Overview
The Medicine and Urgent Care Division has an opportunity for a Personal Assistant to join its existing team. The role provides comprehensive secretarial support primarily to Senior Managers within Medicine. The post holder is expected to work with minimal supervision, using initiative, to enable the Medicine Senior Team to use their time efficiently and effectively. The successful candidate should demonstrate a flexible approach to meet the needs of the service and provide high quality PA support including diary management, scheduling and attending meetings, minute taking, screening of emails, producing reports and presenting/disseminating key information/statistics. The role requires effective gatekeeping, sound judgment to resolve difficult situations, and decisions regarding appropriateness and priorities, along with excellent interpersonal skills and knowledge of relevant administrative and PA procedures.
The role involves daily contact with a wide range of stakeholders, both internal and external to the organisation, and requires a confident approach to create and maintain effective working relationships. Interview Date: To Be Confirmed.
Responsibilities
* Provide comprehensive confidential administrative/secretarial service to the Care Group Management Team including (but not limited to) Divisional Director, Directorate Managers Associate / Assistant Directorate Managers, Head of Quality, Governance Team and Matrons, necessitating contact with external bodies, clinical, nursing, management, executive and clerical staff.
* Support the full governance agenda across the Care Group for all staff within the Management Team. Provide cross cover when secretarial colleagues are on annual/study or sick leave.
* Provide comprehensive PA and administrative support to the Director(s) in delivering their roles within the Trust, including handling complex and sensitive information.
* Manage Directors’ offices and ensure the Director(s) are appropriately briefed in advance of scheduled meetings. Co-ordinate diaries, briefings from senior staff, and minute taking.
* Facilitate and service Directors’ meetings; assist with chairperson/membership of local, regional and national committees, including organising venues, coordinating diaries and minute taking. Support committees within the Trust at Board level and other meetings as required.
* Manage all incoming mail/email, prioritise, commission briefings, direct action, ensure timely responses, disseminate information and meet deadlines.
* Provide liaison to the Department of Health, NHS England and NHS Improvement, and other local and national agencies on behalf of the Director(s); maintain an up-to-date confidential contacts list.
* Undertake specific projects (e.g., Trust Board or Committee administration) as dictated.
* In the event of planned or unplanned absence, ensure appropriate administrative support and arrange cover with a designated buddy or other PAs for Directors, the Chief Executive and Chair.
* Establish systems and processes to ensure compliance with Trust policies for procurement of goods and services; review and advise on budget variations.
* Maintain high standards of governance in all departmental business, internally and externally.
* Coordinate visits to the Trust and maintain effective communications with relevant parties including DOH, NHSE/NHSI, Ministers, and local/national offices; liaise with Executive team as needed.
* Draft and commission responses to letters and queries addressed to the Director(s); source and gather information to support Directors’ business (locally and within the wider NHS).
* Prioritise Directors’ workload to ensure timely meetings and reports while allowing the Director time for thinking.
* Maintain and manage an accurate diary and forward planning system to meet deadlines with colleagues in other directorates or teams.
* Develop knowledge of the Directors’ areas to maximise support and aid decision making; accommodate proactive and reactive planning.
* Develop, review and implement post-specific operating procedures in line with governance; support effective working practices.
* Initiate, manage and administer conferences and events for which the Director(s) has lead responsibility; manage/ad-hoc delegated projects as required; attend and report back from meetings as required; undertake any other reasonable duties.
About the Trust
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 across 21 sites. We strive to provide Five Star Patient Care. Our services include: Acute Care, Primary Care, Community Services and Specialist Regional Services.
Services
* Acute Care: Emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical/surgical specialties across all sites.
* Primary Care: Primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre within St Helens Hospital.
* Community Services: Adult community services for St Helens, a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire; inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital; urgent care at Urgent Treatment Centre in St Helens town centre.
* Specialist Regional Services: Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital for over 4 million people regionally.
Awards and Achievements
* Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
* Top 100 places to work in the NHS
* National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
(Note: This action preserves content but does not reproduce every listed bullet verbatim; it consolidates roles and responsibilities related to the PA function and governance duties.)
This advert closes on Wednesday 10 Sep 2025
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