Job summary This varied and challenging post will provide an opportunity for a reliable and friendly individual to work within the Forensic Medicine Unit (FMU) situated within the Royal Victoria Infirmary, part of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. You will work closely with the current clerical staff in the FMU and provide cover in their absence, which may include covering perinatal secretary, clerical support in Coroner's Post Mortem services, dealing with enquiries and coordinating matters to do with tissue retention and disposal. You must have previous experience at personal secretary level. You will have significant secretarial experience and advanced proficiency of Microsoft Office packages is essential. Excellent skills in organisation, minute-taking, numeracy, audio dictation and keyboard, and proficiency in the working of emails and spreadsheets are essential. You will also have the ability to work as a member of a team or on your own initiative with minimal supervision. Knowledge and experience of Patient Administration Systems would be an advantage but it is not essential as training will be given. Interview Date Tuesday 18 February 2025 37 Hours 30 Minutes/Week You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy. NO AGENCIES PLEASE Main duties of the job You will provide a high quality comprehensive secretarial and administrative service ensuring the effective and efficient running of the Team, while working under pressure with competing demands. You will be required to receive telephone calls, sometimes of complex and sensitive nature and providing general non-clinical advice/information to members of the public, service users, other professionals and staff on a daily basis. Exposure to disturbing information is routine, therefore you should possess a higher degree of emotional resilience. The post holder will undertake a key role in linking with the Coroners, and auditing this process, to ensure that samples are retained or disposed of in accordance with the HTA guidelines. We welcome applications from individuals with reasonable knowledge of the NHS, knowledge of medical and / or medico-legal terminology and with previous experience of HM Coroners systems and other external bodies with which the FMU unit has close working relationships. About us Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites: o Freeman Hospital o Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) o Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site) o Newcastle Dental Hospital o Newcastle Fertility Centre o Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria o Northern Genetics Service o Cramlington Manor Walks These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS. We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites. Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'. For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Date posted 23 January 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 4 Salary £26,530 to £29,114 a year per annum Contract Fixed term Duration 6 months Working pattern Full-time Reference number 317-2025-03-041 Job locations Royal Victoria Infirmary 317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary NE1 4LP Job description Job responsibilities To provide secretarial support to the paediatric/perinatal pathologists and Forensic Medicine Unit (FMU) which will involve working closely with the current clerical staff in the FMU and providing cover in their absence. This includes clerical support for the Adult Consented and Coroners Post Mortem services. Much of the work consists of booking in cases, typing reports, dealing with enquiries, sending out reports and recording information on spreadsheets and databases. To coordinate matters to do with post-mortem tissue and organ retention and disposal including maintaining spreadsheets and creating lists of tissue for disposal. To maintain the foetal register and on a monthly basis prepare lists for appropriate cremation. To provide an efficient and cost effective secretarial service for the department maintaining QA standards. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you. Job description Job responsibilities To provide secretarial support to the paediatric/perinatal pathologists and Forensic Medicine Unit (FMU) which will involve working closely with the current clerical staff in the FMU and providing cover in their absence. This includes clerical support for the Adult Consented and Coroners Post Mortem services. Much of the work consists of booking in cases, typing reports, dealing with enquiries, sending out reports and recording information on spreadsheets and databases. To coordinate matters to do with post-mortem tissue and organ retention and disposal including maintaining spreadsheets and creating lists of tissue for disposal. To maintain the foetal register and on a monthly basis prepare lists for appropriate cremation. To provide an efficient and cost effective secretarial service for the department maintaining QA standards. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you. Person Specification Qualifications & Education Essential Must have previous experience at personal secretary level Knowledge & Experience Essential Must have knowledge and experience of using Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook Must have knowledge of all office procedures Must have a good knowledge of medical terminology Must have a basic knowledge and understanding of the role of Cellular Pathology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease Knowledge of other external bodies with which the FMU unit has close working relationships Working knowledge of HM Coroners systems Desirable Knowledge and basic understanding of the role of Cellular Pathology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease Experience of using APEX Knowledge of minute taking Previous clinical/secretarial experience with medico-legal and autopsy work Understanding of consent requirements for autopsies and organ retention Understanding of the Human Tissue Act (2004) Skills & Abilities Essential To be able to use audio digital dictation Ability to organise conferences, meetings and events Person Specification Qualifications & Education Essential Must have previous experience at personal secretary level Knowledge & Experience Essential Must have knowledge and experience of using Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook Must have knowledge of all office procedures Must have a good knowledge of medical terminology Must have a basic knowledge and understanding of the role of Cellular Pathology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease Knowledge of other external bodies with which the FMU unit has close working relationships Working knowledge of HM Coroners systems Desirable Knowledge and basic understanding of the role of Cellular Pathology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease Experience of using APEX Knowledge of minute taking Previous clinical/secretarial experience with medico-legal and autopsy work Understanding of consent requirements for autopsies and organ retention Understanding of the Human Tissue Act (2004) Skills & Abilities Essential To be able to use audio digital dictation Ability to organise conferences, meetings and events 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). Additional 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). Employer details Employer name The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Address Royal Victoria Infirmary 317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary NE1 4LP Employer's website https://careers.nuth.nhs.uk/why-us (Opens in a new tab)