Medical Secretary, Band 3

Medical Secretary, Band 3

Closing date: 09 July 2026

To provide an efficient, confidential and professional medical secretarial service within the Rheumatology team based at Gloucester Royal Hospital and Cheltenham General Hospital. This role is to support one of our Rheumatology consultants whilst their secretary is on long‑term sick leave for nine months; this also includes supporting the registrar and clinical fellow staff under this consultant. Good communication with patients, relatives, general practitioners and other hospital staff is essential to ensure a proficient, high‑quality service for patients and clinicians.

The ability to work on your own initiative but also to be a good team player will also be a key attribute. The post-holder will report to the Secretary Supervisor.

Whilst the organisation and structure within specialities/divisions may vary the specific remit of this role will include:

• Typing correspondence to patients, GPs, medical staff and any other required addressee following clinical attendance or other patient contacts using digital dictation or via Dragon voice recognition
• Typing detailed medical reports when necessary
• Ensuring incoming post and results are sorted, appropriate action taken and passed to the clinician on a daily basis
• Ensuring that any vacant slots are fully utilised and acted upon, including informing the Booking Office, to maximise capacity
• Booking investigations as requested by the clinical team, including negotiation of dates with the patients and creating correspondence if appropriate
• Dealing with enquiries by letter, e‑mail or telephone from patients, GPs, other hospitals, police, solicitors (via legal department), other consultants and management
• Organisation of procedures in negotiation with the clinical staff and patients as requested by the secretary supervisor, including identifying potential dates with the clinical team, negotiating dates with the patient and coordinating staff, equipment, stock, facilities, external support and paperwork
• Carrying out regular review and administrative validation of the clinician's return outpatient wait list

• Managing clinics, i.e. cancelling annual leave and ensuring that any empty slots are utilised
• Booking follow‑up appointments as requested by the clinical team if appropriate, including negotiation of dates with the patient and creating correspondence
• Liaising with clinic prep to ensure notes are requested/available for patient appointments
• Liaising with the Booking Office to maximise capacity
• Ensuring that arrangements are made to achieve the Trust targets and are reflected on IT systems in a timely manner

• Highlighting to the clinical team members any results, correspondence or patient queries that need response and action, booking investigations, transcription, etc.

• Organisation of procedures in negotiation with the clinical staff and patients as requested by the secretary supervisor, identifying potential dates with the clinical team, negotiating dates with the patient and co‑ordinating staff, equipment, stock, facilities, external support and paperwork
• Ensuring that arrangements are made to achieve the Trust targets and are reflected on IT systems in a timely manner
• Regularly informing the secretarial supervisor about progress and flagging up any issues, for example, capacity or delays due to internal or external factors, difficult queries from patients, etc.
• Diary management, including making appointments, booking meeting dates and venues, organising and distributing paperwork as required by the clinical team/supervisor
• Supporting consultant staff by assisting with the production/transcription of medical notes
• Proofreading or typing of correspondence to patients, GPs, medical staff and any other required addressee following clinical attendance or other patient contacts
• Taking and transcribing minutes as appropriate
• Supporting consultant staff with their additional responsibilities
• Liaising with external organisations for the benefit and progress of patient care, such as other hospitals

We take…