Band 3 Personal Secretary

Band 3 Personal Secretary - Adult Learning Disability Services

Honeycomb is pleased to be working with the Western Health & Social Care Trust to recruit a Band 3 Personal Secretary to support the Community Social Work Teams within Adult Mental Health and Learning Disability Services.

Location: Lakeview Hospital, Gransha Park, Derry/ Londonderry
Contract: Temporary - Initially until 31st March 2027
Hourly Rate: £12.75

This is an excellent opportunity for an organised and motivated administrator or secretary to join a busy healthcare team, providing essential secretarial and administrative support to social work professionals. The successful candidate will play an important role in ensuring the smooth running of the department, maintaining accurate records, coordinating meetings and delivering a professional and efficient service to staff, service users and their families.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing comprehensive secretarial and administrative support to the Community Social Work Teams and wider professional staff.
• Managing electronic diaries, arranging appointments, meetings, venues and hospitality where required.
• Preparing, typing and formatting correspondence, letters, memorandums, minutes, reports and presentations.
• Organising meetings, ensuring relevant documentation and files are available, and preparing and distributing minutes.
• Handling incoming telephone calls and enquiries, taking appropriate action and liaising with staff, service users and carers.
• Maintaining efficient filing systems, brought-forward systems and managing incoming and outgoing mail.
• Assisting with the production of departmental policies, reports and PowerPoint presentations.
• Updating and maintaining databases, spreadsheets and departmental records.
• Supporting the daily collation of statistical information and data returns.
• Monitoring stationery stock levels and arranging requisitions to ensure adequate supplies are maintained.
• Ensuring all records and sensitive information are handled appropriately in line with Trust policies and confidentiality requirements.
• Providing general administrative support to ensure the effective day-to-day running of the department.

The role would suit someone with strong organisational and communication skills who is confident managing a varied workload and supporting a busy team. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate initiative, attention to detail and the ability to prioritise tasks effectively, while maintaining a professional and approachable manner when dealing with staff, service users and members of the public.

Essential Criteria

Applicants must meet one of the following qualification and experience requirements:

Option 1:

• A minimum of five GCSEs at grades A-C, including English Language and Maths, or equivalent qualifications or a higher standard of education.
• At least one year's administrative or clerical experience.

OR

Option 2:

• NVQ Level II in Business & Administration, or an equivalent qualification.
• At least one year's administrative or clerical experience.

OR

Option 3:

• At least three years' administrative or clerical experience.

In addition, applicants must demonstrate:

• Working experience using Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel and Word.

Essential Skills and Knowledge

Candidates will also be required to demonstrate the following at interview:

• Knowledge and understanding of policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of patient information systems and data collection.
• Experience or understanding of maintaining electronic diaries.
• Ability to arrange meetings and take minutes.
• Ability to work independently and use initiative.
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to plan, prioritise and manage competing workloads.
• Ability to organise complex information and prepare a variety of documents, including minutes, letters, reports and presentations.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality when handling sensitive patient and staff information.
• Competence in using Microsoft Office packages, particularly Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

Desirable Criteria

The following experience may be advantageous during shortlisting:

• Experience using the Encompass patient information system.
• Minute taking experience

Please note: Applicants must clearly demonstrate how they meet each of the essential criteria within their application form, as shortlisting will be based on the information provided. The Trust reserves the right to use desirable criteria where necessary.

An Enhanced AccessNI check and health assessment may be required as part of the recruitment process.

To apply confidentially, please submit your CV via the application link provided. Alternatively, you can contact Niamh Crummey if you require any further information about the position.

If you need any reasonable adjustments or additional assistance during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will be happy to make the necessary arrangements.

Please note that successful candidates may be required to undergo a Basic or Enhanced AccessNI check, with a fee of £18+. Having a previous conviction will not automatically prevent an appointment, and any information disclosed will be treated with the appropriate level of confidentiality.

Honeycomb is committed to providing equal opportunities throughout the recruitment process. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may not be in a position to respond to every applicant individually. We would, however, like to thank everyone who expresses an interest in this opportunity.

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