A leader is as strong as his core team; more so in a medical setup. Surgeons, specialists and medical practitioners are enabled to work at their optimum capacity with the help of an efficient team. The medical staff, who is the first point of contact for the patients, determines the temperature of the room. It is much more than clerical work of asking questions and entering information. There’s more to what meets the eye. Let’s dive deep.
Responsibilities of a medical secretary in the UK
Medical secretarial services in the UK are defined by the employing management of the healthcare centre. It is based on the healthcare services rendered, and assistance required for effective functioning of the healthcare centre.
Communication with the patient
Patient registration involves filling out the form, recording medical history and issues, scheduling appointments, coordinating procedures and maintaining patient records. Any communication at the front desk level is carried out by the medical secretaries.
Administration
Recording patient appointments and managing the same, communicating with the patients and other healthcare providers to facilitate treatment plan, clarifying queries and concerns pre and post patient visit.
Maintaining medical records
Keeping physical and digital copies of complete medical records of all patients at the healthcare centre is a core responsibility of a medical secretary. Private medical secretarial services would cater to a designated medical team at the hospital, or a specific senior medical practitioner, based on what is decided by the management. Since medical records are maintained centrally and will be accessed by any medical professional across the country in the future, it is crucial to maintain extensive and accurate records.
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Facilitate patient care
Depending on the size of the medical centre and the role assigned to the medical secretary, all administrative, communication and other tasks are carried out to facilitate all activities and procedures at the healthcare.
Operate office equipment
Generating invoices, preparing reports, letters, case history, medical records and financial statements. Any document that needs to be recorded for the patient, physician or the healthcare centre for official and communication purposes is prepared by a medical secretary. Since she is the point of contact for all communication, first-hand reports are ready.
Top skills for a medical secretary in 2025
Hard skills, which are learnt through education and formal training, and soft skills, which are inherent or can be cultivated for seamless secretarial support, are discussed below.
1.Communication
Since a medical secretary is the point of contact to share information, pass instructions and address concerns, communication must be clear and effective. It impacts the overall working and efficiency of the team. Language, tone and medium of communication to ensure that the second party – the patient and his family follow all information is essential. Overcoming any barriers in communication and facilitating medical treatment at all times is an essential skill.
Empathy
Patients and their caretakers – families and friends who accompany them to the healthcare centres go through a lot of emotional, mental, physical and sometimes even financial turmoil. With multiple emotions at surge, it is essential for the healthcare workers to show empathy in all interactions. Making the patients feel cared for using words and gestures is a skill. Since healthcare professionals deal with this throughout the day, it could become overwhelming at times. But going beyond it and not letting it affect the next patient that comes in is a skill to be cultivated.Adaptability
The situation at clinics and hospitals is always unpredictable. The ability to handle any situation, adapt and be calm is a skill that a medical secretary needs to cultivate. For some, it comes naturally, but most cultivate it over time. The key is to be open and flexible to adapt to any situation.
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- Customer service Policies and procedures of the healthcare centre must be followed. Queries and concerns must be addressed with care and concern, providing correct information. Must serve as a mediator to clarify queries that were missed during consultation. Schedule, reschedule, remind and facilitate appointments of the patients with the concerned healthcare practitioner.
Hard skills to ace at being a medical secretary in the UK
Training and education by a certified professional are essential for a medical secretary. Proper guidance and practice are necessary to carry out day-to-day tasks. Since minor mistakes can result in huge financial and life loss, appropriate training, examination and supervision are required.
Medical terminology
Extensive medical knowledge on the health issues, treatment plans and functioning of the human body is the basis. A strong foundation in medicine is essential to being familiar with medical terminology and the preparation of medical records. An educational degree as per the country’s norms must be attained by the medical secretary. To assist senior physicians, specialists and surgeons, a degree in medical specialisation or extensive work experience in the same department is required. Education in medicine and understanding of the human body is the first step.Health information systems
Education and training on the healthcare information systems to enter correct and complete information are required. Operating software systems used by the healthcare centre, safety and quality standards are the first step to being able to work on the system. Extensive training is required for the professional to work independently.Administrative skills
Answering phone calls, written communication, setting reminders, informing patients on the appointments and any other relevant information are mundane activities yet core responsibilities. Updating and managing patient files are essential for the smooth functioning of the organisation.Auditing dictations and letters typed to ensure there is no missing dictations
Medical records include the patient’s medical history, treatment plan, treatment details, progress, and review. Extensive record-keeping is carried out, as dictated by the treating physician. Auditing the dictations to check if they are factual and accurate is mandatory. Even the smallest of errors can prove fatal when it comes to medicine.
Physicians also write referral letters to other physicians or specialists, briefing the patient’s history and anything relevant that needs to be known. These dictations have to be proofread before sending them across. Medical centres that require massive auditing of dictations outsource them, whereas small and medium-sized medical centres add the responsibility to their in-house medical secretary.
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Maintaining the calendar
Maintaining the doctor’s calendar includes scheduling appointments in the free slots, ensuring no slots are free (or as directed by other commitments), managing wait lists for appointments and patient management.
Patient management includes informing patients of the appointment, sending out reminders, communicating any changes in the appointment, retrieving patient medical records during their visit, handling patient queries and addressing their concerns.Quality compliance
At every step of communication and record keeping, all policies and procedures laid by the healthcare setup and the country must be complied with. Failure to do so can result in serious consequences. Therefore, medical secretaries must be aware of and updated on all the policies and regulatory requirements by participating in training programs and audits.
Last word
Finding the right fit for your organisation requires a considerable amount of time, money and effort. Outsource medical secretarial services to a reputable company like Snap Digital and save more time to utilise to render healthcare services.
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