Medical Secretary

Job description

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is the only acute hospital provider in the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS), which is a system of health and care partners working together for our local population.

Within Mid and South Essex there are 149 GP practices, operating from over 200 sites, forming 27 Primary Care Networks and one Ambulance Trust. There are also three main community and mental health service providers who work together through a community collaborative.

We collaborate with other valuable partners, including three Healthwatch organisations, nine voluntary and community sector organisations and three top tier local authorities, with seven district, borough and city councils, as well as our local universities.

Job overview

We are looking for a Medical Secretary to join our Ophthalmology Department at Southend Hospital.

This role offers you some great benefits including, a very generous holiday allowance, a brilliant pension and the opportunity to work with some great people.

A Medical Secretary in an Ophthalmology Department plays a central role in supporting Consultants, Clinicians, and the wider eye-care team. The job blends administrative expertise with patient-focused communication, ensuring the smooth running of clinics, correspondence, and clinical pathways.

What do you need to have to apply? You need to be enthusiastic and capable, as this is a very fast paced and demanding service. You need to be very well organised, responsive and be able to work on own initiative. Experience in a role where you have developed great keyboard skills, knowledge of clinical systems and the ability to deal with admin.

Please note that this vacancy may close early due to number of applications.

Main duties of the job

To provide high-quality administrative and secretarial support to ophthalmology consultants and clinical teams.

Processing referrals, results, and clinical correspondence in a timely manner.

Handling email enquiries from patients, GPs, optometrists, and other hospitals.
Type all clinic dictation /reports/statements/other.
To manage and process advice and guidance requests from GP's.

Strong typing and audio-typing skills.

Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced clinical environment.
Any other duties within the role of a Medical Secretary within the grade of your post.

Ophthalmology is one of the busiest outpatient specialties in the NHS, with high patient volumes and rapid-turnover clinics. A Medical Secretary in this field needs to be particularly organised, responsive, and comfortable juggling multiple subspecialties and urgent cases.

Working for our organisation

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Are you looking for an exciting Medical Secretary role using your unique qualities, then we want to hear from you.

For full details about this varied and rewarding role, please see attached job description.

We look forward to your application.

Please be aware that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a suitable number of applications.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• GCSES or equivalent experience

Desirable criteria

• Administration/Typing qualification

Experience

Essential criteria

• NHS Experience
• Experience of working with IT office packages
• Secretarial Experience

Desirable criteria

• Any experience working in Ophthalmology in any setting

Skills

Essential criteria

• Excellent written communication skills demonstrated throughout application form

Please be aware as per the new Immigration guidelines we cannot sponsor candidates with a salary (full time or pro Rata) under the current minimum threshold.

Please note, the selection processes at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right skills and values, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain vigilant against candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn't accurately reflect their skills, and you will be required to declare on your application if AI has been used before submitting your application.

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