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Job summary

Main area
OMFS
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 4
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Home or remote working
37.5 hours per week (Monday - Friday 37.5 hours)
Job ref
418-COR5372-CW
Employer
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Bedford Hospital, South Wing
Town
Bedford
Salary
£27,485 - £30,162 PA
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
17/11/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Medical Secretary - OMFS

NHS AfC: Band 4

Job overview

We’re pleased to announce a fantastic opportunity to join the OMFS Department as a Medical Secretary. This dynamic role offers the chance to be part of a dedicated team delivering high-quality patient care.

As a Medical Secretary, you’ll face a rewarding challenge that demands strong attention to detail and the ability to thrive under pressure. You’ll work closely with the Admin Lead and the multidisciplinary team (MDT), including consultants, nurses, and fellow administrative staff, to support the smooth running of the department.

This is a particularly exciting time for Bedfordshire NHS Trust, following the merger of Bedford Hospital and Luton and Dunstable Hospital in April 2020, which has opened up new opportunities for growth and collaboration across clinical service lines.

We’re looking for someone who is compassionate, resilient, and self-motivated, with a collaborative spirit and excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills. The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work within tight deadlines is essential.

If you’re a confident communicator, passionate about patient care, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we’d love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for delivering a comprehensive medical secretarial service to Consultants and other key members of the OMFS team. This role is vital to ensuring the smooth operation of the office and the effective management of the consultants’ workload. The successful candidate will be expected to work independently, using their own initiative to handle enquiries, communicate confidently with individuals at all levels, and consistently uphold a high standard of service to support the needs of every patient.

Working for our organisation

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton.  Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will effectively plan, prioritise, and manage their daily workload to ensure timely completion of tasks. Responsibilities include providing a full administrative service—word processing, audio typing, managing post, and maintaining an organised filing system to keep patient records current. A sound understanding of cardiac medical terminology and procedures is essential.

They will handle and relay patient information, including investigation results, with discretion and confidentiality. Acting as the first point of contact for written and telephone enquiries, they will assess and prioritise communications on behalf of the consultant and team.

The role requires responsiveness and diplomacy, particularly when managing urgent requests such as complaints or information queries. Duties also include maintaining the Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU) pathway, managing consultant diaries, coordinating meetings, and liaising with departments regarding staff leave and clinic schedules.

Timely handling of referrals, clinic preparation, and Advice & Guidance responses is key. Additional tasks include ordering supplies, minute-taking, supporting clinic slot prioritisation, and providing cover for absent colleagues as needed.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • • Educated to GCSE level or equivalent including English and Mathematics at a minimum grade of C or above.
Desirable criteria
  • Secondary education to A Level or equivalent standard.
  • NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration or working towards
  • Computer literate to ECDL standard or equivalent
  • RSA3 or equivalent secretarial qualification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of working within a Secretarial/PA or Administrative Role
  • Experience of team working and on own initiative
  • Experience of dealing with sensitive and complex information
Desirable criteria
  • NHS Experience
  • Project Support Experience
  • Diary Management Experience
  • Minute-taking Experience

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Knowledge and use of Microsoft Software
  • Understanding of data protection, confidentiality and record keeping
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of NHS IT Systems including IPM, ICE & TOMCAT
  • Appreciation of patient pathway targets
  • Medical Terminology

Personal Skills

Essential criteria
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Excellent organisational skills with the ability to work to tight deadlines and with frequent interruptions
  • Excellent decision-making skills
  • Ability to think analytically
  • Accurate keyboard skills

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Care quality commission - GoodDisability confident employerEmployer with HeartNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality Mark 2024

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Claire Kiernan
Job title
OMFS Elective Pathway Manager
Email address
[email protected]
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