Prescribing Clerk with Reception Duties

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Description.

Job Title

Prescription Clerk with Reception Duties

Post reference number

PX2025

Date of this job description

1st May 2025

Reviews

At appraisal / learning plan interviews

Post holder name

Weekly hours

37 hours

A. MAJOR PURPOSE OF THE POST

To support the Primary Healthcare Team by providing a frontline focal point of communication to help meet the healthcare needs of patients and the contractual responsibilities of the Practice.

B. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSBILITIES

Prescription Duties

• Receive and handle incoming calls and electronic requests from patients, relatives, carers, other health care providers, contractors and any other category of caller. .

• Resolve patient grumbles but escalate any problems to the Reception Manager.
• Ensure working areas are kept neat and tidy.
• Promote the use of online access and the NHS APP.

Reception Duties

• Receive and handle incoming calls and electronic requests from patients, relatives, carers, other health care providers, contractors and any other category of caller
• Meet, greet and respond to all queries and requests for assistance from patients and other visitors.
• Establish brief details of the reasons for the patient request and record on the clinical system.
• Resolve incoming requests for assistance where it is practical and safe to do so.
• Signpost patients and others to the person(s) either external or internal to the Practice who is best placed to initially deal with the request e.g. NHS 111, Pharmacy, Practice Website, Medical Secretary, allocating a GP message slot, triage or appointment.
• Contribute to the continuity of patient care by directing patients to their usual GP for the purpose of appointments, triage, messaging etc.

• Monitor the flow of patients into the consulting room, including advising patients if a consulter is running late.
• Ensure that patients without appointments but who need an urgent consultation are seen in a logical and non-disruptive manner.
• Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover. Ensure procedures are completed.
• Advise patients of relevant charges for private services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.
• Record requests for home visits and other messages stating the time received and include all relevant information.
• Alert a clinician for any emergency cases or situations giving cause for urgent concern
• Resolve patient grumbles but escalate any problems to the Reception Manager.
• Action requests for ambulance and other transportation and record details.
• Ensure reception and waiting areas are kept neat and tidy.
• Chaperone duties once trained.
• Promote the use of online access.

Appointment System

• Ensure total familiarity with all appointments systems in use, including regular and ad-hoc variations. This includes booking of appointments for patients of other practices under the Improved Access scheme.
• Book appointments and recalls in accordance with Practice policy.
• Maintain awareness of the demand for and the availability of appointments for all consulters in session.

Medical Records

• Ensure that paper medical records are filed correctly in alphabetical order, correctly assembled, maintained in good condition and available if needed.
• Ensure that medical records are returned promptly to the NHS contractor.
• Process GP links for patient registration purposes.
• Update medical records for summaries, home / night visits and test results.
• Input and retrieval of data as required.

Actioning requests from the Clinical Team

• Undertaking duties to support patient wellbeing to include processing of EMIS Web tasks, booking appointments proactively required by the Clinical Team, issuing recalls, updating records, giving out test results etc.

Preparation of Consulting Rooms

• Ensure that the consulting rooms are prepared in readiness for each consultation session, checking full range of forms and requirements and re stocking as necessary.
• Ensure that consulting rooms are checked at the end of each session and left tidy and secure.

Operation of Telephone System

• Receive and make calls as required. Divert calls and messages as appropriate.
• Ensure that the system is operational at the beginning of each day and switched over to the out-of-hours answer phone at the end of the day (if automated, check that it is working).

Start and End of Day Procedures

• Open up premises at the start of each day and make all necessary preparations to receive patients.
• Secure premises at the end of each day and activate alarm upon leaving the building.

Prescriptions

Receive requests for prescriptions and handover signed prescriptions to patients or their agents after checking of legitimacy of collections.

OTHER DUTIES

Perform other duties as required by the needs of the service.

C. SUPERVISION RECEIVED

The post holder reports directly to the Reception Manager.

D. SUPERVISION EXERCISED

The post holder has no direct line management responsibility.

E. DECISIONSEXERCISED

The post holder is able to take decisions on day-to-day matters within existing protocols and operating procedures, including signposting of patients.

F. CREATIVITY

The post holder needs to be resourceful and at the point of initial enquiry, think about how to best manage patient need. The post holder can contribute to quality improvement initiatives.

G. CONTACTS

The post holder has contact with a wide range of people including patients, GPs, nurses, professions allied to medicine, NHS bodies, and other professionals.

H. SPECIAL CONDITIONS

There are no special conditions attached to this post.

I. REQUIREMENTS OF THE POST

• An understanding, acceptance, and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality.
• An ability to use own judgement and resourcefulness, common sense, and local knowledge to respond to patient enquiries and requests.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Knowledge of Care Quality Commission Requirements
• 4 or more GCSE or equivalent and /or extensive experience in similar role / transferrable skills.

J. Grade

St James Medical Centre Receptionist G

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with the general public
• Experience of working in a customer service role
• Confidentiality and data protection awareness
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedures
• Polite and confident
• Flexible and cooperative
• Motivated
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to work under pressure / in stressful situations
• Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Effectively utilises resources
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort
• Other requirements
• Flexibility to work outside of core hours

Desirable

• Experience of working in a primary care environment
• Experience of working in a healthcare setting
• EMIS or alternative clinical software experience

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

St James Medical Centre

Address

Coal Orchard

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 1JP

Employer's website

https://stjamesmedicalcentre.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)