Medical Centre Lead Administrator-DEF Academy Services

Location: Defence Academy, Shrivenham, Swindon

Salary: £25,410 per annum plus benefits

Schedule: Full time, Monday–Friday

Ready to impact a better future? As a Medical Centre Lead Administrator in our Defence team, you’ll provide essential administrative and reception support that helps keep our medical services running smoothly. You’ll play a hands‑on, customer‑facing role at the heart of the Defence Academy’s medical facility, ensuring colleagues and patients receive timely, professional, and caring support. This role is a key member of the medical support team, contributing to a service that touches people’s lives and supports the health, wellbeing, and readiness of the Armed Forces community. You’ll help create a dependable, efficient environment where every patient interaction upholds our standards of trust, care, and positive impact.

What you’ll do as a Medical Centre Lead Administrator:

• Ensure consistent administration and reception practices, producing work instructions that complement Medical Centre, Unit, and Defence Primary Health Care procedures.
• Process and dispatch medical documentation, maintaining accurate, current patient records.
• Manage the appointment system and daily clinics using the Defence Medical Information Capability Programme.
• Complete opening and closing checks for the Medical Centre, including equipment checks.
• Handle telephone enquiries promptly, supporting colleagues by answering calls when required.
• Collate and email prescriptions daily to the contracted pharmacy.
• Use the NHS Choose and Book / E‑Referral Service system for electronic appointment bookings.
• Maintain appointment spreadsheets, chase hospital reports, and task clinicians to close entries.
• Receive dispensed medication from the pharmacy and notify patients using the Gov Notify service.
• Support transport requests, including calling emergency ambulances and arranging specimen collection.
• Register and deregister patients in accordance with Defence Primary Health Care policy.
• Provide data to the Practice Manager on medical appointment demand, capacity, and attendance.
• Undertake typing, word processing, filing, scanning, photocopying, and email communications.
• Maintain spreadsheets and databases as required.
• Manage mail distribution and dispatch.
• Maintain stationery stock levels and reorder when necessary.
• Complete role‑relevant training provided by Serco and Defence Primary Healthcare.
• Ensure the office/reception area remains tidy, professional, and well‑presented.
• Provide cover, support, and shadowing for other posts when required.
• Perform additional duties in support of Serco business as requested by line management.
• Support colleagues by providing cover during absences.
• Undertake tasks directed by the Senior Medical Officer and Practice Manager.

Who you are:

• A good level of general education, including GCSEs (A–C) or equivalent in English.
• Experience working in a clinical environment.
• Experience working in a Military Medical Centre or similar setting (advantageous).
• Administration and/or secretarial experience.
• Strong understanding of general office practices and electronic calendar management.
• Proficiency in MS Office tools Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent communication skills, using a variety of methods.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when supporting discreet medical matters.
• Ability to work well both independently and within a team.
• Strong people skills and the resilience to work under pressure.
• Strong organisational and problem‑solving skills.
• Flexibility, diligence, and attention to detail.
• A full driving licence.

Vetting and Checks:

This role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance, which involves verifying your identity, employment history, nationality, and criminal record to meet government security standards. In addition, depending on the nature of the role, you may need to obtain formal Security Clearance (such as CTC or SC), which includes more detailed background checks on employment, criminal record, and financial history to ensure suitability for working in secure environments. Please note that UK residency requirements may apply for certain levels of clearance. You will also complete an Occupational Health Questionnaire so we can identify and provide any support you may need to undertake the role effectively.

What We Offer:

• Holidays: 25 days plus bank holidays (and the option to buy up to five additional leave days each year)
• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Training and development: Over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships (including L3 Team Leader and L5 Operations Manager apprenticeships), mentoring opportunities, and a focus on internal progression
• Health and wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme, Bupa Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, 30% off at Serco‑managed leisure centres, and 24/7 access to a virtual GP service
• Discounts: Discounts across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel
• Charity: Paid volunteering day, tax‑free charitable giving through Payroll Giving Scheme, donate your pennies from your monthly pay to the Serco People Fund Charity
• Employee networks: Our networks support inclusion and connection by providing spaces for collaboration, learning, and belonging. They represent and empower all our colleagues including LGBTQIA+ employees, women, parents and carers, people with disabilities, veterans, and people from all cultural backgrounds.

Let’s impact a better future, together. Apply today.

Diversity and Equality:

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. As a proud Disability Confident Leader and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard, disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview. We support women in defence and are a signatory of the UK Government Women in Defence Charter.