Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Medical Secretary, Neurology, Band 3
Closing date: 10 May 2026
The Neurology team is looking for motivated, organized, and efficient secretaries to join the Neurology Support Team. The successful candidate will provide confidential and professional secretarial services to medical staff, supporting patient care and specialist services.
Main duties of the job
* Provide comprehensive secretarial and administrative service to medical staff and their supporting team.
* Cover for colleagues in their absence to maintain service levels.
* Ensure excellent communication with patients, relatives, GPs, and other hospital staff.
* Maximise clinic usage and manage vacant slots in coordination with the Booking Office.
* Inform the secretarial supervisor of progress, capacity issues, delays, or difficult queries.
* Manage the two‑week wait pathway to minimise breaches.
* Review and validate the clinician's return outpatient wait list.
* Support Trust performance by meeting administrative standards and escalating 52‑week breach risks.
* Handle clinic cancellations/alterations in line with the Trust's 8‑week annual/study leave policy.
Job responsibilities
Referrals and Booking
* Respond to enquiries by letter, e‑mail, and telephone from patients, GPs, other hospitals, police, solicitors, and consultants.
* Highlight results or patient queries that require clinical response; take action such as booking investigations or transcription.
* Book follow‑up appointments and investigations, negotiating dates with patients and creating correspondence.
* Coordinate procedures, negotiating dates with clinical staff and patients, and arranging staff, equipment, stock, facilities, external support, and paperwork.
* Ensure vacant slots are utilised and inform the Booking Office to maximise capacity.
* Arrange translation services for patients when required.
Transcription
* Type correspondence to patients, GPs, medical staff and other recipients using digital dictation or Dragon voice recognition.
* Type detailed medical reports when necessary.
* Handle DVLA forms and ensure completion and dispatch.
* Take and transcribe minutes.
* Delegate tasks to the band 2 clerical assistant when appropriate.
Specialty‑specific support
* Inform the secretarial supervisor of progress and urgent issues such as capacity or delays.
* Liaise with external organisations (e.g., Social Services, hospitals) to advance patient care.
Service improvement
* Accurately record patient information and clinic activity for audit and survey purposes.
* Perform regular data audits to support service improvement and decision‑making.
* Manage diary, arrange appointments, meetings, and venues.
* Support process improvements, contribute to service reviews, and implement new arrangements.
* Assist in resolving complaints or concerns by collating information and escalating as directed.
Team‑working
* Work as part of an administrative support team, ensuring work is shared and performed to high standards.
* Cover colleagues during absences; undertake cross‑cover and training as requested.
* Perform routine office duties: electronic note tracking, photocopying, faxing, filing, and record maintenance.
* Assist in training and induction for new and existing colleagues.
* Take initiative, work flexibly, and adapt to department demands.
* Ensure process changes run smoothly and efficiently.
* Undertake other duties as required by line manager.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in literacy and numeracy.
* IT experience with Microsoft Office packages.
* Typewriting / word‑processing RSA Level 3 or equivalent practical experience.
* NVQ in Administration level 2.
Experience
* Appropriate experience in a hospital or office environment.
* Experience working as a secretary.
* Understanding and previous experience in medical terminology.
Knowledge / Skills
* Ability to prioritise own workload and that of others.
* Resilience and ability to manage complexity and ambiguity.
* Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills.
* Proficiency with hospital computer systems.
* Self‑motivation and initiative to prioritise workload.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
The post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Employer name
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Salary: £25,760 to £27,476 a year (pro rata if part‑time)
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