Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Medical Secretary Apprentice – Obstetric & Gynaecology
Closing date: 06 April 2026
The Obstetric & Gynaecology Team are looking for an Apprentice Secretary to join their team. The team currently consists of 1 Team Leader, 1 Secretary and 1 Clinic Typist. The Obstetric & Gynaecology Clinical Team are made up of 10 Consultants, Registrars and Junior Doctors.
Once trained you will be expected to provide comprehensive secretarial and administrative support to the Gynaecology & Obstetrics team in order to facilitate the smooth, efficient and effective running of all elements of the service. All secretaries appointed to the Directorate have a shared responsibility to service the needs of the Directorate as appropriate.
To act as a point of contact for patients/carers and other health professionals. Dealing with queries, providing information and escalating to the clinical team where appropriate. This will require a caring and empathetic approach and will necessitate establishing communication networks with the team and with other appropriate health care professionals, both internal and external to the organisation.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will undertake a level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship alongside their role, they will have one day per week protected study time to complete assignments and attend classes with their tutor.
To act as a point of contact for patients/carers and other health professionals. Dealing with queries, providing information and escalating to the clinical team where appropriate. This will require a caring and empathetic approach and will necessitate establishing communication networks with the team and with other appropriate health care professionals, both internal and external to the organisation.
To work with the clinical and managerial teams to maintain and support departmental / divisional practice and procedures to ensure that both operational targets and quality standards are achieved.
To provide cover for members of the secretarial team during periods of leave or absence.
About us
At DCHFT, we pride ourselves on the care we provide for our patients, and on the culture, we are creating for our staff. We work hard to create a fair, inclusive environment for our staff.
Our Mission is to work in partnership to provide high quality, compassionate services and to nurture an environment where people can be at their best. Our vision is healthier lives, empowered citizens, thriving communities.
We are a Trust that celebrates diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from people in all under-represented groups.
We understand that some applicants may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in preparing their application materials. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind candidates that all submissions must be truthful and accurately reflect your own experiences and suitability for this role.
Personal integrity and authenticity are central to our recruitment process. We value honesty and appreciate applications that are genuine and representative of the individual behind them.
Right to Work in the UK: This role is not available for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application. Unfortunately, we are unable to support visa applications for this post in line with UKVI regulations.
Job responsibilities
Our DCHFT Job Description and Person Specification (attached) tells you all about this role, what to expect and what is needed to succeed. When completing your application please make sure to tell us how your experience and skills fit the person specification.
Please contact us at Recruitment@dchft.nhs.uk if you are unable to view or download the attachment.
For all our roles, we are looking for staff who hold our Trust Values of Integrity, Respect Teamwork and Excellence, and who are passionate about providing the best patient care. To read more about our Trust and our Values search Dorset County Hospital online.
Person Specification
Education, Qualification & Training
* GCSE – Grade C/4 or above in English and Mathematics or equivalent (we accept functional skills level 2 in both subjects)
Knowledge & Experience
* Experience of working with computer systems, to include Microsoft Office, in a working/academic environment
Skills & Abilities
* Evidence of effective communication skills both written and oral
* Evidence of ability to respond quickly to changing priorities organising and prioritising own workload to meet deadlines
* Demonstrated ability to manage time effectively and meet deadlines.
* Ability to exercise judgement when dealing with patient queries and to analyse and resolve problems
* Evidence of flexibility and ability to adapt to different areas of work
* Ability to build and maintain good working relationships within a team.
* An understanding of the meaning of confidentiality and the requirement for this to be maintained
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and to a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer name
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
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