Job summary
- Main area
- Anaesthetics
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 234-25-A2397
- Employer
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
- Town
- Norwich
- Salary
- £25,760 - £27,476 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 25/06/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 06/07/2026
Employer heading
Trust Medical Secretary - Anaesthetics
NHS AfC: Band 3
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) is a 1,200-bedded teaching hospital with state-of-the-art facilities for modern patient care: 1100 beds in the PFI and 100 in Cromer Community Hospital.
The NNUH is part of Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group which includes the James Paget Hospital, in Great Yarmouth and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King Lynn.
We carry out nearly one million outpatient appointments, day case procedures and inpatient admissions annually. The population we serve is predominantly the people of Norfolk and north Suffolk, although some patients are referred from further afield especially to access specialist services available at this Trust.
Our staff of c10,000 care for and support patients who are referred to us by around 100 local GP practices and from other acute hospitals. We run more than 60 specialist services as a tertiary centre, including more than a dozen specialist cancer and radiotherapy treatments, and we are one of the biggest cancer centres in the country.
We provide complex spinal surgery services, specialist Neonatal Intensive Care, neurosciences services and specialist cardiac services. Our Trust runs specialist dermatology, rheumatology, endocrinology, adult congenital heart disease services, treatment of complex liver and pancreatic diseases in adults, cystic fibrosis services and intestinal failure services. We are enhancing our urgent and emergency care specialist services for patients with significant injuries as a result of trauma and have an ambition to become a Major Trauma Centre. NNUH is currently the busiest Trauma Unit in the East of England caring for almost 850 trauma patients annually many with complex care needs.
At NNUH it is our privilege to provide healthcare, and our vision is to ‘provide the best care for every patient’. If this inspires you and you share our values, we really want you to join our team.
Our values support our vision and guide the behaviour of everything we do, these are:
People-focused
We look after the needs of our patients, carers and colleagues, to provide a safe and caring experience for all.
Respect
We act with care, compassion and kindness and value others’ diverse needs.
Integrity
We take an honest, open and ethical approach to everything we do.
Dedication
We work as one team and support each other to maintain the highest professional standards.
Excellence
We continuously learn and improve to achieve the best outcomes for our patients and our hospital.
Wish you were here? So do we.
We want all our staff to achieve a balance between work and personal life and understand how important flexible working can be. We welcome applications on a full or part time basis, various shift patterns and hybrid working, where roles allow.
At the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), we know the benefits diversity can bring to our organisation such as creativity, innovation and compassion. All of which have a direct impact towards our staff and patient experience. We are committed to being a Hospital for All – being equitable and inclusive, and a place where all feel a sense of belonging. We therefore particularly encourage and welcome applications from candidates who are underrepresented in NNUH’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and long term conditions and people within the LGBT+ community.
Job overview
The Anaesthetic Department, located in centre block level 4, comprises of 80 Consultant Anaesthetists and up to 50 Resident Doctors. The purpose of this role is to act as a point of contact for all communications between the Consultants, patients, relatives, all hospital staff, General Practitioners and their staff and outside agencies, maintaining a close working relationship between Consultants and patients as appropriate. Assist in the management of the office administration of the Consultant and designated clinical team. Provide an effective administrative secretarial service, ensuring continuity of service.
Main duties of the job
- Deal efficiently and effectively with direct and indirect (i.e. telephone, face to face) enquires from patients, all levels of medical and nursing staff, GPs, Social Services and other health professionals and staff. Respond to enquiries, providing routine and non-routine information and non-clinical advice, resolving problems where possible. Communicate appropriately with patients who may be fearful, aggressive or have sensitive concerns needing reassurance and who may present difficulties in communication e.g. terminally ill patients, deaf patients, mentally ill patients and elderly confused patients.
- Attend to all communications, for example, emails, faxes, investigation results on a daily basis and prioritising and actioning as required.
- Accurately transcribe all correspondence by touch typing from audio / digital dictation or shorthand using knowledge of medical terminology. Generate routine and non-routine correspondence independently.
- Assist patients and their Carers by arranging translation/interpretation facilities.
- Demonstrate and maintain knowledge and understanding of Trust RTT policy.
- Update RTT in accordance with Trust guidelines. Assist the Administration and Clerical team with data management utilising PAS and other departmental patient databases.
- Complete the Tertiary referral proforma/template for internal/external referrals as per Trust policy
Working for our organisation
Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff!
The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute. We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.
We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Flexible working hours
- Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
- Multi Faith prayer room
- Discounted gym memberships
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
- Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH site
- Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
- On-site Nursery
- On-site cafes offering staff discounts
- Support in career development
- Flexible staff bank
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Deal efficiently and effectively with direct and indirect (i.e. telephone, face to face) enquires from patients, all levels of medical and nursing staff, GPs, Social Services and other health professionals and staff. Respond to enquiries, providing routine and non-routine information and non-clinical advice, resolving problems where possible. Communicate appropriately with patients who may be fearful, aggressive or have sensitive concerns needing reassurance and who may present difficulties in communication e.g. terminally ill patients, deaf patients, mentally ill patients and elderly confused patients.
- Attend to all communications, for example, emails, faxes, investigation results on a daily basis and prioritising and actioning as required.
- Accurately transcribe all correspondence by touch typing from audio / digital dictation or shorthand using knowledge of medical terminology. Generate routine and non-routine correspondence independently.
- Assist patients and their Carers by arranging translation/interpretation facilities.
- Demonstrate and maintain knowledge and understanding of Trust RTT policy.
- Update RTT in accordance with Trust guidelines. Assist the Administration and Clerical team with data management utilising PAS and other departmental patient databases.
- Complete the Tertiary referral proforma/template for internal/external referrals as per Trust policy
- Promptly action clinical investigations, results and outcomes. Utilise Trust reports to service and administer waiting lists, which may include outpatient, inpatient and waiting lists as required in local work area, escalating to senior staff as required.
- Adding patients to waiting lists as requested taking into account the urgency of the case and the patient’s preference.
- Arrange urgent admissions direct from clinic and ambulatory care areas, contacting the patient and liaising with ward/theatre/clinics as required.
Please refer to the Job Description for the full specification of responsibilities and requirements for this post.
Please note that this advertised position, which is part of occupation code 4211 does not meet the UKVI eligibility requirements for a Skilled Worker Visa (this includes if you are already in a sponsored post and looking to change employer). The Trust would not be able to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- RSA III or equivalent
- Good general standard of literacy and numeracy
Experience
Essential criteria
- Previous digital / audio typing experience
- Working knowledge and experience of using Microsoft Office packages, including Word, Excel, Outlook
Attitude, aptitude
Essential criteria
- Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH’s PRIDE values of People focussed, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence
- Demonstrates understanding and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Karen Hall
- Job title
- Directorate Operations Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01603 287677
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