Job Overview
To provide an exceptional secretarial and administrative service to consultant Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists and their teams. Ensure a high‑quality secretarial service and coordinate the administrative support of clinical activity. Liaise with consultants and clinical teams, forward‑look and cancel clinics, manage diaries, shared inboxes, process documentation, and perform general administrative tasks. Maintain and monitor processes and systems, mindful of national waiting times such as the 18‑week Referral‑to‑Treatment target, and work as part of a secretarial team to provide support and continuity.
Responsibilities
* Ensure the outcome of patient attendance is recorded correctly on PAS.
* Administer incoming/outgoing post, including opening and managing consultant mail.
* Provide excellent care skills, serving as the main point of contact for patients and delivering a positive patient experience.
* Use effective listening and communication skills when dealing with potentially distressed or bereaved patients and/or relatives; adopt an empathetic approach for patients/relatives seeking assistance from clinical staff or senior managers.
* Promptly answer telephone enquiries, take and relay messages in a polite and helpful manner, and take action as appropriate. This includes enquiries from patients, their GPs, and community hospitals.
* Work alongside the Support Manager to oversee the capacity of outpatient services and address any shortfalls that may arise.
* Manage a shared inbox, ensuring all queries are answered in a reasonable timeframe.
* Understand and apply Trust and departmental guidance on patient access, data protection, and patient confidentiality.
* Deal with all queries competently and professionally, taking action as appropriate in accordance with the Trust Data Protection Guidelines.
* Work with the Support Manager to ensure correct data quality.
* Work with the wider admin team to cancel patient appointments as requested and ensure they are rescheduled in accordance with Trust policy, recording all cancellations and cancellation reasons accurately.
* Communicate with health care professionals locally and externally (e.g., GPs, clinicians in the local community) in an articulate and confident manner.
* Ensure all essential departments are informed of clinician leave so that clinics are rearranged or cancelled accordingly, and anticipate problems with capacity.
* Organise occasional meetings, including booking rooms as necessary, for the clinicians and their teams as requested.
* Ensure funding is in place for patients out of the area or progress applications for procedures that are not funded.
* Assist with general departmental tasks such as ordering stationery.
* Assist with the administration of outstanding patient appointment outcomes (uncashed appointments).
* Carry out general clerical duties such as filing, photocopying, and faxing.
* Exercise judgment and initiative when dealing with enquiries or problem-solving, seeking advice appropriately.
* Provide a flexible approach to support the admin team during times of pressure; provide cover for colleagues across the specialty during periods of planned annual leave and sickness.
* Adhere to all Trust policies, including Infection Control, Hygiene Code, Data Protection Act, Uniform Policy, respecting patients’ rights and diversity, and ensuring fair access to services.
* Undertake additional administrative tasks and responsibilities within the specialty/clinical division as required by the Medicine management team.
* Undertake any other duties reasonably regarded as within the nature of duties, responsibilities, and grade of the post as defined, subject to provision that appropriate training is given and that, wherever possible, significant changes of a permanent nature shall be mutually agreed and incorporated into the job.
Knowledge
* Working knowledge of relevant hospital systems such as CareFlow package, Electronic Referral System etc.
* Microsoft Office packages (Word, Outlook, Excel, Databases).
* Trust’s Policies and Procedures.
* Patient confidentiality and data protection.
* Medical terminology.
* Ability to establish new working systems and patterns.
Training & Qualifications
* Education to GCSE English standard or equivalent.
* Training provided for BNSSG Patient Access Policy and computerized patient administration system.
Skills & Experience
* Experience of working in a multi‑disciplinary or busy team environment.
* Experience working under pressure and of working to protocols and procedures.
* Deliver a high standard of accurate and reliable information.
* Use own initiative to maintain quality of work.
* Flexibility to cope with pressures/demands.
* Ability to communicate with a variety of people at different levels within the Trust and externally.
* Must be able to plan and prioritise daily workload within agreed standards.
* Work effectively as part of a team.
* Must be computer literate with a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
* MUST be able to type accurately and efficiently.
* Excellent database and word‑processing skills.
* Experience of working in a busy open‑plan office environment dealing with correspondence, filing, photocopying, and routine clerical work.
Person Specification
Education & Training – Essential Criteria
* Educated to GCSE C standard or above (Maths and English).
* RSA or equivalent typing qualification or demonstrated extensive experience and skill.
Personal Qualities – Essential Criteria
* Very good verbal communication skills, articulate, helpful and confident.
* Produce work of an accurate and high standard.
* Very good written skills, including good English grammar, to proof read typed content.
* Maintain good working relationships within own team and wider hospital staff groups/departments.
* Professional, courteous and positive approach; willingness to work flexibly to ensure tasks are completed.
* Understand importance of confidentiality and data protection in a hospital environment.
* Very good time‑keeping and attendance record.
Work Experience – Essential Criteria
* Minimum two years typing or secretarial experience in an office environment; knowledge and experience of working in an admin environment.
* Experience of administrative and clerical practices and processes.
* Extensive working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Outlook.
* Must have used a computerized patient administration system or company database; willingness to learn new IT skills and technology.
Desirable Criteria – Work Experience
* Experience of having worked in the NHS or other patient/customer focused environment.
* Knowledge of audio typing or digital dictation would be an advantage.
* Experience of working with Excel spreadsheets.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities – Essential Criteria
* Competence in preparing and sorting documentation and data, checking layout and content of correspondence for self and clinicians.
* Exceptional typing skills, able to process large amounts quickly and accurately.
* Must be able to demonstrate organisation and prioritisation skills.
* Demonstrate working to tight deadlines/under pressure.
* Able to work independently in own role, showing initiative but understanding when to seek appropriate guidance.
* Ability to work as a team and share workloads to achieve a shared goal.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities – Desirable Criteria
* Knowledge of medical terminology.
Equality and Diversity
North Bristol NHS Trust is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in the workforce at Band 8a and above, including people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people. We are also committed to diversity, fairness, inclusion and to building a workplace where everyone belongs.
Please note that stringent pre‑employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.
If you feel you meet the requirements of the Disability Act / Two‑Ticks scheme and require further support or advice, please contact us on tel 0117 414 1151.
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