Medical Secretary

To provide a comprehensive secretarial and administrative support service for within the Paediatric Department and as the co-ordinator for the Core Diagnostic Team. All secretaries appointed to the Care Group have a shared responsibility to service the needs of the Care Group as appropriate

Assist in the achievement of Departmental Objectives

To provide cover for members of the secretarial team during periods of leave or absence.

To ensure the smooth and effective administration of the core diagnostic assessment clinics, which will include a wide range of duties including co-ordinating clinics, liaising with services, requesting and distributing reports, co-ordinating next steps

To take responsibility for the day-to-day management of the assessment process, tracking children’s progress across the pathway and ensuring information is distributed ahead of appointments and deadlines

To receive and respond to incoming telephone calls, acting as a first point of contact for enquiries about the assessment pathway and clinics, including service users, carers, staff and people from a wide range of organisations, determining their requirements and taking appropriate action.

To assemble agendas, record outcomes and actions for the weekly Triage and Monthly ASD Departmental Meetings, and manage the rota for these.

To develop and maintain good and effective working relationships with a wide range of people both within the Trust and externally (e.g. SENCOs, Health Visitors, Social Workers) in order to ensure that communication and liaison is effective and that information is given and received in a timely manner

Gathering information and providing data reports as requested by the team

The post-holder will work closely with all members of staff in ensuring the delivery of a high quality service. This will require the utilisation of good secretarial, administrative, communication and interpersonal skills, knowledge of word-processing and other computerised systems. All secretaries appointed to the Paediatric service have a shared responsibility to service the needs of the department.

**The post holder will be required to communicate with**:
All levels of staff working for the Trust, particularly Consultant medical staff and the management team

All levels of staff working for NHS organisations outside of the Trust including local General Practitioners and the Primary Care Trust representatives

The general public, including allied agencies, the local authority including schools and social care

Develop good working relationships with staff within their own department and other departments within the Trust, demonstrating good empathic and listening skills.

Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, working with the team to maintain and support Departmental/Directorate policies and procedures.

Provide support to colleagues to ensure that Outpatient clinic letters are produced in a timely manner.

Telephone contact with patients or their carers will frequently be of a sensitive nature & confidentiality must be always maintained.

Good communication skills required demonstrating diplomacy, tact, negotiation skills and empathy

1. KEY RESULT AREAS

Responsibility for Patients

There will be some contact with patients during the general course of duties, mostly via the telephone, regarding appointments or queries for a consultant. The post holder will be required to deal with all such queries sympathetically, compassionately and efficiently, whilst maintaining patient confidentiality at all times.

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development

The post holder will be required to follow all relevant Trust policies and always adhere to departmental guidelines.

All tasks are organised and produced to required standards and within specified timescales, in agreement with line manager

Maintain and develop own knowledge and skills through appraisal.

Increase personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff development and training.

Responsibility for Financial and Physical Resources

The post holder will be required to undertake a personal duty of care to the equipment within the department

Responsibility for Staff

The post holder may be required on occasions to assist with the training and induction of new secretarial staff.

The post holder may be required to supervise junior secretarial staff.

The post holder will be expected to demonstrate a personal duty of care and consideration to their colleagues and other staff members within the Trust.

In the absence of secretarial colleagues, be able to prioritise workload to ensure an element of cross cover within the Department, liaising with line manager where necessary.

Responsibility for Information Resources

Efficient and effective use of the various computer systems to ensure the accurate recording of patient information.

Clinic letters, reports, p