Ophthalmology Medical Secretary

NHS; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A large healthcare provider in Cheltenham is seeking a Medical Secretary for the Ophthalmology Department. This role involves providing essential administrative support to specialty teams, including booking patient appointments and managing communication. The ideal candidate should have excellent communication skills and previous experience in a hospital or office environment. A positive atmosphere awaits, with opportunities for professional growth and development.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE grade C or above in literacy and numeracy.
• Proven organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide an efficient secretarial service to specialty teams.
• Book investigations and appointments as requested.
• Support service reviews and implement new processes.

Skills

Proven organisational skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Good interpersonal skills

RSA Level 3 in audio typing

IT experience with Microsoft Office

Education

GCSE grade C in literacy and numeracy

NVQ Level 3 in Administration

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Ophthalmology Medical Secretary, Band 3

The closing date is 20 January 2026

We have an exciting opportunity for a Medical Secretary role within the Ophthalmology Department. We are a large specialty with clinics at Cheltenham General Hospital, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, and several community hospitals. In addition, we perform ophthalmology surgery in our Day Case Unit at Cheltenham General Hospital.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will provide an efficient, confidential, and professional secretarial service to the specialty teams. This includes administration and secretarial support to enable the provision of patient care and specialty services.

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 post-holder will work as part of an Administrative Support Team and report to the Secretary Supervisor.

About us

The Ophthalmology Administration Team is a friendly and collaborative group that thrives on mutual support and open communication. They work with dedication and efficiency, maintaining excellent rapport with clinical and nursing colleagues to ensure smooth patient care pathways. Team members benefit from a positive atmosphere that values professional growth, shared learning, and a healthy work-life balance, making it a rewarding environment to be part of.

Job responsibilities

Key Knowledge and Experience

• Educated to GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in literacy and numeracy
• NVQ Level 3 in Administration or equivalent experience
• Appropriate experience in a hospital or office environment
• RSA Level 3 or equivalent proficiency in audio typing (minimum 60 wpm)
• IT experience with Microsoft Office packages and hospital systems
• Excellent professional telephone manner to resolve queries and maintain organisational reputation
• Proven organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with good command of English, punctuation, and grammar
• Good interpersonal skills for dealing with internal and external contacts
• Ability to work flexibly within a team, quickly and accurately
• Ability to use own judgment and initiative as appropriate

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Referrals and Booking

• Book follow-up and post-operative appointments as requested by the clinical team, including negotiating dates with patients and creating correspondence
• Ensure vacant slots are utilised and inform the Booking Office to maximise capacity
• Book investigations as requested by the clinical team, negotiating dates with patients and creating correspondence
• Ensure arrangements meet Trust targets and are updated on IT systems promptly

Outcomes and Results

• Highlight results, correspondence, or patient queries requiring action and take appropriate steps (e.g., booking investigations, transcription)

Specialty-Specific Support

• Inform the secretarial supervisor of progress and negotiate urgent issues (e.g., capacity delays, complex patient queries)
• Type correspondence to patients, GPs, medical staff, and others following clinical attendance or as directed
• Type detailed medical reports for legal use when necessary
• Manage diaries, appointments, meetings, and paperwork for clinical teams
• Support consultants with administrative tasks, including references and governance responsibilities
• Provide administrative support for Out-of-Hours Eye Emergency patients and triage nurses
• Liaise with external organisations (e.g., Opticians, Social Services, other hospitals) for patient care
• File clinical records and consent forms from MediSIGHT into main hospital notes
• Provide additional administrative support as service needs change

Service Improvement

• Use specialty databases for patient information and clinic activity for audits and surveys
• Support service reviews and implementation of new processes
• Assist with complaint resolution by collating information and escalating appropriately

Team Working

• Work flexibly within the Administrative Support Team to ensure equitable workload distribution
• Cover colleagues during absences and participate in job rotation for development
• Undertake routine office duties (e.g., note tracking, photocopying, filing)
• Assist with training and induction of new staff
• Adapt to departmental demands and process changes efficiently

Communications and Working Relationships

• Medical staff (junior and senior, including consultants)
• Nursing staff
• Patients, carers, and relatives
• Other medical secretaries and ward clerks
• Health Records, Pathology, Radiology
• GPs and GP practices
• Management teams
• Other NHS organisations and external bodies (e.g., Opticians, solicitors, DVLA, Social Services, Police)

Other

• Participate in annual appraisal and personal development planning
• Undertake training as required for role development
• Contribute positively to team effectiveness and efficiency
• Adhere to health and safety regulations and Trust policies

General Working Conditions

• Occasional movement of medical notes (up to 10kg; manual handling training provided)
• Exposure to occasional unpleasant conditions (e.g., office temperature extremes, ward odours)
• Daily use of VDU (workstation assessments provided)
• Handling sensitive and confidential information
• Unpredictable work patterns with frequent interruptions and changing priorities

Person Specification

Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience

• Educated to GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in literacy and numeracy
• Appropriate experience in a hospital or office environment
• IT experience with Microsoft Office packages
• Proven organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with good command of English, punctuation, and grammar
• Ability to work flexibly within a team, quickly and accurately
• Good interpersonal skills for dealing with internal and external contacts
• Ability to use own judgment and initiative as appropriate
• Experience of IT hospital systems
• NVQ Level 3 in Administration or equivalent experience

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£24,937 to £26,598 a year(pa pro rata if part-time)