Deirdre Evans, a ward clerk for the Norfolk and Norwich NHS Trust at the University Hospital.

Hospital ward clerk/receptionist

Answers supplied by Deirdre Evans, a ward clerk for the Norfolk & Norwich NHS Trust at the University Hospital in Colney Lane. The trust employs more than 5,000 people and last year treated more than 500,000 patients.

What does the job entail?
Communication is an important part of this job and the role involves liaison with the public, management and nursing staff. You could find yourself dealing with post, admissions, transfers, updating patient information and records, both manually and on the computer system. The job also involves booking outpatient appointments for patients and assisting visitors and patients generally. You would be responsible for organising the necessary paperwork for discharges and sending information to GPs, ensuring all paperwork is completed for deaths and that all relevant authorities and parties have been informed. You may also be asked to ensure samples arrive at the appropriate destination, sometimes taking them yourself.

What skills and qualifications are needed?
Naturally communication skills are vital in this job, and a good telephone manner is essential. It is important to be able to organise lots of different queries and prioritise which emergency should be dealt with first. This job needs a lot of common sense, and you gain experience after spending time in the job. There are also occasions where you may need to use your initiative. Like most jobs you need a good sense of humour, a lot of stamina and a good backbone. Using the computer is a main requirement of the job, so having IT knowledge is a big advantage. The NHS offers in-house training to improve core skills which is excellent. This training is usually taken over a six-week period or more if necessary.

What type of person will fit in?
This job is suited to anybody who is looking for a rewarding and satisfying job. It requires confidence and if you can communicate well, have a friendly and outgoing personality and lots of common sense then this job will suit you.

What are the pluses and minuses of the job?
The environment is pleasant and it is good to be part of a team. The job satisfaction is a real plus and uniforms, good pension and holidays are all helpful. The in-house training is really good for those already juggling home lives with careers. The hours of work can be a disadvantage as you might be required to work from 7am to 9pm (five hour shifts if you are part-time) and some weekend work may be required. Sometimes the job can feel a bit lonely as you would usually work alone.

What opportunities exist for career progression?
There are various in-house NVQ courses available through the hospital intranet which may lead to diversification into other areas of hospital administration at various levels.

What can I expect to earn?
The starting salary for a grade 2 is £11,063 to £12,187. It would be usual to get two pay rises a year in addition to yearly incremental rises.

Any hints on getting a job in this area?
Hospital vacancies are usually advertised on the hospital notice board. It may help to enlist with the voluntary services which will give you an insight into the operation of the hospital and can lead to job prospects. Getting yourself on the hospital bank is an excellent advantage, you will get training and work within the trust. If you phone the main hospital switchboard (01603) 286286 they will put you through to the appropriate department. Vacancies are also usually advertised in the recruitment pages of the local papers.