Gastroenterology - Medical Secretary (Liver service)

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Gastroenterology - Medical Secretary (Liver service)

NHS AfC: Band 4

Main area Gastroenterology Grade NHS AfC: Band 4 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday - Friday) Job ref 382-SWC130-26

Site Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Town Blackpool Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 29/10/2026 23:59

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is situated on the west coast of Lancashire, with services covering the local authority areas of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. The Trust is part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) supporting a population of around 1.6 million people.

We have three main hospitals providing acute services to around 330,000 local residents. The organisation also provides specialist tertiary care for cardiac and haematology services, delivers community health services to over 445,000 residents including those in North Lancashire and hosts the National Artificial Eye Service across England. Plus, we provide urgent and emergency care services to an estimated 18 million people who visit the seaside resort each year. We employ over 7000 people from 68 different countries.

We welcome and encourage application from anyone with protected characteristics, as well as supporting reservists and Veterans who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career within the NHS.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals encourages flexible working in all our roles to support staff in maintaining healthy home-life balance. Working patterns such as: part time working, self-rostering, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time, reverse term time and flexitime working can be explored.

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity that has come up in the Gastroenterology Administrative Department. We are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic individual to join us as a Gastro Secretary for the liver nursing team.

There is no sponsorship for this role. This role may close early due to popularity.

The role of the Medical Secretary is to provide a comprehensive secretarial, administration and information service to the Consultants in respect of their NHS work and to the supporting medical team. The role comprises a wide range of specific duties and requires competence in word processing, keyboard skills, audio-typing, data processing, information technology, communication and organisational skills. An essential part of the role is the ability to manage and prioritise own workload without direct supervision.

Main duties of the job

A Secretary in the NHS plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of the department. They are responsible for a wide range of administrative and clerical tasks that support the team and contribute to the overall patient care experience.

Key responsibilities include managing consultant clinics, coordinating clinic schedules, and ensuring that all necessary documentation is accurately maintained and readily available. They also handle patient enquiries, provide information and support to patients and their families, and liaise with other healthcare professionals to facilitate effective communication and collaboration.

Additionally, the Secretary is responsible for maintaining patient records, ensuring that all data is up-to-date and securely stored. They may also be involved in preparing and distributing correspondence, reports, and other important documents related to patient care and surgical procedures.

Effective organisational and communication skills are essential for this role, as well as a keen attention to detail and the ability to work under pressure. The Secretary must be able to prioritise tasks and manage their time effectively to ensure that all responsibilities are completed in a timely and efficient manner.

Working for our organisation

If you're considering a career at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, you're in for a rewarding experience like no other. Our hospital is not only a place where you can grow professionally, but it's also a community where you can make a real difference in people's lives every day. We are committed to providing the highest standard of care to our patients, and we take great pride in our compassionate and dedicated staff. You'll be joining a team that values innovation, continuous learning, and collaboration. Moreover, Blackpool is a vibrant area with a strong sense of community, offering a great quality of life outside of work. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your career, there’s a place for you here at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals where your skills and passion can truly shine.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1.Audio type written reports and correspondence, using word processing packages, for the Consultants and their teams. These may include outpatient reports, discharge summaries, operation notes and other relevant clinical and non-clinical correspondence.

2.Compose, as required, non-routine letters requiring tact, sympathy and understanding, on behalf of the Consultant or medical staff.

3.Where appropriate, ensure operation note templates are set up on the word processing system for the Consultant in preparation for his/her completion at the time of the patients’ surgical procedures.

4.Following authorisation by the clinician, ensure that clinic and discharge correspondence to GP’s and/or other Consultants are dispatched promptly and efficiently.

5.Following authorisation by the clinician, ensure correspondence to patients is dispatched promptly and efficiently.

6.Check all outgoing correspondence ensuring any instructions in the correspondence are carried out. These may include arranging outpatient clinic appointments, further investigations or surgical procedures. Dispatch the relevant investigation/operation request forms to the appropriate departments once completed by the Consultant or a member of the medical staff.

7.Take the necessary action as instructed by the Consultant with regards to patients who fail to attend clinic appointments, investigations or inpatient procedures.

8.Open and prioritise incoming correspondence (which is often of a highly sensitive and confidential nature) on behalf of the Consultant, ensuring that urgent correspondence receives prompt attention. In the Consultant’s absence, the Medical Secretary is responsible for ascertaining which correspondence requires referral to an appropriate clinician for urgent attention.

9.Manage patients’ investigation results. Check all incoming laboratory/radiology results, ensuring that abnormal results are communicated promptly to the appropriate clinician. Ensure all reports are seen and signed by the clinician prior to filing in case notes. Retrieve investigation results and reports from the Pathology, Radiology (PACS) and ADAMS systems, where applicable. Be responsible for chasing up any missing results.

10.Receive, manage and prioritise telephone and personal enquiries, complaints, messages and information from patients, relatives, GP’s, Consultants and other medical staff and external organisations on behalf of the Consultant and medical team. Deal with enquiries relating to the medical and social welfare of patients and relatives in a sensitive manner, referring to medical staff or other healthcare professionals where appropriate. When responding to enquiries, ensure that relevant guidelines or protocols are followed.

Please see the attached Job Description & Person Specification for further information, and before applying for the position.

Person specification

Education and Qualification

• 5 GCSE’s grade C or above
• Typing qualification RSA 3 or higher or equivalent experience
• ECDL
• NVQ 3 Business Administration or Team Leadership or Customer Care or equivalent experience

Customer Care or equivalent experience X Experience and Knowledge

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Programme and Keyboard Skills/Audio typing
• Previous experience working as a secretary for at least 2 years.
• Knowledge of Hospital Information System (HISS) / ORMIS / MAXIMS
• Previous experience working within a hospital setting
• Previous experience of working within the NHS
• Knowledge and understanding of specialist medical terminology

Skills & Ability

• Advanced keyboard skills.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills.
• Effective team leader.
• Efficient and enthusiastic.
• Flexible approach to the post
• Ability to respond to changes in service / adaptable / open to change.
• Diplomatic
• Confident
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate at all levels.
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Problem solving ability.
• Ability to learn new tasks, procedures and terminology.
• Ability to learn new tasks, procedures and terminology.

Any invitation to interview will be sent to the email account stated on your application form.

If the role you have applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this as part of your pre-employment checks. Please note, you will be required to repay the cost on appointment. This will be collected via a salary deduction. You can choose whether to pay this over 1-3 months from your salary or as a one-off payment on commencement in post. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered. Currently the charges are - Basic DBS check £24, Standard DBS check £24 and Enhanced DBS check £45.

You are encouraged where possible, to register for the DBS update service. This is an annual registration fee of £15. By registering for the update service you will not have the additional cost of repeated disclosures.

Should you withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check.

DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions.

By submitting an application for this vacancy you are confirming your agreement to the above in the event you are successfully appointed.

The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here .

Please ensure that you read the Person Specification attached below as your application will be judged against this.

Please note that every effort will be made to keep the vacancy live until published closing date, though there may be instances where such interest is generated, that for administrative reasons the post may close earlier.

Please note that in line with national NHS guidelines this Trust operates a strict non-smoking policy. Members of staff are not permitted to smoke on Trust premises or grounds at any time nor take breaks during working hours for the purposes of smoking.

The Trust does not offer interview expenses to shortlisted candidates unless indicated in the advert.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

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