Medical Secretary
Livewell Southwest
Plymouth, PL1 4JZ · Plymouth, PL4 7QDView on map(opens Google Maps in a new tab)
Salary
£25,760 to £27,476
Contract
Fixed-Term
Hours
Not specified
Closing date
20 October 2026
1 day leftJob description
37.5 hours per week. Are you ready for a new challenge? Are you currently working in an administrative role and looking for your next career step? The...
Your role will be to support the mental health consultants with duties including audio typing of clinic dictations, arranging and re-scheduling appointments, maintaining accurate and up to date patient records, arranging meetings, minute taking and report monitoring. As such, we require someone with the skills to take on this demanding secretarial work. You will have proficient keyboard skills demonstrating accuracy in typing. Experience of audio typing or a willingness to learn this skill is essential.
Although you will primarily support the team based at the Cumberland Centre, there will be a requirement to cover the team at Avon House, Mount Gould on occasions when needed.
Please note that this role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.
Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.
To provide an efficient audio /copy typing and word
processing service as required. This includes the typing of letters and reports
in an accurate and high-quality manner, adhering to the organisations
turnaround time for clinic letters following appointments.
To work with the team in implementing all admin procedures including
the typing letters, reports, training packages, emails, minutes and agendas as
requested. This requires advanced
keyboard skills, speed and accuracy within required timescales and constant use
of a VDU daily.
To ensure referrals out to other services as
requested by the doctors are processed in a timely manner, as well as any referrals
in received.
To establish and maintain filing and administrative
systems so that written or computer information is easily accessible and
secure.
To retrieve medical records and assist the
completion of medical/insurance records.
To receive incoming and initiate outgoing telephone
calls in order to facilitate timely and appropriate communications with others,
taking messages and dealing with appropriate queries.
To maintain the computer clinic system in an
accurate and secure manner.
In liaison with the team responsible, maintain
adequate supplies of office stationery in order to perform your secretarial
Process incoming and outgoing mail, distributing to
correct doctor in a timely manner.
Be responsible for all of the consultants incoming mail and e-mails,
whilst using discretion to deal appropriately with any mail that does not
require the consultants perusal.
Provide an efficient and accurate secretarial service to the consultant
and to ensure the consultants diary of appointments is updated and confirmed
with them regularly. Use discretion to make changes to the consultants diary and
communicate the changes whenever necessary.
To maintain, always, the highest level of confidentiality in respect of
information concerning the Livewell Southwest or any of its staff or patients.
Record and monitor the consultants attendance/absence in own diary. Apply
to the appropriate parties for approval of leave and obtain consultant cover. Arrange
changes to the Consultant Duty Rota as necessary and again notify all parties
of such changes.
Provide secretarial support for the junior doctors working with the consultants
following outpatients clinics.
Liaise with the team and other medical secretaries to cross cover for
annual leave and other leave as required, in line with the secretarial
standard.
Liaise with GPs, patients, carers and other professionals on a daily
basis via email, telephone calls or letters.
Book patients in for clinical appointments, send appointment letters,
following the appointment outcome the appointment and booking the next
appointment within timeframe stated by the doctor.
Be the first point of contact on the telephone for patients and healthcare
professionals including following data protection protocols for confirming
callers details. Use tact, diplomacy and maintaining confidentiality when
talking to patients.
Take telephone messages and pass to correct secretary/team member as
appropriate.
Maintain outpatients appointments and implement changes as necessary
on own initiative to ensure that the lists run effectively and efficiently.
Review the consultants caseload and waiting lists quarterly.
To coordinate
and produce agendas and minutes for high level and confidential meetings,
transcribing and distributing as necessary.
post holder will liaise with patients, carers, families and other
professionals and agencies to organise various meetings. Due to the urgency,
some of these meetings are arranged at short-notice, requiring re-organisation
of diaries to ensure service user needs are met.
attend and participate in weekly admin team meetings, as well as the wider
service meetings.
Accurately recording large amounts of information relating to staff
contact with patients onto Livewell Southwest database (SystmOne) daily.
The post holder will identify new ways of working and make changes to
own work, when agreed, to improve service.
Provide line management support to one Band 2 Administrator as part of
development.
Ensure
that all complaints, compliments, concerns, comments, and suggestions are
appropriately recorded, and where possible resolved within level of role or
escalated appropriately.
post holder will be able to provide non-clinical advice and information with
regards to appointments and visitors to the unit.
post holder will undertake surveys/audits as required including staff surveys.
to all communication via telephone calls, email, and written queries on behalf
of the service area including call handling where appropriate.
Manage appointments, meetings, and events on behalf of the
service, making bookings where necessary and ensuring all equipment and
documentation is available.
Ensure that the corporate support function complies with all
Livewell policies and procedures including Data Protection, confidentiality,
Health and Safety, security and safeguarding.
Assist in the training of newly appointed
secretarial/administrative staff and supporting them during their assimilation.
Be proactive and contribute ideas for improvement in the way the
service is delivered.
Able to work on own initiative, prioritising work within defined
policies and procedures to set timescales.
Supporting with all administrative tasks around FP10s, including
monthly audits, ensuring signatory log is kept up to date when staff changes
occur and scanning and saving the FP10 into SystmOne
Distributing and logging FP10s
Monitoring the FP10 stock monthly and arranging collection of new
FP10 pad from Mount Gould Hospital as and when required.
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social
enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across
Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of
Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports
centres, and health hubs.
As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and
collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while
empowering staff and those we serve.
We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in
shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right
time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead
healthy, independent lives.
We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training
pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care
Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship
programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.
Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all
sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental
health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the
application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.
Experience
Essential: - Previous experience as a medical secretary or senior administrator; - Proven experience of working to a deadline
Desirable: - Secretarial/significant administrative experience in a hospital or clinical setting; - Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team.
Knowledge
Essential
- Proven secretarial and administrative experience
- Ability to effectively use all Microsoft packages: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Microsoft Teams
- Good understanding of confidentiality and data protection
Desirable
- Knowledge of medical terminology.
- Understanding of Out-Patient, admission and waiting list procedures including RTT.
- Demonstrable experience of hospital software e.g. SystmOne/iPM
Specific Skills
Essential
- Excellent audio typing and computer skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritise workload, using initiative where appropriate
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Able to communicate effectively with senior medical staff and service leads
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Ability to work supervised and unsupervised
- Ability and willingness to work flexibly to meet service need requirements
- Ability to deal with multiple requests from consultants and doctors and prioritise accordingly
Desirable: - Ability to accurately touch type; - Ability to communicate to people in crisis on the telephone
Qualifications
Essential
- 5 GCSEs (grades A-C) or equivalent, including English and Maths
- NVQ level 3 in Business Administration/relevant subject or able to demonstrate significant previous knowledge and experience
Desirable
- ECDL
- IT qualification
- AMSPAR Diploma
- Secretarial/word processing qualifications
- RSA 2 in Typewriting or equivalent skills, knowledge, and experience
How to apply
Applications are handled entirely by the employer on the original advert. We do not collect CVs, supporting statements or application data.
Provenance
Source
NHS Jobs
First seen
13 October 2026
Last checked
15 October 2026
Salary, closing date and description are taken from the employer's advert. The original advert always takes precedence.
About the employer
NHS organisation
This listing was structured from NHS Jobs. Vacancy details and the application process remain the responsibility of the original source.
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