Planit : Job Profiles : Medical Secretary Administration and Management General

Medical secretaries provide administrative and secretarial support for doctors, consultants and other senior staff in hospitals, health centres or GP surgeries.

The Work

You could be:

dealing with consultants’ correspondence and managing their diaries
working on reception, making appointments and handling patient queries
filing confidential medical records
organising patient waiting lists
typing patient letters or confidential medical reports
updating patients’ medical records
sending patients' samples for testing
organising meetings, and associated requirements, and taking minutes at meetings
booking rooms, audio visual equipment and refreshments for meetings.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

where you work
the size of company or organisation you work for
the demand for the job.

Medical secretaries in Scotland are paid on the NHS Agenda for Change Band 3, £19,945 to £21,947 a year. With experience you can go up to Band 4, £22,152 to £24,258 a year. The current pay scales are from April 2019. Secretaries in private hospitals can earn around £17,000 to £22,500 a year.

Conditions

You could be based in an office of a department in a hospital, such as cardiology or radiography.
You could be working in the office of a GP surgery or private practice.
You would work at a reception desk or workstation using a computer.
Your hours would normally be 9.00am-5.00pm, Monday to Friday.
You will have a lot of contact with patients, medical staff and other healthcare staff.
Opportunities for part time work are good.

Workforce Employment Status

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Getting In

A good general education is helpful. Many employers ask for some subjects at National 4 or 5 including English.
You need good IT and audio typing skills.
A typing or word processing qualification is useful and sometimes essential. You need a good typing speed.
You might get in through a Modern Apprenticeship in Business and Administration.
You could take an NC, NQ or an SVQ in administration before applying for a job. In many cases, there are no formal entry requirements for an NC, NQ or SVQ.
Some courses can include medical specialisms.
You need to develop a good knowledge of medical terms.

You could look for work in NHS or private hospitals or clinics, GP surgeries, health centres, research institutes or universities.

Workforce Education Levels (UK)

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Job Outlook Scotland

Employment

Unemployment

Percentage of workforce registered as unemployed (Scotland)

LMI data powered by EMSI UK

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

Scotland

2019

17890

0.6 %

RISE

2024

17993

United Kingdom

2019

262263

2.3 %

RISE

2024

268185

LMI data powered by EMSI UK

What Does it Take?

You should have:

accuracy and attention to detail
the ability to take the initiative and make decisions
good communication skills and a tactful nature
good organisational skills
good typing and IT skills
an interest in health and medicine
respect for dealing with confidential information
the ability to work as part of a team.

Training

Training is usually on the job, perhaps with part time study towards a relevant qualification.
If you do a Modern Apprenticeship, you would complete an SVQ in Business and Administration at SCQF Level 5 or 6.
The Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers, Administrators and Receptionists (AMSPAR) offers the Level 3 Diploma in Medical Administration.

Getting On

With more experience you could move on to the job of practice manager.

Video

Courtesy of NHS Education Scotland

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.

Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers, Administrators & Receptionists (AMSPAR)
Tel: 020 7387 6005
E-mail: info@amspar.com
Website: http://www.amspar.com
Twitter: @AMSPARUK

British Society of Medical Secretaries and Administrators (BSMSA)
Tel: 0844 335 0636
E-mail: training@bsma.org.uk
Website: http://www.bsmsa.org.uk/

Institute of Administrative Management (IAM)
Tel: 01952 797 396
E-mail: info@instam.org
Website: http://www.instam.org/
Twitter: @IAM_1915
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/instam.org

Instructus Skills
Tel: 01536 738631
E-mail: info@instructus.org
Website: https://www.instructus-skills.org
Twitter: @InstructusSkill

Instructus Skills (formerly Skills CFA) is the UK’s leading cross-sector apprenticeship authority and skills sector body. They ensure that apprentices learn the skills that employers need, from business skills to engineering to e-commerce.

NHS Scotland Careers
Website: http://www.careers.nhs.scot
Website (2): https://jobs.scot.nhs.uk/
Twitter: @NHSScotCareers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NHSScotlandCareers/

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Planit

Medical Secretary

The Work

Pay

Conditions

Getting In

Job Outlook Scotland

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

What Does it Take?

Training

Getting On

Video

Contacts

Career Area

Career Sectors

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