Job summary
We are seeking an experienced medical secretary with excellent computer, interpersonal, customer service and organisational skills to join our team. Good telephone communication manner essential. The right candidate will have a methodical approach to fluctuating workloads, the ability to work under pressure, and as part of a team, with a consistent positive and can do attitude.
Previous experience in a GP healthcare setting is essential. SystmOne clinical system experience is desirable, but training will be provided
Main duties of the job
To provide general secretarial support to the doctors and health care professionals involving word processing and audio typing skills alongside general clerical work.
Working hours are between 8:30am to 6pm Monday to Friday with occasional Saturday work with advance notice.
We are looking to recruit for this role as quickly as possible and will review applications regularly, so the job may close early if a successful candidate is found.
About us
St Austell Healthcare (SAH) formed in May 2015 comprising the four former practices in St Austell. The GP surgery in Mevagissey joined in 2021. We have a total list size of 37,400 patients. Were a Primary Care Network (PCN) in our own right and winner of NAPC Primary Care Home award for 2019/20. The practice offers unparalleled peer support, the chance to influence the future of community based medical care and the opportunity to earn well alongside an experienced and friendly team.
Job description
Job responsibilities
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Referrals
1. Generating NHS and private referrals and associated admin. This will be from both dictation and written requests from clinicians.
2. Send all referrals via Referral Management Service RMS or as appropriate.
3. Monitor referrals, coordinating rejected referrals and maintaining data on referrals sent.
4. Maintain up to date data on referrals sent, logging, coding referrals as appropriate.
5. Amend patient address details when necessary.
6. Contact patients regarding any missing information, arranging practice appointments when necessary.
7. Provide support for practice delivered services, typing and sending onward referrals including IPT Inter-Provider Transfers
Correspondence
8. To provide an efficient audio, copy typing and word processing service for GPs and Health Professionals as required. This includes the typing of letters, reports, patient referrals, minutes, etc. in an accurate, timely and quality manner.
9. Assess the urgency of outgoing correspondence consulting where appropriate, and act accordingly.
10. Co-ordinate and despatch outgoing correspondence internal mail, external mail, and emails
11. Ensure that outgoing external mail is posted to catch the last collection on each working day, ensuring the correct postage is applied and that special action such as recorded delivery is taken when necessary.
12. To establish and maintain filing and administrative systems so that written or computer information is easily accessible and secure.
13. To co-ordinate regular practice based multi-disciplinary meetings, attend and take minutes of meetings.
14. To complete tasks from GPs and other clinical staff, such as chasing hospital appointments, letters etc.
Non-NHS Business
15. Responsible for all requests to non-NHS medical reports from GPs.
16. Photocopy medical records and reports to satisfy reasonable requests from external organisations.
17. To obtain medical records and assist the completion of medical/insurance records.
18. Arrange appointments for patients to view notes and medical reports prior to dispatch.
19. Liaise with the external compliers of private medical attendance reports.
External Liaison
20. Liaise with patients and external organisations as necessary.
21. Act as the first point of contact for GP and hospital queries.
Miscellaneous
22. Undertake other administrative tasks as required.
23. To liaise and arrange meetings to include booking of rooms as required.
24. Minute meetings as requested.
25. To provide cover for other members of the secretarial team during periods of sickness and annual leave, this may require cross-cover working at another site.
26. In liaison with the clerk responsible, maintain adequate supplies of office stationery in order to perform your secretarial duties.
27. To assist in the training of any secretarial staff.
Clinical Governance
28. To ensure the Practices ongoing compliance with the CQCs Care Quality Commission essential standards of quality and safety.
29. Contribute to the development and maintenance of sound clinical governance and risk management.
30. Support the development/implementation on any new ways of working policies that need to be introduced across the SAH.
31. Support SAHC in operating a quality assurance but no blame culture that adheres to best practice around incident reporting and whistle blowing.
Engagement with Patients, Internal and External Stakeholders
32. Initiate, develop and maintain excellent third party relationships with CCGs, NHSE Area Teams, sub-contractor providers, patient groups, local community health teams and other stakeholders to grow, maintain and support service and performance delivery.
33. To ensure patient surveys are undertaken, analysed and action plans are developed and acted upon
Confidentiality
34. In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.
35. In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.
36. Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
Person Specification
SKILLS
Essential
37. Ability to work as part of a team
38. Self-motivated with the ability to use your own initiative
39. Ability to manage change
40. Communication and organisational skills with the ability to prioritise
41. Proven interpersonal and communications skills
42. Commitment to self-development
43. Flexible in approach to work
Desirable
44. Interested in/aptitude for learning new skills/taking on new challenges.
Qualifications
Essential
45. NVQ level 3 in administration or RSA level III. proficient and accurate audio typing skills or equivalent experience
46. Minimum 60 wpm audio typing skills
Desirable
47. Medical Secretarial qualification
48. European Computer Driving Licence ECDL
Experience
Essential
49. Previous experience of working within a GP Practice
50. Understanding of Choose & Book referrals processes
51. Understanding of locally commissioned services
52. Demonstrate understanding of key functions of a secretarial role
53. Experience of working in a busy environment. Knowledge of medical terminology and medical read coding.
54. Excellent user of Microsoft Office and general IT skills.
55. Demonstrate an understanding of customer/patient care/ability to work with sensitive and confidential information.
56. Experience of setting up spreadsheets/databases.
Desirable
57. Secretarial experience preferably in medical environment
58. Knowledge of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Access to Medical Records Act
59. Previous experience of working in a pressured environment