Medical Secretary in Neurology

The overall purpose of the post holder is to provide effective delivery of patient focused health care within key performance targets and provide communication and organisational skills for a designated number of Consultant Neurologists and their associated medical personnel/teams.

The role comprises a wide range of specific duties and requires competence in word processing, keyboard skills and audio-typing with the ability to prioritise own workload without direct supervision.

Are you interested in an important and challenging role within the Neurology Department at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

We are currently looking for a suitably qualified and experienced Secretary/PA to join our friendly medical secretarial team, to provide a secretarial/PA role for the Consultants and their teams.

You will need to work accurately and methodically, meet deadlines, show attention to detail, work as part of a team but use your own initiative. Can you work with all types of people and be helpful and reassuring when dealing with patients?

You will need to be flexible and pro-active, able to respond and adapt to the varying demands and changing circumstances in our very busy Neurology Department.

Resilience is an important quality to success in this role as is the ability to plan and organise your own workload.

The role involves a wide range of specific duties and requires competence in word processing, keyboard skills and audio typing. You will need to maintain accurate 18 week referral to treatment pathways for our patients. Knowledge of medical terminology and previous medical secretarial experience is an advantage, but not essential, as full training will be provided.

When you walk through the door, one of the first things you’ll notice is that the organisation is full of talented people. Not just in the fields of medicine, nursing or diagnostics but in every part of the organisation. Professional and committed people who are all working together in an open and supportive culture.

We don’t just look at you for who you are now; we look at you for who you could be in the future. We take training seriously, and encourage you to do the same. We want staff to develop their capabilities to the full with a range of learning and development opportunities.

To enable the Trust and its employees to exceed expectations and to achieve corporate and service aims and objectives, we need to recruit, develop and retain skilled and motivated people through effective people management and development, leading to a high performance culture.
- Transcription and production, from digital dictation and audio-tape, of typewritten reports/correspondence, using word processing packages, for the medical teams, which may include outpatient reports, detailed discharge summaries, operation notes and other relevant clinical and non clinical correspondence. This may include correspondence that is time-sensitive (such as complaints) ensuring information is dictated and typed within any designated time limits. Type medico-legal summaries, maintain medico-legal files and liaise with legal department in respect of medico-legal cases.
- Manage patient investigation results effectively including maintaining systems for monitoring and retrieving outstanding investigations and responsibility for chasing up missing/delayed results. Retrieve patient results from ICE/CRIS systems, ensuring that results are available as soon as possible Check all incoming laboratory/radiology results, ensuring that abnormal results are communicated promptly to appropriate Clinician. Will be required to instigate appropriate referrals to other disciplines in respect of specific abnormalities in line with Departmental protocols. Ensure all reports are seen and signed by Clinician prior to filing in case-notes. Ensure that OP registrations are closed where appropriate following discharge or paperwork or coded appropriate (XON) if not discharged.
- Process health records of patients discharged from hospital; where standard letters have been generated at ward level, ascertain from case-notes whether any supplementary letter/action is required and deal with appropriately. Ensure that follow up appointments or referrals to other specialties are arranged where necessary. Ensure that relevant investigation results received after patient’s discharge are communicated to GP where appropriate, particularly where treatment may be required.
- Input and extract data from patient administration system (PAS) and other relevant software programmes, which may be Trust-wide or specialty-specific.
- Provide appropriate cover by operating a “buddy” system for colleagues during periods of absence to ensure effective cross-cover is maintained within the directorate.
- To be the primary contact for patients under designated consultants. To communicate effectively and professionally, giving reassurance, information or advice appropriately