Job overview
An opportunity has arisen within Cellular Pathology for a Support Secretary (band 3). This role is to support our team of Medical Secretaries at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital. We are looking for an enthusiastic and well -motivated member of staff who is a flexible team player.
The role is based offsite and would suit someone working remotely but supporting an onsite team.
The post holder will undertake a range of secretarial, administrative and clerical duties with specific responsibilities, including digital transcription.
You will be able to demonstrate excellent communication skills, use your own initiative and be able to prioritise and manage your workload, sometimes with minimal supervision.
Candidates should not apply for this role unless they meet the essential criteria.
Main duties of the job
To provide Secretarial Support to Cellular Pathology to ensure effective delivery of patient focused health care within key performance targets and provide communication and organisational skills.
The role comprises a wide range of specific duties and requires competence in word processing, keyboard skills and audio/copy typing with the ability to prioritise own workload without direct supervision. A knowledge of medical terminology would be advantageous
You will need to be able to prioritise and manage your workload, sometimes with minimal supervision.
Candidates should not apply for this role unless they meet the essential criteria.
Working for our organisation
Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.
Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.
Aligned to national strategy, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is working 3 local Trusts to form a single Pathology Service for Lancashire and South Cumbria, hosted by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.
Whilst this post is based at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, this may change in the future if services are reorganised.
Within current timelines, this post may TUPE into LTHTR as the hosting employer in late 2025.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. To provide secretarial service: accurately producing from audio/copy, patient-related correspondence /reports of a complex nature, using appropriate software and within specific timescales
2. To ensure a high standard of data quality at all times, in particular ensuring that patient demographic details are accurate and up to date by using laboratory IT systems
3. Communicate effectively with internal and external customers.
4. To respond as requested to enquiries/ correspondence from service users, both written and by telephone, and act on such enquiries promptly and appropriately and at all times safeguard patient confidentiality. Ensure queries are prioritised appropriately.
Please see attached JD for more information
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
* GCSE English at level 4 or above or equivalent
* RSA/OCR III Typewriting or equivalent experience in NHS
* Ability to produce neat & accurate documentation
* Good organisational skills
* Previous NHS pathology administrative experience
* Ability to understand, absorb and comply with detailed procedures
* Proven ability to work remotely with minimal supervision
Desirable criteria
* Knowledge of medical terminology
* Audio-typewriting experience
* RSA/OCR Medical Audio-Typewriting Stage II
* Experience in Cellular Pathology
* Knowledge of NHS Pathology computer systems e.g. LIMS