The Medical Support Secretary will provide comprehensive administrative and secretarial support to the Neurology service, which also covers Rehabilitation, Neuropsychiatry, Neurophysiology, and Neuro-ophthalmology. The postholder will support a team of consultants and registrars, playing a key role in ensuring the efficient management of clinical correspondence, patient pathways, and day-to-day administrative processes.
Working as part of a busy secretarial team, the postholder will be responsible for the timely transcription of clinic letters, accurate processing of clinic outcomes, and maintenance of patient records in line with Trust standards. The role will support the delivery of high-quality patient care by ensuring effective communication between clinicians, patients, GPs, and the wider multidisciplinary team.
The postholder will also act as a point of contact for patient and professional enquiries, managing these in a professional and timely manner. In addition, they will contribute to the management of administrative workload and support the team in reducing backlogs, ensuring that service targets and performance standards are maintained.
This is a key role within the Neurology service, contributing to the smooth running of outpatient services and supporting safe, timely, and effective patient care.
Main duties of the job
Transcribe clinical correspondence using digital dictation systems, ensuring clinic letters are accurate, timely, and meet Trust standards
Process and action clinic outcomes, including follow-ups, referrals, investigations, and discharges, ensuring accurate updates to PAS systems
Maintain and update patient records, ensuring data quality and compliance with Trust policies and information governance requirements
Monitor and manage incoming correspondence (emails, referrals, results), prioritising and escalating urgent or clinically significant information as required
Act as a key point of contact for patients, relatives, GPs, and other healthcare professionals, responding to queries in a professional and timely manner
Liaise with consultants, registrars, multidisciplinary teams, and external organisations to support effective coordination of patient care
Support the management of outpatient clinics, including coordination with booking teams (PAC) and other departments to facilitate patient flow
Contribute to the reduction and management of administrative backlogs, particularly in relation to clinic correspondence
Arrange additional patient requirements such as interpretation services, transport, or accessibility needs where required
Ensure all work is carried out in line with Trust policies, procedures, and confidentiality requirements
Provide cross-cover within the secretarial team during periods of leave, sickness, or increased demand to ensure continuity of service
About us
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only NHS trust to hold dual accreditation for the Investors in People. We invest in people and we invest in wellbeing standards and have been awarded Gold status for both. The Walton Centre is a leader in the treatment and care of neurology and neurosurgery, placing the patient and their family at the heart of everything we do. As the only specialist hospital trust in the UK dedicated to providing comprehensive neurology, neurosurgery, spinal and pain management services we are proud to be rated as an Outstanding Trust by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and champion change throughout the field of neuroscience. Originally formed in 1992, the Trust received Foundation Trust status in 2009.
With around 1,450 staff, The Walton Centre treats more than 127,000 outpatients and 18,000 inpatients each year. We have leading specialists and incredibly dedicated staff delivering excellent clinical outcomes for brain, spinal and neurological care nationally and internationally. Teams across our site in Fazakerley, Liverpool, offer a world-class service in diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses affecting the brain, spine and peripheral nerves and muscles, and in supporting people suffering from a wide range of long-term neurological conditions.
Job responsibilities
The Medical Support Secretary will provide a comprehensive, high-quality administrative and secretarial service to the Neurology service, supporting consultants and registrars across Neurology, Rehabilitation, Neuropsychiatry, Neurophysiology, and Neuro-ophthalmology. The postholder will play a key role in ensuring the smooth running of outpatient services and the effective management of patient pathways.
The role requires the ability to work independently, prioritise workload, and manage competing demands within a busy environment, ensuring all tasks are completed accurately and within required timescales.
* Transcribe clinical correspondence from digital dictation systems, ensuring clinic letters are accurate, appropriately formatted, and completed within agreed timescales
* Proofread and quality-check all correspondence prior to submission for clinical verification
* Ensure all clinic letters are processed and distributed promptly to GPs, patients, and other relevant healthcare professionals
* Support the management and reduction of clinic letter backlogs, escalating delays where appropriate
* Process clinic outcomes accurately, including follow-up appointments, referrals, investigations, and discharges
* Update Patient Administration Systems (PAS) in line with Trust policies to ensure accurate RTT pathway tracking
* Ensure all patient pathway actions are completed in a timely manner to support delivery of national performance targets
* Liaise with booking teams and other departments to coordinate appointments and ensure continuity of care
* Act as a key point of contact for patients, relatives, GPs, and other healthcare professionals, dealing with enquiries in a professional, timely, and sensitive manner
* Liaise effectively with consultants, registrars, nursing staff, and the wider multidisciplinary team to support patient care
* Manage telephone calls, emails, and other correspondence, ensuring queries are resolved or escalated appropriately
* Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records in line with Trust standards and data protection requirements
* Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times in accordance with GDPR and Trust policies
* Handle sensitive patient information with discretion and professionalism
* Prioritise workload effectively, balancing competing demands and deadlines within a busy service
* Support the team in managing high volumes of administrative work associated with multiple clinicians
* Contribute to service improvement by identifying and supporting more efficient ways of working
* Assist in monitoring outstanding work and escalating issues that may impact service delivery
* Work collaboratively as part of the secretarial team to ensure consistent and effective service delivery
* Provide cross-cover for colleagues during periods of leave, sickness, or increased demand
* Support new or temporary staff with local processes where required
* Arrange patient requirements such as interpretation services or additional support needs where required
* Ensure all duties are carried out in accordance with Trust policies, procedures, and values
* Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role and banding as required by the service
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Good general standard of literacy and numeracy
* RSA 11
Knowledge and Experience
* Previous secretarial/office work including working with computers
* Working as part of a team
* Experience in NHS or customer service organisation
* Medical Terminology
* Knowledge of hospital PAS system
Skills and Attributes
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills at all levels
* Keyboard skills accurate fast typist with knowledge of Microsoft office
* Understanding of the need for confidentiality
* Willingness to undertake any necessary training to carry out the duties required
* Preference for working closely with and supporting a multi disciplinary team
* Working to deadlines
* Customer care skills
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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