Job responsibilities
SUMMARY OF THE POSITION
To provide a point of
contact for patients and to give administrative support to the G.P. partners,
clinicians and all practice personnel at Newtons Practice. You will be expected
to work under the supervision of the Reception Manager and report directly to
her. You are accountable to the Practice
Manager.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST
Confidentiality - NHS Code of
Confidentiality:
This sets out
the required standards of practice concerning confidentiality and patients'
consent to use their health records.
It is a guide
for those who work within or under contract to NHS organisations and is based
on legal requirements and best practice.
Reception Duties
In co-operation with the main front reception desk, ensure
efficiency of the appointment system and monitor flow of patients into
consulting and treatment rooms.
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 in
accordance with the protocols of the practice.
Advise patients of relevant charges for private services,
accept payment and issue receipts for same or ensure an invoice is raised and
paid for if specifically required.
Respond to all queries and requests for assistance from
patients and other visitors without breaching any confidentiality guidelines.
Deal with home visit requests and record on the computer,
stating time received including all relevant information and where necessary
refer immediately to doctor.
Ensure that requests
for prescriptions are actioned, where possible, within three working days.
Action requests for ambulance transportation and record
details appropriately.
Ensure that the reception and waiting areas are kept neat
and tidy.
Ensure that the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice
Manager is immediately informed of any visitor to the surgery and that
the visitor/s are kept in the main reception area until permission is given for
them to go into other areas of the building. If this is not adhered to it may
be seen as a breach in confidentiality.
Management of the appointment systems
In cooperation with the main front reception desk, ensure
total familiarity with all appointment systems in current use, including
regular and incidental variations.
Book appointments and recalls ensuring correct and adequate
information is recorded to retrieve the appropriate medical record,
initialising all booked appointments.
Monitor effectiveness of the system and ensure that action
is taken to resolve any problems or effect variations as required.
Report any obvious concerns in the management of the
surgerys sessions to the practice manager.
Management of medical records: Paper
and Electronic
Ensure that medical
records are assembled and forms completed in advance for each consultation
session where indicated.
Retrieve and re-file records as required, ensuring strict
alphabetical order is adhered to.
Ensure correspondence, reports, results etc., are scanned in
the correct record, on a daily basis.
Ensure upon receipt of a newly registered patients records
that they are tagged in accordance with practice protocol and that all wallets
are kept neat and tidy and in good repair.
Notification of a change of address or G.P. should be
recorded on the computer and on the medical record as soon a possible.
Ensure that any information recorded on a patients medical
record on the EMIS computer system is accurate and that you have the permission
of the practice manager or doctor to enter it.
Management of Repeat Prescriptions
Receive patients requests for authorised repeat
prescription in writing.
With the exception of controlled drugs, arrange a
computerised prescription in accordance with the practice protocol ready for a
doctors signature.
Where information received is incorrect or insufficient,
ensure that the request for a repeat prescription is referred to the
appropriate doctor for action.
Provide the point of contact for patients with enquires
relating to repeat prescriptions and ensure follow-up action is taken if the
enquiry cannot be resolved immediately.
Ensure that problems and queries regarding repeat
prescriptions are brought to the attention of the appropriate doctors and that
follow up action is taken to resolve such matters. Clear and concise contact
with pharmacists may also be necessary.
Preparation of consulting rooms
Ensure that the consulting rooms are prepared in readiness
for each consulting session, especially if a locum is covering a session. A
prepared locum box with all the appropriate forms should be made available.
Ensure that the consulting rooms are checked at the end of
each consulting session and left tidy and secure.
Operation of the telephone system
Receive and make
appropriate calls as required. Divert calls and take messages as appropriate.
Respond to an incoming
call within the first three rings if possible.
Ensure that the system
is operational at the beginning of each day, switched over to night service,
and checked at the end of each day.
Communication
Receive messages for
Doctors and other team members and ensure that they reach the person concerned.
Your initials and date/time should automatically be included.
Ensure that urgent
messages are relayed to the appropriate Doctor immediately either verbally or
by contact through pager or mobile telephone.
If unable to contact a
Doctor ensure emergency services are contacted to visit any emergency.
Computer System
Ensure through training
that you are familiar with the basic EMIS computer software system and have a
working knowledge of the functions needed to carry out your daily tasks.Each individual will be
responsible for logging onto the system and logging off.
Each individual will be
responsible for logging onto the system and logging off.
Start and end of
day procedures
Open up premises if
necessary at the start of the day. If first to arrive, set alarm to day
function and make all the necessary preparations to receive patients.
If the last to leave,
secure premises at the end of the day, ensuring that the building is totally
secured and alarm activated.
ANY OTHER DELEGATED
DUTIES CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE TO THE POST.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE POST:-
An understanding, acceptance, and adherence to
the need for strict confidentiality.
An
ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness, common sense, and local
knowledge, to respond to patients enquiries and requests.
Excellent
communication skills.
An
ability to appear calm and friendly to all patients at all times.
Keyboard
skills are essential
The
ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload
priorities.
The
ability to deal with any emergency in a swift and capable manner.
To
appreciate the needs of the patient is paramount.
To
be aware of Health & Safety issues, use safe working and good housekeeping
practices.
Making
a commitment to maintain and improve on the existing high standards that are
expected by patients, doctors and your peers.
A
willingness to take part in on going in house training and assessment of
competencies as part of your personal self development plan which will be kept
in your confidential personnel file.
