Main duties of the job
The post holder will:
* Receive, assist and navigate patients to access the most appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective manner
* Provide general administrative support to the practice team
* Deliver a high standard of customer service to patients and visitors, both face‑to‑face and via the telephone
* Maintain patient confidentiality at all times in line with practice policies
* Support the smooth day‑to‑day running of reception and administrative functions
Job responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the Practice Receptionist Team may include any or all of the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the Practice Manager or Senior Receptionist depending on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels:
* Opening up/locking‑up of practice premises and maintaining security in accordance with practice protocols. Prior to leaving on an evening, ensure the building is secured.
* Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the practice.
* Deal with all general enquiries efficiently and courteously and, when necessary, in private, explain procedures and make new and follow‑up appointments.
* Use your own judgement and communication skills to ensure that patients with no prior appointment but who need urgent consultations are seen in a logical and non‑disruptive manner by navigating patients and signposting to the appropriate health‑care professional or other community services available.
* Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed.
* Process telephone requests, in‑person requests for appointments, visits, telephone consultations, online consultations, email, system messages and ensure callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional.
* Take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
* Enter requests for home visits onto the computer system, ensuring careful recording of all relevant details and, where necessary, refer to Duty Doctor. Print summary printouts for visits.
* Photocopying.
* View the internet/online services for messages and deal with them.
* Action repeat prescription requests and ensure that they are ready for collection by the patient within 48 hours.
* Print blood forms.
* Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non‑general medical services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for the same.
* Enter/amend patient information onto the computer as required.
* Invite patients to attend for screening appointments.
* Complete forms as necessary.
* Process samples received from patients following the specimen handling protocol.
* Deal with urgent results for the GPs.
* Liaise with local hospital etc. as required.
* Cover for absent colleagues as and when necessary.
* Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the partners or the practice manager.
* Maintain confidentiality.
Health and Safety
The post holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others’ health, safety and security as defined in the practice’s health and safety policy, and the practice infection control policy and published procedures. This will include:
Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines;
Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks;
Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills;
Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards;
Actively reporting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised;
Keeping own work areas and general/patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the post holder’s role;
Undertaking periodic infection control training (annually).
Equality and Diversity
The post holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples’ rights, interpreting them in a manner consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation, respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues, and behaving in a manner which is welcoming and non‑judgemental of the individual’s circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights.
Personal/Professional Development
The post holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, including:
Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development;
Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.
Quality
The post holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice and will:
Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk;
Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision;
Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team's performance;
Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients’ needs;
Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.
Communication
The post holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team, and will strive to:
Communicate effectively with other team members;
Communicate effectively with patients and carers;
Recognise peoples’ needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Contribution to the Implementation of Services
The post holder will:
Apply practice policies, standards and guidance;
Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work;
Participate in audit where appropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Good standard of general education
* GCSE Mathematics C or above
* GCSE English C or above
Experience
* Experience of working with the general public
* Experience of reception & administration work
* Experience of working within general practice
Skills
* Excellent communication and telephone skills
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.
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