Receptionist / Administrator
The closing date is 16 June 2026
The role involves ensuring high standards across all administrative and front-of-house duties within the reception and wider administrative team. It includes providing comprehensive administrative support to the dental team, managing diaries and appointments effectively, and delivering high-quality face-to-face customer service to patients and visitors. The post holder oversees the day-to-day coordination of reception services within the Dental Directorate and contributes to wider service continuity by offering cross-cover support to other administrative staff across Dental Services.
Main duties of the job
The role is responsible for ensuring the smooth and efficient running of administrative and reception services within the Dental Directorate. It combines a range of duties that support clinical teams, maintain effective patient flow, and uphold high standards of customer service. A key part of the role is providing administrative support to the Dental Team, which includes producing documents using appropriate software. The post holder may complete delegated tasks from senior staff and is also required to attend borough meetings, take accurate minutes, and distribute them to relevant members to support clear communication across the service.
A major element of the role is the day-to-day coordination of reception services. This involves managing clinical diaries in collaboration with clinical staff to ensure clinics run efficiently and appointment slots are used effectively. The post holder oversees the appointment booking system, ensuring patient details are entered accurately and appointments are managed in a timely manner.
Job responsibilities
To provide and co-ordinate an efficient customer focused reception and administration service to include a full range of secretarial, clerical and administrative duties to support the dental clinical team, and patients and their carers who access the community dental service.
Responsible for all administration duties connected with patients appointments, the efficient running of electronic appointment and patient records system (SOEL), including telephone and face-to-face communications, collection and banking of patients charges and other duties to ensure the day to day smooth running of the dental service.
Key Responsibilities/Duties
* Provide the first point of contact function for all enquiries regarding the Service and deal with general enquiries and resolving issues from patients, carers and other health professionals, and other external organisations, both in person and by phone, signposting where necessary
* Communicate appropriately and sensitively with patients/carers/relatives who may be fearful, anxious, vulnerable, have sensitive concerns, have special needs, and/or show challenging behaviour, i.e. physical and learning disabilities, have visual or hearing impairment, dementia, or where English is not their first language
* Maintain patient and staff confidentiality at all times, adhering to Trust information governance and data protection policies and procedures
* Manage, organise, maintain and co-ordinate electronic clinical appointment and patient record systems ensuring appointments are booked efficiently and comprehensively, maximising the clinical time available, e.g. SOEL electronic patient record system and Chronos electronic appointment systems
* Receive, process and accurately enter patient sensitive/confidential information onto the electronic clinical appointment and patient record systems, ensuring all user fields are completed and updated each visit
* Document direct and indirect contact with patients in the electronic patients records in line with local policy and procedures
* Monitor, process and log referrals, organising appointments directly with patients/carers via telephone and letter
* File, retrieve and archive patients referrals/records/notes
* Be responsible for the archiving of patients records in accordance with Trust policies and procedures
* Provide word-processing, photocopying, scanning and faxing of documents. Collate and circulate documents. Draft and type letters and documents for signature and proofreading when required
* Receive and divert telephone calls and record comprehensive and complicated messages from patients, staff and other healthcare professionals, for the dental team and other staff members. Analyse the information received and determine the appropriate action and priority for the attention of clinicians
* On a daily basis identify patients eligible to pay charges/fees revenue for their dental treatment in line with current NHS regulations. Collect/receive payments from patients or their carers including cash, cheques and credit card payments and issue receipts
* Ensure all cash floats and patients charges/fees are accurately balanced and financial records are kept updated on a daily basis
* Responsible for banking of patients charge/fees revenue following the Dental patients charge revenue and petty cash standard operating procedure
* Manage and process all incoming and outgoing mail, including referrals
* Co-ordinate the sale of dental resources, monitor and maintain stock levels (where applicable)
* Monitor and maintain stationery stock and request procurement of resources when required
* Liaise with dental laboratories regarding dental appliances for patients, which may include collection of and deliveries of appliances and general enquiries
* Organise and book interpreting services for patients and their carers
* Demonstrate an awareness of the complaints procedure including defusing and resolving potential conflict/complaint situations to avoid escalation, when required
* Liaise effectively with patients, colleagues, patient representatives and partner agencies at all levels both within the Trust and across the NHS and in other organisations
* Organise and administer meetings and events when required including:
o Minute taking/Co-ordinating agenda items
o Progressing any follow up actions
o Making accommodation and catering arrangements
* Work without direct supervision, prioritise own workload
* Ensure the waiting and reception areas are welcoming, clean and tidy
* Ensure patients are safe within the reception area and take appropriate action when necessary
* Recognise and assist as part of the team with the management of medical emergencies should they arise
* Work as part of a team; provide assistance and support to colleagues, allocate duties to others if appropriate, provide guidance and advice to new staff and colleagues
* Work with other staff members to identify working environment risks and report any risks immediately to ensure the environment is safe for everyone
* Work within National and Trust Policies and Procedures
* Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and their carers and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs
* Liaise with other agencies regarding orders and invoices
* Attend regular meetings and take minutes when required e.g. dental team/staff dental development meetings
* Participate in in-service training as appropriate
* Assist in the induction and training of new staff
* Refer any problem areas to senior members of dental management team
* Be flexible, may be required to work in other locations within the Dental Network on occasion
* Exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent and reliable attendance
* Comply with annual PDR and appraisal system
* Participate in personal objective setting and review, including the creation of a personal development plan
Person Specification
Job Specific Requirements
* Ability to prioritise own workload, identify and manage competing pressures
Sponsorship / Relationships
* Please confirm your Right to Work status (share‑codes will be checked where applicable).
* If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.
Other
* The ability to travel independently across the Trust
* The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs
Skills and Knowledge
* Good working knowledge of Microsoft packages, e.g. Word, Excel and Access
* Excellent keyboard skills
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
* Excellent telephone skills
* Ability to work effectively as a team member
* Ability to work on own initiative
Experience
* Proven experience of working within an office environment
* Previous reception and administration experience
* Proven experience in using Microsoft packages, Word, Excel, Access
* Word Processing/typing skills to RSA 3 or equivalent experience
* Experience of minute taking
* Experience of Electronic Patient Record and Appointment systems, e.g. Dentally / SOEL Health/Exact/R4
* Experience of dealing with a range of health, education and Social Care professionals
* Experience of dealing with patients with a wide range of physical and learning disabilities
Qualifications
* Good standard of general education
* NVQ LEVEL 2 Customer Care or equivalent, or be working towards
* Shorthand
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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