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Job summary

Main area
Cellular Pathology
Grade
Band 3
Contract
Permanent: Actual hours/days to be discussed
Hours
Part time - 25.5 hours per week (across 5 mornings)
Job ref
435-D093-25
Employer
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital
Town
Blackburn
Salary
£24,937 - £26,598 per annum - pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
28/08/2025 23:59

Employer heading

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust logo

Medical Support Secretary - Cellular Pathology

Band 3

At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care.  We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.

Job overview

An opportunity has arisen within Cellular Pathology for a Support Secretary (band 3).  This role is to support our team of Medical Secretaries at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital.  We are looking for an enthusiastic and well -motivated member of staff who is a flexible team player. 

The role is based offsite and would suit someone working remotely but supporting an onsite team.

The post holder will undertake a range of secretarial, administrative and clerical duties with specific responsibilities, including digital transcription. 

You will be able to demonstrate excellent communication skills, use your own initiative and be able to prioritise and manage your workload, sometimes with minimal supervision.

Candidates should not apply for this role unless they meet the essential criteria.

Main duties of the job

To provide Secretarial Support to Cellular Pathology to ensure effective delivery of patient focused health care within key performance targets and provide communication and organisational skills.

The role comprises a wide range of specific duties and requires competence in word processing, keyboard skills and audio/copy typing with the ability to prioritise own workload without direct supervision. A knowledge of medical terminology would be advantageous

You will need to be able to prioritise and manage your workload, sometimes with minimal supervision.

Candidates should not apply for this role unless they meet the essential criteria.

Working for our organisation

Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen. 

Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care.  We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.

Aligned to national strategy, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is working 3 local Trusts to form a single Pathology Service for Lancashire and South Cumbria, hosted by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.

Whilst this post is based at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, this may change in the future if services are reorganised. 

Within current timelines, this post may TUPE into LTHTR as the hosting employer in late 2025.

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1.    To provide secretarial service: accurately producing from audio/copy, patient-related correspondence /reports of a complex nature, using appropriate software and within specific timescales

2.    To ensure a high standard of data quality at all times, in particular ensuring that patient demographic details are accurate and up to date by using laboratory IT systems

3.    Communicate effectively with internal and external customers.

4.    To respond as requested to enquiries/ correspondence from service users, both written and by telephone, and act on such enquiries promptly and appropriately and at all times safeguard patient confidentiality. Ensure queries are prioritised appropriately.

Please see attached JD for more information

Person specification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • GCSE English at level 4 or above or equivalent
  • RSA/OCR III Typewriting or equivalent experience in NHS
  • Ability to produce neat & accurate documentation
  • Good organisational skills
  • Previous NHS pathology administrative experience
  • Ability to understand, absorb and comply with detailed procedures
  • Proven ability to work remotely with minimal supervision
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of medical terminology
  • Audio-typewriting experience
  • RSA/OCR Medical Audio-Typewriting Stage II
  • Experience in Cellular Pathology
  • Knowledge of NHS Pathology computer systems e.g. LIMS

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardPositive about disabled peopleInvestors in PeopleCare quality commission - GoodDisability confident committedStep into healthHappy to Talk Flexible Working

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Craig Rogers
Job title
Lead Biomedical Scientist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01254 732438
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