Medical Receptionist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job summary:

The successful candidate will work with the team to support the practice with general day to day running and have the ability to work to agreed protocols and procedures. Be an active member of the team and participate in the development of the practice. Work independently to complete identified projects to support the development of the practice.

Job responsibilities:

• Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to all patients and visitors to the practice.
• Manage the various appointments, visits and other bookings in line with agreed policies.
• Deal with general telephone enquiries from patients and general public.
• Record requests for repeat prescriptions
• Prepare repeat prescriptions
• Record and receipt of laboratory reports
• Key in patient identification data to the computer.
• Register new patients and compile patient files
• Compete templates on the computer
• Record messages for clinical staff
• Clinical coding
• Manage projects with clear direction regarding expectations and outcomes.
• The above list of duties is not exhaustive and maybe adapted as deemed necessary.

Confidentiality:

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & safety:

The post-holder will support on the full range of promotion and management of their own and others health, safety and security as defined by the practice. This will include (but will not be limited to):

• Support all job-holders across the practice to adhere to their individual responsibilities for infection control and health and safety..
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of health and safety and infection control statutory and best practice guidelines and ensure implementation across the business
• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across the business
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and initiate and manage the training of others
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards, and initiation of remedial/corrective action where needed
• Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general/patient areas generally clean, identifying issues and hazards/risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)
• Routine management of own team/team areas, and maintenance of work space standards
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Equality and diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/professional development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly
• Engage with the team and ensure the team functions effectively and motivation is high.
• Support the team and ensure wellbeing.

Contribution to the implementation of services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate
• Participate in additional activities as requested and required by the practice

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience in primary care/NHS/caring profession
• IT literate, including experience in using Word and Excel, email and the internet
• Experience in using clinical software
• Ability to understand, learn and implement administrative procedures
• Follow instructions and work independently to complete a project
• Understand and demonstrate excellent customer service
• Understand the role and function of administration within a GP surgery
• High standard of spoken and written English

Desirable

• Previously worked in a GP surgery and familiarity with reception and administration duties
• Formal qualification in IT (e.g. CLAIT, ECDL). Secretarial qualifications
• Previously used EMIS
• Project management qualification
• Customer service qualification
• Previously worked in a GP surgery and familiarity with secretarial and coding role

Personal qualities

Essential

• Approachable with a can do attitude
• Good communicator (verbal & written) both upwards and downwards
• Ability to integrate into a well-established team
• Ability to work autonomously and initiate / self-direct own workload
• Quickly grasp new concepts and work on a self-directed basis
• Adapt to flexible working pattern and changing needs of the practice
• High level of personal presentation
• Ability to multi task and prioritise work load

Desirable

• Evidence of recent self-directed learning or development
• Experience of dealing with different population groups and/or people whos first language is not English
• Experience working in a busy and challenging environment

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

Holmside Medical Group

Address

142 Armstrong Road

Benwell

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE4 8QB

Employer's website

https://www.holmsidemedicalgroup.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)