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Receptionist
The closing date is 08 July 2025
Anexciting opportunity has arisen within our Reception Team based at Bishop AucklandHospital.
Working 15 hours per weekas part of our reception team, you will be responsible for the provision of ahigh standard reception service within the outpatient departments.
You will be educated to 5GCSE Level or NVQ Level 2 in Business & Administration or Customer Serviceand have relevant experience within a busy office environment. Previous NHSexperience and knowledge of Patient Administration Systems would beadvantageous but is not essential.
The ability to work underpressure both individually and as part of a team is important to ensure thatdeadlines are met. Good organisational and interpersonal skills are essentialin order to be able to achieve this. Excellent customer service skills areessential for this role.
Thesuccessful candidate will be based at Bishop Auckland Hospital but may berequired to work at other sites within the Trust, if necessary.
Main duties of the job
Youwill be responsible for the reception of patients and visitors to theOutpatient Department. This includes arriving patients for their appointments,arranging any future appointments taking in to account clinic rules,urgent/routine ratios and working with clinical staff to achieve patientsatisfaction. You will also liaise withGP's, hospital staff and other professional bodies to ensure smooth running ofthe department.
To ensure that anyenquiries are dealt with in a prompt, responsive and courteous manner at alltimes to ensure patients are satisfied with the service provided by theReception Team and to ensure the Trust is portrayed in a positive manner.
Youwill be required to work weekends and bank holidays on a rota system to coveradhoc clinics.
About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.
You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.
We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.
Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.
Over reliance onAI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances ofsuccess.
For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.
From April 9th 2025 - Healthcare Assistants - You must have a minimum of two yearsof experience working within the NHS as a HCA for the Trust to considersponsorship (we will only consider sponsorship if you meet this criteria andhave a current visa expiring within 3 months).
Job responsibilities
MAINDUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsible for thereception of patients and visitors to the Outpatients Department and allreception duties concerned e.g. sorting post / filing / stock monitoring /photocopying / delivery checks.
Responsible for the timelyand accurate clinic management of appointments & waiting list on thePatient Administration System, implement time surveys on the waiting times ofclinics as required and have a basic knowledge of medical terminology to allowfurther appointments to be arranged.
Responsible for registeringnew patients on the computerised Patient Administration System ensuring data isretrieved and recorded accurately as the information is fed to other systemswithin the hospital.
Ensure patients, relatives;employers of and visitors to the Trust are greeted courteously and promptlyupon arrival at the Trusts reception desk.
Responsibility for checkingthe location of patients using the Trusts computerised Patient AdministrationSystem.
Liaise with all departmentswithin the Trust to resolve queries from visitors or telephone calls.
To generate and send outletters to patients inviting them to contact the department to make anoutpatient appointment (Partial Booking), taking account of clinic rules,urgent/routine ratios, cancelled clinics and specified return timescales forreview patients and if no response a letter is sent to the patients GP and thereferral is cancelled from the Patient Administrative System to allow bestutilization of outpatient clinic appointment slots and ensure no wastedcapacity if patients do not respond.
To receive telephone callsfrom patients in response to invitations sent by the department, bookingappointments in accordance with consultant directives/clinic rules, timescalesetc. and send Out Patient appointment letter to confirm these arrangements toallow patients to choose a date/time of appointment at their convenience (asper national guidance).
To ensure that allappointments which require cancelling or amending are reallocated for patients.
Booking of transport forpatients, where medically necessary, for future attendance.
Identifying potentialoverseas visitors on arrival for outpatient appointments or admissions andinform overseas patient interviewer to ensure appropriate action is taken.
Ability to work weekendsand bank holidays on a rota system to cover fracture clinics and additional adhoc clinics.
To ensure that patientscalling the Reception Departments are dealt with in a prompt, responsive andcourteous manner at all times in order that patients are satisfied with theservice provided by the Reception Team to ensure the Trust is portrayed in apositive manner.
To liaise effectively withpatients, general practitioners, hospital staff and other professional bodiesto ensure the smooth running of the department.
Collate and report weeklyany patients who cannot be booked within timescale per specialty.
To ensure patientsatisfaction and confidentiality is maintained throughout.
To deal with distressed,abusive and/or complaining customers face to face and via the telephone.
Ensure all patients areprovided with the family and friends questionnaire.
To provide a service topatients and secretaries regarding requests/queries.
To have a flexible approachto the department demands and to assist where appropriate in the provision ofcover for other colleagues during sickness and holidays.
To assist supervisor in thementorship, training and development of new members of staff.
Able to work under pressureboth supervised and unsupervised carrying out duties in accordance withdepartments Policies and Procedures ensuring quality standards are adhered to.
Ensure all clinicattendances are completed on the Trust PAS System ensuring accurate recordingor attendance outcome to facilitate tracking of 18 week RTT pathway.
Record any day caseactivity which takes place in an outpatient setting on the Trust PAS system tofacilitate tracking of 18 week RTT pathway.
Ensure all proceduresundertaken in outpatient clinic are accurately recorded to maximise income tothe Trust.
Ensure all demographicinformation is collected and updated.
Manage day case waitinglists.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Must have 5 GCSEs grades A-C or NVQ Level 2 in Business & Administration or Customer Care or equivalent experience.
Special Requirements
* Good interpersonal skills.
* Approachable and friendly.
* Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
* Willing to undertake any training required for the post.
* Ability to travel across sites.
* Self-reliance.
* Well presented.
Experience
* Working in a busy office environment.
* NHS Reception Experience.
Special Skills & Knowledge
* Knowledge of 18 week referral to treatment.
* Organisational skills.
* Ability to work under pressure.
* Ability to prioritise.
* Knowledge of NHS Patient Administration systems.
* Knowledge of Overseas Visitor charging regulations.
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 name
County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
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