Job summary
- Main area
- Medical Secretary
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Predominantly 8am-4pm or 9am-5pm on a weekly rotational basis)
- Job ref
- 297-7671254-A
- Employer
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Town
- Gateshead
- Salary
- £24,937 - £26,598 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 14/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Medical Secretary, Trauma & Orthopaedics (Band 3)
NHS AfC: Band 3
In the event of excessive applications being received this vacancy may close earlier than the stated closing date, you are encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible
IMPORTANT NOTE ON COMPLETION OF REFERENCE SECTION OF APPLICATION FORM
All references from current and previous employers will be sought and MUST cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Where possible this should be from two separate employers. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.
PLEASE NOTE it is a requirement of this Trust that all successful applicants pay for their DBS certificate if a check is required for the post. This will be done through deduction from your monthly pay over a maximum of three months. It is also a requirement that all successful applicants register or are registered with the DBS update service where a DBS is required.
All new entrants to the NHS will be appointed on the minimum of the pay scale in line with Terms & Conditions.
Job overview
Medical Secretary - Full-time - 37.5 hours per week - Permanent
Applications are invited from hard working and organised individuals to provide a high quality secretarial and administrative service based within the department of Trauma & Orthopaedics. You will be based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Main duties of the job
You should be education to a good standard (GCSE or equivalent, including Maths and English) or have an NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration. You should have 2 years previous secretarial/administrative experience, some of which within an acute medical setting. Good written and verbal communication skills are essential together with good organisational and planning skills. RSA II typewriting/Audio/Word processing qualification would be an advantage, as would audio typing skills. You should also have knowledge of a range of secretarial procedures and software programmes. An understanding of medical terminology would be advantageous.
Working for our organisation
Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care and Bensham Hospital all within Gateshead.
Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.
We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.
Our values should be the ‘golden thread’ which runs through everything we do – they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronym ICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.
We have a number of staff networks including the BAME network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women’s Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our armed forces network is one of our emerging networks.
The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our ‘Balance’ programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To develop close working relationships with secretarial colleagues and other staff within the Trauma & Orthopaedic department
- To ensure that all correspondence is typed and forwarded to health care professionals accurately and with care in order that the service users receive a quality service.
- To be involved in an ongoing training programme in line with your developing role
- To deal with sensitive information either through audio/digital dictation or indirectly through patient records in an appropriate manner, using skills such as confidentiality.
- Maintain and promote the professional image of the Trauma & Orthopaedic Services and Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust.
- Maintain patient confidentiality at all times in line with the Trust Information Management and Technology (IM&T) Information Security Policy.
- As part of a continually developing service you will be required to comment on policies and procedures.
- Work within the Terms and Conditions of Employment of your Trust Contract.
- Report incidents, accidents and defects according to Trust and Business Unit guidelines.
- To liaise with other healthcare agencies and departments, maintaining and developing good communication links.
- Working with Software programmes such as Winscribe, CareFlow, Medirota and any other systems required.
- Typing of copy clinical correspondence and ensuring any actions are carried out, VTC clinics of a confidential and often sensitive nature.
- Minute taking.
- Enquiries may include requests for test results and these should be referred to the relevant discipline personnel.
- Understand how to deal with complaints effectively and efficiently, ensuring any written complaints are referred to the appropriate staff in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.
- To undertake filing as required of hard copies and any electronic copies as appropriate in accordance with lean principles.
- To participate in Contact Appraisal.
- To collect and distribute medical records.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to a good standard (GCSE or equivalent, including Maths and English) or NVQ Level 2 in Business and Administration)
Desirable criteria
- RSA 2 typing or equivalent IT skills
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working in NHS or healthcare environment in an admin role
- 2 years recent experience of working in secretarial or office environment
- Experienced in using Microsoft Office packages
Desirable criteria
- Audio Typing
Knowledge/Skills
Essential criteria
- Clear effective written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to demonstrate good organisational planning skills
- Ability to work autonomously and also as part of a team, developing good working relationships with colleagues
- Ability to provide flexible committed support with the ability to adapt to developing service needs with a flexible approach to working as service needs dictate.
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of Careflow system
- Familiarity with medical terminology
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Alison Anderson
- Job title
- Administration Manager, Anaesthetics & T&O
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0191 445 6476
- Additional information
Paula Bell
Administration Manager, Surgery Centre
0191 445 3003
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