Job summary
We are seeking keen and enthusiastic people to provide strong secretarial, organisational and administrative support within our Orthodontic Department, supporting the consultants and clinicians.
The successful candidates will ideally have a medical secretarial background with strong computer skills including fast and accurate audio typing. Key skills required are excellent verbal and written communication skills, enabling communication at all levels, a keen eye for detail, good time management, and the ability to work to tight deadlines prioritising workload under pressure while working efficiently as part of a friendly, busy team, ensuring the best possible care for our patients in a timely manner whilst ensuring that targets adhered to.
Main duties of the job
To provide full secretarial and administrative support to the Orthodontic Department.
To work flexibly and sensitively with other disciplines both on and off the QVH site.
To provide and receive confidential and sensitive information written, aural or verbal, to be exchanged with patients/clients, relatives, staff or external parties.
To review and manage the patient pathway to ensure all Orthodontic and RTT targets are met, escalating concerns when they arise.
To communicate sensitively and appropriately with patients.
About us
Rated GOOD overall with outstanding care by the CQC. A specialist NHS hospital providing life-changing reconstructive surgery, burns care and rehabilitation services across the South of England and beyond.
A centre of excellence, with an international reputation for pioneering advanced techniques and treatments. Everything we do is informed by our passion for providing the highest quality care and the best clinical outcomes.
At QVH we are proud of our achievements and our specialist services continue to record excellent clinical outcomes for patients. We regularly receive excellent results from patient satisfaction surveys and on average 98% of inpatients say they would recommend the hospital to their family or friends.
Our success is underpinned by the skills and enthusiasm of our staff and a strong culture of partnership. We are fully committed to training and development of the workforce with support for continuing education and learning.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Liaison with Nursing and Diagnostic Imaging support services to QVH and off-site clinics.
Maintain close and collaborative working relationships with the Team Leader and other administrative and clinical staff.
Maintain effective manual and computerised systems to ensure accurate and timely delivery of information to patients and professionals.
Deal with correspondence making use of IT, email, internet and intranet, using initiative and discretion to prioritise.
Deal with all telephone calls promptly and courteously with an empathetic approach.
Respond sympathetically to individual needs within resources available.
Type clinic letters from digital dictation to meet Trust guidelines on responses.
Ensure clinic letters are sent out to dental practitioners and GPs within agreed time frame of the clinic date.
Prioritise results needing urgent attention and chase for results where needed.
Co-ordinate and monitor patients that require follow up tests to ensure the tests and results are obtained wherever possible.
Ensure an audit trail in the patients notes is kept.
Co-ordinate matters arising from clinical appointments and arrange further referrals/ investigations as directed. This includes liaison with external trusts conducting interventional/diagnostic procedures and the tracking of these patients through their pathway ensuring that interventional/ diagnostic reports are available for Clinicians review prior to or for patient follow-up appointments.
Responding to the requests of the Patient Access team regarding Orthodontic and RTT18 queries and/ or input clinical outcomes for clinics.
Book appointments for patients for the services as required onto Patient Centre.
Manage patients expectations when booking appointments and advising them of updates.
Monitor clinics to ensure that they are fully utilised and ensure full clinics wherever possible.
Monitor the patient pathways for all patients in the service, making every effort to ensure all patients are offered an appointment within 6 weeks of referral.
Schedule all diagnostics that are required for each clinic type in a time effective order to ensure the patients receive an excellent service from QVH.
Ensure there are regular reviews of all the outstanding patients in the service to ensure patients are seen in the timescales allowed.
Support the Team Leader to gather monitoring data for the service as required.
Create and maintain patient case notes in preparation for outpatient consultation clinics, working closely with medical records department where necessary.
Ensure patient case notes are stored, tracked and archived according to Trust guidelines.
Develop and maintain a sound knowledge of medical terminology, tests, symptoms and procedures.
Actively participate in departmental meetings as required.
Where required assist in maintaining stationery/ equipment stock control for the department.
Attend statutory Trust training courses as necessary and access training ensuring continued professional development within the service.
Assist with the supervision of temporary or new secretaries when covering for holidays and sickness.
Follow the QVH Trusts guidelines on confidentiality.
Ensure a professional image of QVH and the service is maintained at all times.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. Secondary education to GCSE level including English and Maths
2. NVQ level 3 in administration or equivalent experience or RSA level III or able to demonstrate equivalent skill
Experience
Essential
3. Significant experience in secretarial/administration, preferably in a medical setting
4. Working in a multi-disciplinary team
5. Aware of confidentiality and General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
Desirable
6. Knowledge and awareness of medical terminology
7. Knowledge of NHS performance/targets
Skills
Essential
8. o Accurate audio typing o Typing speed of at least 60wpm Audio typing
9. Proficient use of computers and software packages, including the knowledge of databases and spreadsheets
Attributes
Essential
10. Good command of English, both written and verbal, with good grammatical and spelling ability
11. Attention to detail with high degree of personal organisation, prioritisation and self-management
12. Demonstrate ability to work under pressure