About Us
Behind the scenes - Medical Secretaries
As with all organisations, many people are working behind the scenes, so here's 2 of our little beavers: Denise & Samuel.
How long have you worked at the lupus unit?
Denise: I've worked at the Lupus Unit for 2 years.
Samuel: I've worked here for just over 4 years.
What does the job involve? What's the best and worst aspects of the job?
Denise: I'm a medical secretary and my job involves typing/sending out letters and lots of patient/doctor contact, by letter and phone, regarding their patient queries. I don't really have a best and worst bit about my job, but (best), I do find the medical side of the job interesting and (worst), sometimes there is so much work, but I do eventually get through it!
Samuel: I'm one of 2 medical secretaries in the Lupus Unit. My main task is to look after some of the consultants who hold clinics here, I deal with correspondence for the consultants, including typing and sending letters. We also liaise with patients, general practitioners and consultants within and also outside the Guys & St Thomas' Trust. The best aspect is helping patients with various enquiries, this means a lot to me as I am a patient myself at Kings College. 20 years ago I contracted Polymyositis*, a rare muscular disorder. The worst aspect is when I can't locate a set of notes, especially if they are needed urgently by a consultant.
What did you do before you worked here?
Denise: I've worked for the Trust for 5 years - in other departments in St. Thomas' before the Lupus Unit, such as Opthamology for 2 years and general medicine for 1 year. Before that I worked mainly in hotels and did a bit of everything from reservations, reception, general manager's secretary, waitressing, bar work, personnel; but my main role was Group Reservations whereby I handled all the group bookings. Not many famous people stayed there, just rich business people, however Sherrie Hewson did stay once, she was not friendly at all!
Samuel: I was PA to head of nursing in the Ambulatory Care Directorate here at St. Thomas' for 3 & 1/2 years.
Tell us about your families.
Denise: I have lived with my boyfriend, Steve, for 3 years. We have no children but I have 3 nephews and 1 niece and I spoil them too much!
Samuel: I've been married to my wonderful wife, Marty, for 34 years and have 2 children. Marty is a palliative care nurse at St. Christopher's Hospice. My daughter, Nicola, is one of 3 female camera persons in the UK and she works mainly on outside sports. My son, James, works at Guys and St. Thomas' NHS Trust as Mortuary & Bereavement Operations Manager.
What do you do in your spare time/to relax? Time for any hobbies?
Denise: I do quite a bit of yoga and walking.
Samuel: I like reading non fiction books, cooking over the weekend, playing chess and I'm also an avid stamp collector (UK & Maltese only).
Do you go on holiday, if so where's your favourite spot?
Denise: I love holidays, my last one in June was to Austria.
Samuel: I enjoy travelling with my wife, we mainly go to places around Europe. However, last year, on my 60th Birthday, my family sent us to China and Hong Kong which was out of this World!
Go on.....tell us something unusual/a secret about yourself that we don't know!
Denise: I'm a bit of a crispoholic and eat far too many of them! Oh and I'm 44 and up to now that was a secret!
Samuel: I'm afraid I'm a bit boring, I donlt have any surprises. However, I do have an ambition which is to win enough money on the lottery (when I remember to play) to buy a decent narrowboat. That would also give me more quality time with my books, home cooking and to enjoy a nice long leisurely drink - oh yes and listen to Classic FM radio.
Thanks to Denise & Samuel for the insight!
* Polymyositis is a disease of muscle featuring inflammation of the muscle fibres. The cause of the disease is not known. It begins when white blood cells, the immune cells of inflammation, spontaneously invade muscles. The muscles affected are typically closest to the trunk or torso. This results in weakness that can be severe. It is a chronic illness with periods of increased symptoms called flares or relapses, and minimal or no symptoms, know as remissions.
Added September 2008.
