Medical Secretary

Medical Secretary – Chelmsford

Closing date: 05 March 2026

An exciting opportunity has arisen to become a Medical Secretary at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), based in the Chelmsford area. This challenging position requires someone who is a team player, flexible, organised and able to work well under pressure. The post holder will provide comprehensive secretarial and administrative support to the Consultant and clinical team, acting as the first point of contact for patients, doctors and staff throughout the Trust.

This position requires excellent communication skills, dedication to exceptional patient care, the ability to meet the demands of a busy environment, and professionalism when representing the team and department.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated person who is flexible and has excellent secretarial and communication skills. You must be able to work unsupervised and under pressure and deal sympathetically with patients and relatives of people with mental health problems. The Medical Secretaries are an important front‑line team, providing a vital link for staff, patients, relatives and outside agencies as required.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Providing comprehensive secretarial and administrative support to the Consultant and their team.
• Document production such as clinic letters, discharge summaries, clinician reports, general correspondence, minutes and presentations using audio typing, shorthand or copy typing skills.
• Processing case‑notes of discharged patients, ensuring ongoing care plans are followed and appropriate letters or actions are generated.
• Coordinating follow‑up appointments or referrals to other specialties.
• Ensuring time‑sensitive information such as discharge summaries is dictated and typed within designated limits.
• Managing and prioritising own workload effectively, frequently under pressure and without supervision.
• Responding quickly to urgent situations to coordinate an excellent service for patients, carers and health professionals.
• Maintaining professional relationships with other medical and external staff to ensure urgent matters receive timely input.
• Handling telephone calls from patients with neuro‑developmental and neuro‑disability conditions, providing patience and reassurance.
• Communicating patient information to the Consultant accurately and promptly.
• Relaying clinical advice to patients, carers, GPs and the clinical team as instructed by the Consultant.
• Managing the Consultant’s diary, arranging meetings, room bookings, hospitality and providing agendas and related papers.
• Coordinating arrangements for training programmes and conferences, ensuring documentation and logistics are in place.
• Supporting the Consultant in specialist activities such as academic work, research, complaints and service development.
• Recording new patient referrals within Trust guidelines.
• Acting as minute secretary for meetings, case conferences and working groups.
• Liaising with Reception and diagnostic services for appointments and investigations.
• Coordinating investigation appointments (e.g., bloods, EEGs, ECGs, X‑rays, MRI scans) and ensuring results reach the Consultant.
• Facilitating admission processes and liaising with relevant professionals.
• Working as part of the clinical support team to deliver effective administration services across the directorate.
• Providing guidance and mentoring to new or less experienced team members.
• Maintaining patient confidentiality and upholding clinical risk understanding when the Consultant is absent.
• Using the electronic patient records system, updating records with clinical information, communications and ensuring data quality.
• Providing secretarial cover for other Consultant teams when required.
• Processing annual or study leave applications for doctors and communicating cover arrangements.
• Submitting invoices for Consultant expenses promptly.
• Sorting, recording and actioning post, email and telephone enquiries efficiently.
• Assisting with filing, records and bring‑forward systems, keeping documents properly indexed and accessible.
• Using NHS and Trust information systems to retrieve patient…