Job responsibilities
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST
REPORTS TO: RECEPTION SUPERVISOR
HOURS: 20 hours per week
Job summary:
The purpose of the role is to:
Offer general assistance to the practice team and
project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in
person or via the telephone
Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing
the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient
and effective way
Undertake a variety of administrative duties to
assist in the smooth running of the practice, including the provision of
clerical support to clinical staff and other members of the practice team
Facilitate effective communication between
patients, members of the primary health care team, secondary care and other
associated healthcare agencies
Duties and responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken
by members of the practice administration team may include any or all of the
items in the following list. Duties may
be varied from time to time under the direction of the receptionist supervisor/practice
management team, dependent on current and evolving practice workload and
staffing levels:
- Opening up/locking up of practice premises
and maintaining security in accordance with practice protocols
- Maintaining and monitoring the practice
appointments system
- Processing personal and telephone requests
for appointments, visits and telephone consultations, and ensuring callers
are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional
- Processing and distributing incoming (and
outgoing) mail
- Taking messages and passing on information
- Filing and retrieving paperwork
- Processing repeat prescriptions in accordance
with practice guidelines
- Computer data entry/data allocation and
collation; processing and recording information in accordance with practice
procedures
- Initiating contact with and responding to
requests from patients, other team member and associated healthcare
agencies and providers
- Providing clerical assistance to practice staff
as required from time to time, including word/data processing, filing,
photocopying and scanning
- Ordering, re-ordering and monitoring of
stationery and other supplies
- Provision of refreshments for staff and
visitors as required and keeping the kitchen area clean and tidy
- Keeping the reception area, notice-boards and
leaflet dispensers tidy and free from obstructions and clutter
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.
Safeguarding:
Safeguarding means protecting
peoples health, wellbeing and human rights and enabling them to live free from
harm and neglect.
All employees have a responsibility
for safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults in the course of
their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties
relating to their role.
Safeguarding is an integral part of
patient care therefore it is everybodys business to safeguard the rights of
patients.
Safeguarding is a part of your duty
of acre. You have a legal obligation to ensure the safety and wellbeing of
patients, staff and visitors.
Health & safety:
The post-holder will assist in
promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as
defined in the practice health & safety policy, the practice health &
safety manual, and the practice infection control policy and published
procedures. This will include:
- 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
- Making effective use of
training to update knowledge and skills
- Using appropriate
infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe
way, free from hazards
- Actively reporting
health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when
recognised
- Keeping own work areas
and general/patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of
general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job
holders role
- Undertaking periodic
infection control training (minimum annually)
- Reporting potential
risks identified
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, with 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 recognise 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
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