Job summary

Are you an organised, reliable and motivated individual with excellent communication skills? Do you enjoy working as part of a busy team and making a difference to patient care?

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic Clerical Assistant to provide high-quality administrative support to our ophthalmology Service. This is an excellent opportunity to join a friendly and supportive team, playing a vital role in ensuring patients, carers, service users and healthcare professionals receive an efficient and professional service.

• Interview Date Tuesday 10 November 2026
• 37 Hours 30 Minutes/Week
• You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Main duties of the job

You will provide a comprehensive clerical and administrative service within Ophthalmology, supporting clinical teams and helping to ensure patients move effectively through their care pathway.

Duties will include arranging and managing outpatient appointments, processing clinic outcomes and correspondence, maintaining accurate electronic patient records, and supporting referrals, request lists and waiting lists. You will also provide telephone support, responding to calls from patients, carers and healthcare professionals, dealing with enquiries appropriately, taking accurate messages and escalating queries where required. You will work closely with medical, nursing and administrative colleagues to provide an efficient and patient-focused service.

You will use a range of Trust IT systems to maintain patient information and will be expected to identify and escalate any concerns or discrepancies that could affect the patient's pathway. The postholder will work flexibly across Ophthalmology subspecialties to help maintain an effective administrative service and support the delivery of high-quality patient care.

About us

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

With around 2 million contacts with patients every year, we deliver care from:

• Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
• Freeman Hospital
• Newcastle Dental Hospital
• Cramlington Manor Walks
• Urgent treatment centres
• Newcastle Fertility Centre
• Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
• Northern Genetics Service

These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.

We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.

Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.

For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Details

Date posted

28 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£25,272 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

317-2026-44-03-DR

Job locations

Royal Victoria Infirmary

317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary

NE1 4LP

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Ophthalmology is a busy and diverse service providing care to patients across a wide range of eye conditions and specialist pathways. Our administrative teams play an important role in supporting patients throughout their journey and work closely with medical, nursing and other healthcare professionals to provide an efficient and patient-focused service.

You will join a supportive Ophthalmology team and work across a range of subspecialties and patient pathways. The role offers the opportunity to develop your administrative knowledge and experience within a large and varied clinical service, while making a positive contribution to the care and experience of our patients.

We recognise the importance of a positive working environment and encourage teamwork, good communication and continuous development. You will be supported to develop the knowledge and skills required for your role and to contribute to improvements in the way our administrative services are delivered.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to support working arrangements that meet the needs of our patients, the Ophthalmology service and our staff. We encourage you to speak to us about potential flexible working arrangements. Where these can be accommodated safely and effectively within the needs of the service, we will do our best to support them.

Job description Job responsibilities Ophthalmology is a busy and diverse service providing care to patients across a wide range of eye conditions and specialist pathways. Our administrative teams play an important role in supporting patients throughout their journey and work closely with medical, nursing and other healthcare professionals to provide an efficient and patient-focused service. You will join a supportive Ophthalmology team and work across a range of subspecialties and patient pathways. The role offers the opportunity to develop your administrative knowledge and experience within a large and varied clinical service, while making a positive contribution to the care and experience of our patients. We recognise the importance of a positive working environment and encourage teamwork, good communication and continuous development. You will be supported to develop the knowledge and skills required for your role and to contribute to improvements in the way our administrative services are delivered. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to support working arrangements that meet the needs of our patients, the Ophthalmology service and our staff. We encourage you to speak to us about potential flexible working arrangements. Where these can be accommodated safely and effectively within the needs of the service, we will do our best to support them.

Person Specification

KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• Office Procedures
• Microsoft Office IT packages

Desirable

• SystmOne IT package

SKILLS

Essential

• Customer Care skills
• Awareness of the need for confidentiality at all times
• Working as part of a team
• Working with minimum supervision using own initiative
• Ability to work within a changing environment
• Keyboard skills

Desirable

• Experience of working within a multi-agency environment

EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Good standard of General Education

Desirable

• Experience of using SystmOne IT package (training will be given)
• Awareness of NHS policies and procedures

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

• NVQ Level 2 or equivalent qualification / experience

Desirable

• ECDL

Person Specification KNOWLEDGE Essential Office Procedures Microsoft Office IT packages Desirable SystmOne IT package SKILLS Essential Customer Care skills Awareness of the need for confidentiality at all times Working as part of a team Working with minimum supervision using own initiative Ability to work within a changing environment Keyboard skills Desirable Experience of working within a multi-agency environment EXPERIENCE Essential Good standard of General Education Desirable Experience of using SystmOne IT package (training will be given) Awareness of NHS policies and procedures QUALIFICATIONS Essential NVQ Level 2 or equivalent qualification / experience Desirable ECDL

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 details

Employer name

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Victoria Infirmary

317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary

NE1 4LP

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://careers.nuth.nhs.uk/why-us (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Victoria Infirmary

317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary

NE1 4LP

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://careers.nuth.nhs.uk/why-us (Opens in a new tab)