Job overview
Job Summary
Receptionists working within the Emergency Department are the first point of contact for patients and visitors attending the department and are expected to demonstrate a high level of professionalism, care, courtesy and respect when greeting patients.
Working in a busy environment, Emergency Department Receptionists will book patients into the department, answer telephone queries and undertake a range of administrative duties to support the effective running of the department.
Key Relationships
The post holder will work as part of the Emergency Department administration team and will work closely with the following post holders:
1. Service Manager
2. Administration Manager
3. Senior Support Officers
4. Emergency Department Matron(s)
5. Emergency Department Nurses
6. Emergency Department Consultants
7. General Practitioners
8. Administrative colleagues in other clinical service areas
Main duties of the job
Receptionists working within the Emergency Department are the first point of contact for patients and visitors attending the department and are expected to demonstrate a high level of professionalism, care, courtesy and respect when greeting patients.
Working in a busy environment, Emergency Department Receptionists will book patients into the department, answer telephone queries and undertake a range of administrative duties to support the effective running of the department.
Hours
The emergency department is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including bank holidays. You will be rostered to work a range of shift patterns which include days, evenings, nights and weekends. The shift patterns are listed below: -
Shift Hours
Early 07:00 – 15:00
Day 10:00 – 18:00
Late 15:00 – 23:00
Twilight 1 16:00 – 00:00
Night 23:00 – 07:00
30 Minutes Break
Main Duties
The Emergency Department has two reception areas (Main Reception and Majors). Receptionists will be trained to work in both areas.
Working for our organisation
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Reception
9. Registering and greeting patients on arrival
10. Answer telephone calls in a polite and courteous manner, identifying yourself, the department and hospital.
11. Deal with queries face to face, on the telephone or via fax
12. Ordering notes for patient admission, for doctor's perusal and soft tissue clinic.
13. Scanning of CAS Cards and LAS PRF documentation.
14. Ensuring accurate data entry of patient data on all systems
15. Amend patient and GP details as required
16. Clerking — Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) discharge
17. Book appointments for fracture clinic and soft tissue clinic
18. Logging all IT issues and notifying Senior Administration colleagues log number(s)
19. Ensuring that scanned 'red top' referrals and fracture clinic appointments are taken to the appropriate department each day
20. Collecting discharge paperwork from the Urgent Care Centre (UCC), and Emergency Care Departments including the GPs for scanning
21. Keeping workstations neat and tidy at all times.
22. Ensuring that the porters collect the confidential waste as well as the bags for coding and health records.
23. To gain comprehensive understanding of Medway EPR computer system, providing support to new users and existing staff.
24. To deal with enquiries from patients and staff, both internal and external.
25. Book and cancel Patient Transport / Interpreters as appropriate and maintain the system of requirements.
Majors
26. To provide administrative support to all clinical staff on duty
27. To register all ambulance patients attending the department, including checking their demographics and updating this information using the Trust IT system (Medway).
28. To ensure that patient observations are recorded accurately on the system within 15 minutes of all ambulance patients arriving in the department.
29. Answer telephone calls in a polite and courteous manner, identifying yourself, the department and hospital.
30. Deal with queries face to face, on the telephone or via fax.
31. Update the majors whiteboard with details of clinical staffing.
32. Monitor decision to admit (DTA) data on the EPR system and request notes for patients being admitted to the wards.
33. Order notes for patient admission.
34. Book transportation as instructed by clinical colleague.
35. Work the Nurse-In-Charge to monitor the LAS screen and ensure that LAS handovers are entered onto the system appropriately
36. Record doctors arrival and departure times.
37. Issue locum doctors with passwords.
38. Logging all IT issues for the clinical staff.
39. Scanning of discharged and admitted CAS Cards, LAS PRF.
40. Keeping the work stations neat and tidy at all times.
41. Ensuring accurate data entry of patient data on all systems.
42. Effectively deal with complex enquiries from patients and staff, both internal and external.
43. Ensure adequate paperwork, i.e. CAS Cards, Trauma and ISIS ward Proforma and photocopying paper.
44. Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) discharge.
45. To gain comprehensive understanding of Medway EPR computer system, providing support to new users and existing staff.
46. Ensuring that the porters collect the confidential waste as well as coding and notes to be taken back to health records.
47. Promote the department to deliver the goals of Whittington Health.
48. To work as an effective, responsible team member, supporting colleagues and highlighting issues and potential solutions. To contribute to team and departmental discussions in order to develop and modernise the service.
Training and Development
49. To attend training relevant to the post and the Trust's mandatory training.
50. To keep abreast of all new developments within job-role - participating in training and development as identified at appraisal; to improve existing skills and develop new skills, in accordance with the needs of the Service.
51. To guide, and support new starters.
Special Conditions
52. Emergency Department Receptionists will work on a rota which supports the department 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. It is an expectation for all staff to work a range of shift patterns to support the needs of the service.
53. Shifts will include days, evenings, nights and weekends.
54. Emergency Department Receptionists are expected to undertake any additional clerical duties as advised by the Administration or Service Manager
55. To be available for major incidents if required
56. This job description is not exhaustive but is intended as a guide to the principal duties and responsibilities of the post. It will be subject to periodic review and change in line with service needs.
Staff will be expected to be available to work bank holidays
Person specification
Skills
Essential criteria
57. Excellent computer literacy
58. Excellent interpersonal written and verbal communication skills
59. Ability to multitask with attention to details
Experience/Qualifications
Essential criteria
60. Minimum 2 years NHS experience or equivalent receptionist experience role
61. GCSE (5 grades A-C) or equivalent experience
Desirable criteria
62. Knowledge of medical terminology
Knowledge
Essential criteria
63. Excellent working knowledge of data protection
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS
To comply with the Trust’s Safeguarding Children and Adults policies, procedures and protocols. All individual members of staff (paid or unpaid) have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults This will require you to:
64. Ensure you are familiar with and comply with the London Child Protection Procedures and protocols for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people.
65. Ensure you are familiar and comply with the London Multi Agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Pan London Procedures.
66. Ensure you are familiar and comply with local protocols and systems for information sharing.
67. Know the appropriate contact numbers and required reporting lines.
68. Participate in required training and supervision.
69. Comply with required professional boundaries and codes of conduct
Whittington Health is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.