You need the right PA but you don't know how to find or assess one
A good private practice PA is the difference between a practice that runs and one that constantly fire-fights. Most consultants have never hired one before and have no framework for assessing what good looks like.
- steps
- 7
- steps
- to start
- 2 weeks of light logging
- to start
The short answer
Write down the work before you write the advert: every task, the hours it takes and which ones lose you money if they slip. Recruit where medical secretaries look, test candidates on real tasks such as a dictated letter, an insurer query and a difficult phone call, and do the employer basics properly. If the hours do not justify an employee, use remote or part-time support instead.
7 steps
Do it yourself: step by step
0 of 7 done
For two weeks, note every admin task: bookings, typing, billing, chasing, pre-authorisations, GP letters, results. Mark each one essential, money-critical or nice to have.
- Time
- 2 weeks of light logging
- Typical cost
- Free
- Who does it
- You
Done when: You know the weekly hours needed and the five tasks that matter most
This problem is Solvable.
Copy this template
Medical PA job description and assessment sheet
Free to copy, adapt and use. No sign-up.
Job description
Role: Medical PA to [Mr/Ms/Dr Name], Consultant [Specialty] Hours: [number] hours a week, [days], [on site at Hospital name / remote / hybrid] Salary: £[amount] to £[amount] pro rata, plus pension Reports to: [Consultant name]
What you will do
- Manage the clinic and theatre diary at [Hospital names]
- Take patient calls and emails, and book appointments
- Collect insurer details and pre-authorisation numbers before every appointment
- Type clinic letters from dictation within [2] working days
- Submit insurer invoices within 5 working days and chase unpaid invoices weekly
- Invoice self-pay patients and patient excesses or shortfalls
- Send results letters and arrange follow-ups as instructed
- Keep patient records accurate and confidential
What you will need
- Experience as a medical secretary or PA, ideally in private practice
- Accurate typing and good medical terminology
- Experience of [practice management system] or similar, and insurer billing
- Calm, clear manner with patients, including about money
Assessment sheet
Score each 1 to 5.
| Test | What good looks like | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Dictated letter (10 minutes) | Accurate, correct terminology, laid out properly | |
| Insurer query reply | Identifies the missing authorisation number, asks the right question, polite and short | |
| Patient phone role-play: unexpected bill | Listens, explains excess or shortfall clearly, offers next step, does not argue | |
| Systems | Has used a practice management system and insurer portals | |
| Confidentiality | Gives a sensible answer to: a relative rings asking about a patient | |
| Interview: organisation | Clear example of managing competing deadlines | |
| Total | /30 |
Employer checklist
- Right to work check completed before start
- Two references received
- DBS check at the level required
- Written statement of particulars issued by day one
- Employer's liability insurance in place
- Registered as an employer for PAYE
- Pension auto-enrolment set up
- Confidentiality agreement signed
- Data protection training completed
- Hospital honorary contract or system access arranged if required
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Hiring when already overwhelmed and taking the first available person.
- Interviewing for personality without testing typing, billing or phone skills.
- Not checking whether the hospital requires an honorary contract or system access approval for your PA.
- Giving no written process, then blaming the new PA for doing things differently.
- Forgetting pension auto-enrolment and employer's liability insurance for a first employee.
Free personal check
Done by Paul Robinson, not software
I'll look at the work you need covered and tell you which model fits and how to test candidates
What I need from you
- Your answers to 7 quick questions
- A rough list of the tasks you need covered
What you get
- Whether you need an employee or remote support
- The tasks to test candidates on
- The employer basics to have ready
Within 2 working days
No sign-in, no sales call. I read every request myself and reply on WhatsApp.
Free tools
Check where you stand
Benchmarks
Experienced medical secretary or PA salaries typically £25,000 to £32,000 full time, higher in London
Solvable estimate from common UK advertised ranges. The legal floor is the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour from April 2026, about £24,800 a year at 37.5 hours a week
Solvable estimate
Recruitment agency fees often 15% to 20% of first-year salary
Permanent placement fee for administrative roles; varies by agency and market
Solvable estimate
Paul Robinson
14 years in UK private healthcare
I solve this one for consultants
Want a hand? I'll look at your situation and tell you the three things I'd tackle first.
A few quick questions, about two minutes. I read every one myself and usually reply the same day.
No sales call unless you ask for one. Just a straight answer from me.
I reply personally, usually the same day.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Should I employ someone or use a remote secretary?
It depends on hours and how much face-to-face work there is. Remote services suit typing, booking and billing. An employed PA suits a practice with its own rooms, frequent patient contact and complex billing.
What should I pay?
Check advertised rates for experienced medical secretaries locally and what your hospital pays its own. Paying slightly above that is cheaper than recruiting twice. Pay must be at least the National Living Wage (£12.71 an hour from April 2026 for workers aged 21 and over).
Can my NHS secretary do my private work?
Only outside their NHS hours, under a separate arrangement, and never using NHS time, equipment or systems for private patients. Check your trust's policy.
Do they need medical terminology?
For typing and clinical letters, yes. For billing and bookings, accuracy and systems experience matter more; terminology can be learned.
How long until they are fully up to speed?
Usually 2 to 3 months, longer for insurer billing. Plan cover for that period.
Can I take them on as self-employed?
Possibly, but employment status depends on how the work is actually done, not what the contract says. HMRC's Check Employment Status for Tax tool is a starting point; take advice from an accountant or employment adviser before treating a regular, directed role as self-employed.
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