Job overview
This role provides essential secretarial and administrative support to the Emergency Floor, reporting to the EF support manager. You will be responsible for managing clinical correspondence and referrals, maintaining patient records, tracking outstanding investigations, and ensuring timely communication of information to support patient care.
The role involves working closely with Consultants, Junior Doctors, Senior Nurses, and Ward Clerks to deliver efficient administrative processes and assist in the smooth day-to-day operation of the department. You will also support the preparation and distribution of documentation and minutes for departmental meetings and contribute to maintaining high standards of record keeping and patient confidentiality.
Main duties of the job
Administrative and Secretarial Support
1. Provide administrative and secretarial support to the Emergency Floor team, including Consultants, Junior Doctors, Senior Nursing staff, and Ward Clerks, under the supervision of the Specialty Coordinator.
Communication and Liaison
2. Act as a point of contact for the department, handling telephone, email, and in-person enquiries professionally, sensitively, and with empathy where needed, particularly when dealing with distressed patients or relatives
Meeting and Record Management
3. Support the smooth running of departmental meetings, ensuring meeting invites, Teams links, agendas, and papers are circulated in advance, and accurate minutes are documented and distributed after approval.
4. Update and maintain departmental action logs, ensuring progress is tracked and outstanding actions are followed up as directed.
Operational Support
5. Monitor and maintain supplies of forms, stationery, and other administrative resources, ensuring areas remain tidy and well-stocked.
6. Assist with uploading, filing, scanning, and archiving of patient documentation, following Trust processes for electronic and paper records
Professional Conduct and Development
7. Demonstrate behaviours in line with Trust values at all times, treating colleagues, patients, and visitors with professionalism, courtesy, and respect.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
Candidate Pack
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
Administrative and Secretarial Support
8. Provide administrative and secretarial support to the Emergency Floor team, including Consultants, Junior Doctors, Senior Nursing staff, and Ward Clerks, under the supervision of the Specialty Coordinator.
9. Type clinical correspondence and referrals using audio dictation, ensuring they are checked, amended, distributed, and uploaded to electronic systems in a timely and accurate manner.
10. Maintain and organise patient records and documentation, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and confidentiality at all times.
11. Track and chase outstanding investigations and diagnostic results, updating relevant systems such as the Virtual Ward and communicating outcomes to appropriate team members.
12. Assist in the preparation, collation, and distribution of agendas and meeting papers, take clear minutes and maintain action logs for departmental meetings as required.
Communication and Liaison
13. Act as a point of contact for the department, handling telephone, email, and in-person enquiries professionally, sensitively, and with empathy where needed, particularly when dealing with distressed patients or relatives.
14. Liaise effectively with internal teams and external contacts to facilitate smooth information flow, including Medical Records, Clinical Governance, IT, and other administrative staff.
15. Escalate complex or urgent issues appropriately to senior staff.
16. Support patients and families with routine administrative queries, signposting or referring to clinical teams where necessary.
Meeting and Record Management
17. Support the smooth running of departmental meetings, ensuring meeting invites, Teams links, agendas, and papers are circulated in advance, and accurate minutes are documented and distributed after approval.
18. Update and maintain departmental action logs, ensuring progress is tracked and outstanding actions are followed up as directed.
Operational Support
19. Monitor and maintain supplies of forms, stationery, and other administrative resources, ensuring areas remain tidy and well-stocked.
20. Assist with uploading, filing, scanning, and archiving of patient documentation, following Trust processes for electronic and paper records.
21. Maintain awareness of and contribute to ongoing departmental audits and quality improvement initiatives by providing administrative support as required.
22. Provide cover and support to Ward Clerks and other administrative colleagues to maintain continuity of service during periods of absence.
Professional Conduct and Development
23. Demonstrate behaviours in line with Trust values at all times, treating colleagues, patients, and visitors with professionalism, courtesy, and respect.
24. Undertake mandatory and role-specific training, engaging in appraisal and supervision processes to identify and work towards personal development goals.
25. Contribute to creating a positive and collaborative working environment and support the effective functioning of the Emergency Floor’s administrative service
Person specification
Skills and abilities
Essential criteria
26. Excellent organisational skills
27. Ability to prioritise workload effectively
28. Abiity to deal with challenging situations with empathy, tact and diplomacy.
29. Ability to prioritise workload effectively
30. Able to provide non -clinical information and advice to patients and relatives.
Desirable criteria
31. Ability to work on tight deadlines
32. Understanding of confidentiality in accordance with the Data Protection Act
Essential and Desirable
Essential criteria
33. RSA Stage III Typing or equivalent VRQ Vocational Level 3 or 4 or equivalent qualification
34. Experience of working in a busy environment, working both independently and part of a team.
35. Educated to GCSE’s C or above in English and Maths and/or equivalent level of knowledge & experience
Desirable criteria
36. Experience of using G2 or bighand
37. Significant experience as a Medical Secretary
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Essential criteria
38. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
39. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role)
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications