Overview
Be the welcoming face that helps patients get the care they need, when they need it most.
Join a friendly, supportive GP practice where your compassion and communication skills truly make a difference every day.
Are you someone who enjoys helping others, thrives in a busy environment, and takes pride in providing excellent service?
Job summary
Be the welcoming face that helps patients get the care they need, when they need it most.
Join a friendly, supportive GP practice where your compassion and communication skills truly make a difference every day. Are you someone who enjoys helping others, thrives in a busy environment, and takes pride in providing excellent service?
We’re looking for a Care Navigator to become a key part of our dedicated team at The Hawkinge & Elham Valley Practice.
As the first point of contact for our patients, you’ll play an essential role in making their experience positive whether it’s booking appointments, offering advice on services, or simply being a reassuring voice at the other end of the phone.
If you’re passionate about making a difference in your community and want to work with a friendly, supportive team that values your contribution, we’d love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
What You’ll Do
* Welcome patients in person and over the phone, providing a professional and caring service.
* Help patients access the right care quickly by navigating them to the appropriate clinician or service.
* Manage appointments, prescriptions, and administrative tasks using the EMIS clinical system.
* Work closely with our GPs, nurses, and admin team to keep things running smoothly.
* Support patients with online services and digital tools to make accessing care easier.
* Maintain patient confidentiality and uphold NHS values in all aspects of your work.
About us
About The Practice
At The Hawkinge & Elham Valley Practice, we’re proud to serve our local community across two welcoming sites in Hawkinge and Elham. We are a forward-thinking, patient-centered practice that values teamwork, respect, and continuous improvement.
Our ethos is simple: to provide compassionate, high-quality care for every patient, every time. We believe in supporting and developing our staff, recognising that a happy, well-trained team is the key to excellent patient care.
Our team includes a diverse mix of GPs, nurses, clinical practitioners, and administrative staff who work collaboratively to provide accessible, safe, and effective healthcare. We are continually exploring innovative ways to improve access and patient experience and we welcome staff who share our passion for making a positive difference.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Description: Care Navigator
The Hawkinge & Elham Valley Practice
Job Title: Care Navigator
Responsible to: Reception Lead
Accountable to: Operations Manager
Hours: 24 hours per week currently worked across Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (subject to change and flexibility as required by the Practice)
Contract Type: Permanent, Part-time
Salary: Depending on experience
Location: The Hawkinge & Elham Valley Practice, primarily based at Hawkinge Health Centre, with cross-site working at Elham Valley Surgery
Job Purpose
The Care Navigator plays a vital role as the first point of contact for patients and visitors to the Practice. The postholder will provide an efficient, professional, and compassionate service, ensuring patients are navigated to the most appropriate clinician or service quickly and safely. They will support the day-to-day running of the Practice by managing appointments, handling patient enquiries, processing administrative tasks, and promoting digital access routes such as online consultations and prescription requests. The Care Navigator contributes to the smooth operation of the Practice and helps deliver the highest possible standards of patient care in line with NHS values.
Key Responsibilities
Patient Access and Care Navigation
* Welcome patients and visitors to the Practice in a professional, courteous manner.
* Manage incoming telephone calls and online queries, identifying patient needs accurately.
* Navigate patients to the most appropriate service including clinicians, external providers, or self-care resources.
* Promote and support use of online access systems such as the NHS App, online consultations, and repeat prescriptions.
* Liaise with clinicians to ensure safe and appropriate triage of patient requests.
Administrative Support
* Book, amend, and manage patient appointments using the EMIS clinical system.
* Process repeat prescription requests in line with Practice policy.
* Handle incoming and outgoing correspondence, including hospital letters, emails, and internal messages.
* Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records, ensuring data quality and confidentiality at all times.
* Support recall systems, document scanning, and administrative tasks as required.
Teamwork and Communication
* Work collaboratively with the reception, admin, and clinical teams to ensure smooth service delivery.
* Participate in team meetings, training sessions, and Practice improvement initiatives.
* Communicate effectively and professionally with patients, colleagues, and external stakeholders.
* Provide cover for colleagues during periods of absence or high workload.
Confidentiality and Information Governance
* Maintain absolute confidentiality in relation to patient and Practice information.
* Adhere to GDPR, Caldicott, and data protection policies.
* Report any breaches or concerns to the Practice Manager immediately.
Health and Safety
* Comply with Practice health and safety policies and report any concerns or hazards.
* Be familiar with emergency procedures including fire safety, safeguarding, and resuscitation.
Professional Development
* Participate in induction, mandatory training, and ongoing development.
* Take responsibility for maintaining up-to-date knowledge relevant to the role.
* Reflect on personal performance and identify learning needs through appraisal.
Key Working Relationships
* GP Partners
* Practice Manager and Operations Manager
* Reception and Administrative Team
* Nursing and Clinical Staff
* PCN Staff and Community Teams
* Patients and their families
Confidentiality
In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust the Practice with personal and sensitive information. The Care Navigator must ensure that this information is treated confidentially and used only for the purpose for which it was provided.
Equality and Diversity
The post holder must act in a way that recognises the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way consistent with the Practice’s procedures and policies, and in line with current legislation. All staff are expected to treat patients, colleagues, and visitors with dignity and respect.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
* Experience in a customer-facing or administrative role.
Desirable
* Experience in a GP practice, NHS, or healthcare setting.
Qualifications
Essential
* GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths
Desirable
* Customer service or administration qualification.
Other Requirements
Essential
* Flexible to work additional hours to provide cover when needed.
Desirable
* Understanding of NHS primary care and patient access principles.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
* Strong organisational and multitasking ability.
* Confident using IT systems and able to learn new software quickly.
* Ability to work calmly under pressure.
Desirable
* Knowledge of EMIS or other clinical systems.
* Understanding of data protection and confidentiality.
Personal Qualities
Essential
* Friendly, approachable, and compassionate.
* Team player with a flexible, proactive attitude.
* Reliable and punctual.
* Committed to delivering excellent patient care.
Desirable
* Interest in personal development and ongoing training.
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
Hawkinge and Elham and Valley Practice
Address
Hawkinge Health Centre
74 Canterbury Road
Hawkinge
Folkestone
Kent
CT18 7BP
Employer's website
https://www.elhamsurgery.co.uk/
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