Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To act as first point of contact on behalf of the consultant and the Trust and deal effectively and courteously with all enquiries from GPs, parents/carers, other departments within the Trust, other Trusts and external bodies for the anaesthetic and pain services.

To produce correspondence and reports by the use of audio transcription technology.

To type urgent clinical letters, including those of a sometimes distressing or emotional nature from audiotape or direct dictation as agreed.

To organise and support meetings on behalf of the Consultant and the Consultant’s team, taking and distributing minutes as required.

To deal with all telephone calls relating to the service, ensuring patient focus is maintained and enquiries are handled in a courteous, tactful and prompt manner and respecting patient confidentiality at all times.

To prioritise and process incoming correspondence and ensure that it is dealt with promptly by the appropriate member of staff.

To ensure that external investigation reports are brought to the attention of the appropriate medical team and signed off by the appropriate member of staff. Arrange for the request and/or safe onward transmissions of patient investigation reports and film to other sites where necessary.

To maintain filing systems that facilitates the effective running of the department.

To open, date stamp and distribute post according to local standing operating procedure.

Maintain up to date filing of external reports and correspondence in patient medical records.

To use the appropriate IT system for checking patient information and appointments.

To manage patient records appropriately, ensuring an up-to-date record is maintained of all case notes returned from the wards and clinics, that patient medical records are available for clinic and appointments are dispatched to other departments as necessary.

To maintain and update the diaries of the members of the clinical team as required, and to co-ordinate meetings, teaching sessions/venues as required.

To arrange service meetings by sending invites on Teams.  This will come from the Clinical Director, Consultants or Nurses, Service Manager, Assistant Service Manager etc.

To schedule Microsoft Teams meetings for monthly Clinical Governance meetings and weekly teaching.

To provide administrative support to the College Tutor.

To organise and maintain databases of key contacts and distribution lists.

To have expertise in use of Microsoft office applications and iCare (Cerner).

To provide administrative support for the pain nurse specialists.

To type clinic letters for preadmission clinics (PAC) and obstetric anaesthetic clinics, and pain clinics (consultant and nurse led). To type ad hoc letters as requested by the anaesthetic and pain teams.

To send letters to patients and GPs.

To cover for medical secretary colleagues during periods of absence and annual leave.

To ensure the department has adequate stocks of stationery and order supplies as and when necessary.

To co-ordinate and process work of a medico-legal nature and other medical reports as required.

To draft responses to routine enquiries as appropriate.

To take an active role in initiatives to improve the administrative service provided to managers and clinicians, and the service received by patients and relatives.

To send any referrals received to the central booking office for registration and booking and to action tertiary referrals as necessary. Complete Minimum data set (MDS) template when making onward referrals. 

To organise own work schedule, adapt the schedule as required to meet commitments to others within the agreed timescales and, where this is not achievable, give notification promptly with reasons to line manager.

To ensure any changes/cancelation to clinics are carried out using Book Wise and all relevant parties are advised of any changes.

To advise parents of special instructions regarding medical tests, as directed by the medical team.

To liaise with the central booking office as required if an appointment requires rescheduling.

To book and move appointments for the anaesthetic and pain services.

To liaise on a regular basis with Consultants, SAS, resident doctors, nurses and other health professionals.

Completion of forms and documentation as requested such as adoption, child protection, police statements, disability and doctor references as requested to do so by the consultant.

Managing the generic email account.

To have an awareness of the referral to treatment  (RTT) patient pathway journey in order to be able to respond to parents/carers calls and enquires as appropriate.

Undertaking non clinical typing as requested by the consultant or their teams as necessary such as complaint letters.

Working as part of a team; assisting with the training of new and temporary staff providing support and advice as appropriate.

To locate, retrieve and book patients’ case notes in and out of department as required.

Meet quality standards in the Unit for the work turnaround and accuracy directed by the Service and Line managers.

To update CLW with leave requests once they have been approved by the Clinical Director.

Annual/Professional/Study Leave

Ensure leave requests are put on CLW/HealthRoster making sure that the daily quota is adhered to.

Consultants     5

SAS                 3

Trainees          3

Inform clinics when consultants are on annual/professional/study leave