Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the job description for further details about the role 

General Duties

·       To undertake a full range of secretarial duties for consultants and their team.

·       To produce and deliver patient clinic letters and other correspondence to NHS England guidelines, using audio typing and/or dedicated software.

·       Request records/notes to required timeframes.

·       Ensure efficient filing and information tracking systems are adhered to, providing continuity of care, including electronic case note tracking.

·       To deal with all telephone, answerphone, post or email queries, on a daily basis to required timeframes and prioritise as necessary to ensure consultants and their team are aware of urgent results and information. Updating necessary systems as required.

·       Ensure new referrals are processed to requirements ensuring new referrals are promptly seen/treated in line within the current guidelines.

·       Maintain and monitor an investigation tracker demonstrating progress to resolution.

·       Arrange New & Follow Ups appointments as required.

·       Oversee preparation or review of relevant notes, results and scans for clinics. Use initiative to obtain missing details, results and x-rays.

·       Regulate outpatient clinics as required.

·       To liaise with other departments within the hospital, liaise and coordinate with GP practice staff and staff in other hospitals, as required.

Managing Targets

·       Ensure patient correspondence is managed and actioned within NHS England guidelines, whether to the patient or GP.

·       To understand the full patient pathway, and the impact of local decisions on this pathway by having thorough knowledge of working practices, medical treatments, associated specialty(ies) and departments.

·       Understand and work to achieve the national and local standards and guidelines for patient care (e.g. RTT targets). Investigate or facilitate access to records, as required to assess status.

·       To play a key role in establishing and implementing local policies and procedures that ensure working practices meet the above standards/targets and is centred around the patient.

·       Collect and capture audit data as required.

·       Monitor Missing Outcomes and update records or facilitate information to be updated within monthly target dates.

·       Assist General/Specialty/Office Manager or Consultant with statistics and information requirements on spreadsheets and power point presentations.

·       Assist Consultants and Specialty Manager/Assistant Specialty Manager in Crisis

·       Management as required (such as Pandemic changes).

·       Liaise with Validators as required.

Patient Liaison

·       To make arrangements relating to patient appointments

·       To take all telephone calls from patients, relatives members of the public and other professional organisations in an efficient, tactful and compassionate manner.

·       Listen to and manage patient concerns. This involves listening to and as far as possible resolving situations that can be highly distressing to patients/relatives who may be upset, angry or concerned.

·       Provide information to patients as agreed with the consultant, and in close collaboration with the team.

·       Understand the implications of Patient Choice and electronic booking and proactively manage changes that will need to be incurred in the specialty.

·       Understanding of the complaints procedure and use initiative to resolve complaints from patients and any other individuals as far as possible. Escalate outstanding concerns as required.

·       Send out information leaflets where appropriate and provide telephone information/advice to patients as agreed within the team and in accordance with guidelines.