Trust Medical Secretary - Palliative Care

The Palliative Medicine Directorate consists of Outpatients within the Colney Centre, Winterton Unit and Priscilla Bacon Lodge. They provide an inpatient service to palliative of end of life patients. The team consists of specialist Doctors and Nurses, providing assessments for palliative in-patients for complex symptom control and psychological support. Outside of these hours there is a telephone advice line for all Healthcare Professionals.
The consultants provide medical outpatient clinic appointments for palliative patients who are well enough to travel and who require assessment and on-going specialist support over a longer period in an outpatient clinic.
The team also offers an outpatient breathlessness service., The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Foundation Trust (NNUH) is one of the largest comprehensive cancer centers in the UK.
NNUH understands the challenges of cancer management and is committed to meeting that challenge head on using the latest technological, innovative and research tools to provide the best possible service for our cancer patients with kindness and warmth.
We understand and feel very acutely the needs of our patients and how best to provide for those needs in an intelligent, effective and efficient manner.
We would be delighted to receive applications from candidates who are interested in playing an integral role in providing secretarial support in a very busy but friendly department.
We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced individual who enjoys patient contact and working in a friendly, multi-disciplinary environment. The post-holder will be expected to deliver a high quality service within a performance managed environment. You will work collaboratively to provide a full secretarial and administrative service at a leading Cancer Centre which prides itself on clinical excellence.
At NNUH, we strive to provide our staff with their individual developmental needs to achieve their career aspiration. If your aim is to be the best secretary or aspire to go further in your career, we will ensure that we support you either way.
Previous experience in a secretarial or administrative role in a medical or clinical setting is required., + Deal efficiently and effectively with direct and indirect (i.e. telephone, face to face) enquiries 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.
The Job Description, which includes a Person Specification, provides a full outline of responsibilities and requirements for this role. Please use your supporting statement to demonstrate how you meet the person specification., Visa and Immigration
If you are wishing to apply for this role and would require sponsorship (this includes if you are already in a sponsored post and looking to change employer), you can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for this post by assessing your circumstances against criteria specified on the gov.uk website https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job.
Travelling to work
Staff parking is available onsite; however, this is limited during core working hours. We have more capacity in the evening and at weekends and can usually provide spaces during those hours.
We look to allocate these spaces fairly. Our Travel Office have a set of criteria that staff must meet in order to qualify. If you qualify for a space, you may be placed on a waiting list if we are at full capacity.
The NNUH is served by a number of public buses, and we offer generously discounted monthly passes with First Bus & Konect.
The Costessey Park and Ride runs regularly each day from 06:30 (from P&R) to 20:45 (from NNUH) and this service is free for NHS staff. There is a regular Thickthorn P&R service as well which is free. Applications to the Travel Office are required for this service. We also have a discounted service from the airport P&R if you purchase a bundle. Please see Konect website for further details.
The NNUH host multiple bicycle racks and a salary sacrifice scheme. We also benefit from a Beryl station onsite.
If you work at another Trust site, please discuss travel and parking arrangements at interview.
DBS
If this post involves working with children or adults the application form will ask for information regarding previous convictions as you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record and Barring Check known as a DBS check.
If you are a new employee or registering with the Staff Bank you will need to meet the cost of this unless your salary is less than point 9 of Afc
NHS Service
Should you be appointed to the post we will need to establish any previous NHS service via the ESR IAT and we will accept the submission of your application as your agreement to this.
UK Registration
You will need to have current UK professional registration where this is a requirement of the role.
Application
Following candidate feedback and to reduce our dependency on paper, all our communication with you regarding your application will be by email so could you please check your e-mails (and Spam) regularly.
We value equality in our team and recruit from all sections of the community. We recognise there is a wealth of talent among people who have a disability and if you meet the minimum criteria detailed in the person specification and have a disability, you may wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme by indicating this in the relevant section on your application.
We look forward to receiving your application and if you do not hear within the next four weeks this will usually mean that you have not been short-listed. However, if you wish to confirm this please contact the person indicated on the advert.
Flexibility
Whilst every effort will be made to recruit to the post as it is advertised, there may be occasions where we consider alternative working patterns, such as part time working, or contract types, such as secondments, depending on circumstances. Should you wish to work in a different working pattern to that stated in our advertisement, please indicate this in the supporting statement to your application.

At NNUH it is our privilege to provide healthcare to over one million people across Norfolk and surrounding areas. Our vision is to 'provide the best care for every patient', and if this inspires you and you share our values, we really want you to join our team.
NNUH is currently the busiest Trauma Unit in the East of England caring for almost 850 trauma patients annually many with complex care needs. 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.
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.

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