (essential)

Ability to deal with enquiries inan appropriate and supportive manner (essential)

Knowledge and application of theData Protection Act in relation to patient confidentiality and theappropriate care of patient information (essential).

A good understanding of relevantTrust standards and National Waiting Time Standards e.g. 5-day turnaround ofclinical correspondence, 18 week wait for patients (desirable). Training willbe offered as part of the role to ensure appointed candidates meet thisrequirement during the course of their employment.

. THE LEEDS WAY VALUES

Ourvalues are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see thisas a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by ourstaff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are:

Accountable

Empowered

Allour actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values.

7. West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts(WYAAT)

LeedsTeaching Hospitals NHS Trust is part of the West Yorkshire Association ofAcute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from acrossWest Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possiblecare for our patients.

By bringing together the wide range ofskills and expertise across West Yorkshire and Harrogate we are workingdifferently, innovating and driving forward change to deliver the highestquality care. By working for LeedsTeaching Hospitals NHS Trust this is your opportunity to be a part of thatchange.

WYAAT is the acute sector arm of the WestYorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, one of the largestintegrated care systems in the country. The Partnerships ambition is foreveryone to have the best possible health and wellbeing, and the work ofWYAAT, and each individual trust, supports that ambition.

8. Core Values & Behaviours

Thisindividual will be expected to work well as part of a team and should bepatient focused, professional and flexible in their approach to work.

. Core Knowledge and Understanding

See Knowledge/Skills and Experienceabove.

. Principal duties and areas ofresponsibility

ClinicalCorrespondence & Support to Clinical Service Typing/proof reading clinical correspondence relating tooutpatient and inpatient attendances and other patient related correspondenceon behalf of the consultant and clinical teams.

Use a range of IT skills to supportthe clinical work of the consultant e.g. use of databases and spreadsheets tomonitor test results for patients.

Support administrative process asdeemed appropriate by the Senior Medical Secretary and PSC.

To support the clinical teams inthe delivery of excellent patient care by actively working with colleaguesand other Departments to ensure that all patients registered within theservice are proactively supported through their patient journey (This wouldinclude but is not limited to: ensuring that follow-up and/or dischargeappointments have been made for patients when required escalating to thePatient Services Co-ordinator where appointments have been booked outside therequested timescales).

Any other general administrativeduties associated with the consultant/clinical team outpatient and inpatientworkload.

Answer phone calls and deal withenquiries relating to patients and clinical work from a variety of sources,directly resolving where possible or transferring to appropriate personnel.

Liaise with GPs, hospital staff andothers on behalf of consultant in relation to clinical workload.

Maintain appropriate databases(both Trust and Departmental) to support with the delivery of the 18-weekpathway or other waiting time standards as appropriate.

Assist in the coordination of testresults, bringing these to the attention of the consultant and takingresulting action as required.

Together with colleagues todeputise for the Senior Medical Secretary in cases of absence to ensureDepartmental standards are maintained

In conjunction with other TeamMedical Secretaries and under the supervision of the Senior Medical Secretaryto work collectively as a team proactively planning workloads to meetdifferent deadlines and timescales.

Create and maintain appropriaterecord systems relating to clinical workload e.g. tests and resultsspreadsheets

Provide guidance to clericalsupport officers as necessary.

Ensure that health records aretracked on entering and leaving the Department and stored in an appropriatemanner in line with Trust Policy and patient confidentiality.

Ensure that health records aremaintained to a high standard at all times. All documentation andinvestigation results must be securely filed in the correct section inchronological order. Support Data Quality Indicators by ensuring that patientinformation is accurate and updated on relevant paper and computerisedsystems.

Access information systems toobtain clinical information as required by the medical teams includinginvestigation results or other information e.g. from results server, PPM orWinDIP

Work as part of the team to ensurethat all phone calls are answered within the department during core officehours.

Provide information to SeniorMedical Secretary/PSC/Assistant PSC, as appropriate, relating to workload andwork outstanding.

Provide cover for other teamsecretaries/clerical staff when on annual leave or sick leave.

Any other duties that from time totime may be deemed necessary by the Trust/Directorates that are commensurateto the role.

Healthand Safety/Risk Management

Allstaff are responsible for working with their colleagues to maintain andimprove the quality of services provided to our patients and other serviceusers. This includes complying at alltimes with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust policies, including Health andSafety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures,and reporting incidents using the Trust Incident Reporting System.

InfectionControl

Thejobholder must comply at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHSTrust Infection Control policies, in particular by practising UniversalInfection Control Precaution. Handhygiene must be performed before and after contact with patients and theirenvironment.

Equalityand Diversity

Thejobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensureequality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet theindividual needs of patients and their families. No person whether they arestaff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because oftheir gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religionetc.

Patientand Public Involvement

TheTrust has a statutory duty to involve patients and public in evaluating andplanning services. All staff have aresponsibility to listen to the views of patients and to contribute toservice improvements based on patient feedback.

previous applicants please do not apply.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Audio typing/Word Processing Skills RSA II or equivalent experience
• GCSE Grade C or above (or equivalent e.g. AMSPAR Level 2) in English and Maths
• ECDL

Other Criteria

• Adaptability and willingness to learn skills associated with the role as may be required

Experience

• Secretarial experience
• Using Microsoft office packages including word, excel and PowerPoint
• Prioritising and managing workload to meet deadlines
• Use of patient information systems, such as PAS.
• Liaising with a variety of sources to provide information when required
• Use of PPM and other department-relevant systems e.g. Mosaic

Skills & Behaviours

• Interpersonal and communication skills.
• A broad understanding of medical terminology and its use within clinical correspondence
• Organisational skills and time management.
• Understanding of customer care principles.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• knowledge and application of the Data Protection Act in relation to patient confidentiality and the appropriate care of patient information.
• Ability to deal with enquiries in an appropriate and supportive manner.
• Ability to deal with sensitive and emotive information.
• Use of tact, diplomacy and sensitivity with wide range of people and in various situations
• Understanding of relevant Trust standards and other NHS waiting time standards e.g. 5-day turnaround of clinical correspondence, 18-week wait for patients.