Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
- To welcome and direct patients and visitors on arrival.
- To open the premises, turn on computers in the reception area and open up clinic rooms
- To be responsible for answering general enquiries, explaining surgery procedures, making new and follow up appointments.
- To receive calls from external health bodies to book in and manage patient appointments.
- To update patient details e.g., change of address, in electronic and paper records.
- To ensure information regarding unresolved matters is handed over to colleagues at the end of shift.
- To file and extract records and any documents when needed.
- To ensure specimens are bagged ready for daily collection.
- To ensure clinical rooms and workstations are well stocked
- To liaise between doctors and patients.
- General housekeeping duties, ensuring the doctors rooms, waiting area, reception area and staff kitchen are clean and tidy.
- At closing time, to tidy and close the waiting area and doctors rooms, lock doors, reception area and ensure all windows and blinds are closed and turn off computers
- To ensure the building is secure when leaving at the end of the day.
- To ensure patient confidentiality at all times.
- Any other reasonable duties as requested.
Other requirements of the post-holder:
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 careers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organization. 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 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 and free from hazards
- Actively reporting of 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 recognizes 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 which 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.
- Recognize 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 policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work.
- Participate in audit where appropriate.
This job description should be regarded only as a guideline to the duties required and is not definitive or restrictive.
Education/Training
- Good standard of general education.
- Grade C GCSE English and Maths or equivalent qualifications.
Experience
- Experience of working with the public.
- Previous Reception/customer facing role.
- Experience of the NHS.
Special Skills/Aptitudes
- Good interpersonal and communication skills.
- Strong IT skills.
- Ability to work under pressure.
- Team player.
- Attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently and to demonstrate initiative.
- Excellent telephone manner.
Personal Qualities
- Flexible and positive attitude.
- Smart appearance.
