Job summary
Working
in a busy Practice puts a Medical Receptionist in a special position of trust
and responsibility. You must provide a friendly, efficient, and professional front-line
service to patients, visitors, and the primary health care team both in person
and by telephone. As the main contact
for the Practice, the professional image and impression you project and the
environment you maintain is essential to providing a positive experience with
the Surgery.
A
Medical Receptionist must have an excellent telephone manner, customer care, be
organised and able to work under pressure during busy and difficult times. It is important to be able to help patients
access appropriate services and to manage various patient needs - no two days
are the same. Once fully trained, there
may be some lone working during less busy times.
The
Practice utilises a variety of computer packages in the day-to-day running of
the Practice and, whilst full training is provided, all members of staff are
required to use these to support efficient systems and communication.
Location
The applicant
will be working at Lodge Surgery, Normandy Road, St Albans and Highfield
Surgery, Russet Drive, St Albans, Redbourn Health Centre, Hawkes Drive or any
other location that the Surgery may operate its services from in the future.
Main duties of the job
Welcome, assist, and direct patients to the appropriate services or healthcare professionals following Practice protocols.
Manage all communications efficiently, including phone calls, eConsults, prescriptions, and other enquiries.
Use Practice systems (EMIS, eConsult, EPS, email, intranet) to support patient care and communication.
Handle general enquiries, explain procedures, and arrange new or follow-up appointments courteously.
Coordinate appointments, messages, home visits, and other patient requests within set timeframes, ensuring accurate record-keeping.
Contact patients via phone, letter, or text as required.
Provide information on Practice services, register new or temporary patients, and follow procedures for overseas visitors.
Process prescription requests and manage private service fees, including issuing receipts and maintaining records.
Handle correspondence, reports, and results appropriately to maintain up-to-date patient notes.
Maintain a clean, professional reception and waiting area.
Open and close the premises securely, ensuring all systems and equipment are prepared or shut down as required.
Provide information on the Practice Complaints Procedure and assist with investigations when necessary.
Support training for new staff, students, and visitors.
Undertake additional administrative duties as directed by the Partners or Managers.
About us
Our GP Surgery is a friendly, patient-focused practice dedicated to providing high-quality primary care to our local community. We pride ourselves on offering accessible, compassionate, and efficient healthcare through a supportive team of GPs, nurses, healthcare assistants, and administrative staff.
We work collaboratively to deliver a wide range of medical services, including chronic disease management, health promotion, preventative care, and minor illness treatment. Our team values professionalism, respect, and teamwork, creating a welcoming environment for both patients and staff.
The practice uses modern clinical systems such as EMIS and eConsult to ensure safe, effective communication and continuity of care. We encourage innovation, continuous learning, and development, supporting all staff in achieving their professional goals while maintaining a strong commitment to excellent patient service.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Description
-
Receive, assist, and direct patients in
accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional within Practice
protocols.
-
Ensure all communications are dealt with
effectively and efficiently to include telephone calls, dealing with the
eConsults submitted by the patients for both clinical and administrative
requests, prescription orders and any other means of communication.
-
Effectively
utilise the Practice computer system including EMIS, eConsult, Electronic
Prescribing Service, electronic mail and intranet to support patient care and
communication.
-
Deal
with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up
appointments in a polite and helpful manner.
-
Using
Practice guidance and excellent communication skills ensure that patients
access members of the clinical team within appropriate time frames organising
appointments, telephone messages, home visits and any other means of
communication. Ensure that the necessary
information is received and recorded to provide safe patient care.
-
When
necessary, contact patients via telephone, letters, text messages or other
appropriate means.
-
Provide
guidance on Practice services to new patients and those seeking temporary
medical cover, and ensure procedures for looking after people from overseas are
followed.
-
Record
requests for home visits taking all relevant details and, where necessary,
refer to the Duty Doctor.
-
Action
prescription requests according to the Practice protocol.
-
Advise
patients on private services available at the Practice and the relevant charges. Collect private fees, issue receipts and
record as required.
-
Respond
to patient notes, ensuring correspondence, reports and results are dealt with
appropriately.
-
Tidy
and maintain the reception, waiting room, public areas and consulting rooms to
provide a professional image and environment.
-
Open
up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm,
immediately check access to computer and make all necessary preparations to
receive patients such as unlocking rooms, turning on waiting room equipment and
computers, opening blinds, etc.
-
When
last to leave at the end of the day, ensure that the building is totally
secured, internal doors are locked, lights are off and the alarm activated.
-
Provide
information to patients on the Practice Complaints Procedure when necessary
and, if party to a complaint, assist in the investigation process carried out
by the Practice Manager.
-
Provide
training for other members of staff, medical students and any other visitors as
appropriate to the post.
-
Undertake
any other additional administrative duties appropriate to the post as requested
by the Partners, the Practice Manager or Reception Manager.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Description
-
Receive, assist, and direct patients in
accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional within Practice
protocols.
-
Ensure all communications are dealt with
effectively and efficiently to include telephone calls, dealing with the
eConsults submitted by the patients for both clinical and administrative
requests, prescription orders and any other means of communication.
-
Effectively
utilise the Practice computer system including EMIS, eConsult, Electronic
Prescribing Service, electronic mail and intranet to support patient care and
communication.
-
Deal
with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up
appointments in a polite and helpful manner.
-
Using
Practice guidance and excellent communication skills ensure that patients
access members of the clinical team within appropriate time frames organising
appointments, telephone messages, home visits and any other means of
communication. Ensure that the necessary
information is received and recorded to provide safe patient care.
-
When
necessary, contact patients via telephone, letters, text messages or other
appropriate means.
-
Provide
guidance on Practice services to new patients and those seeking temporary
medical cover, and ensure procedures for looking after people from overseas are
followed.
-
Record
requests for home visits taking all relevant details and, where necessary,
refer to the Duty Doctor.
-
Action
prescription requests according to the Practice protocol.
-
Advise
patients on private services available at the Practice and the relevant charges. Collect private fees, issue receipts and
record as required.
-
Respond
to patient notes, ensuring correspondence, reports and results are dealt with
appropriately.
-
Tidy
and maintain the reception, waiting room, public areas and consulting rooms to
provide a professional image and environment.
-
Open
up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm,
immediately check access to computer and make all necessary preparations to
receive patients such as unlocking rooms, turning on waiting room equipment and
computers, opening blinds, etc.
-
When
last to leave at the end of the day, ensure that the building is totally
secured, internal doors are locked, lights are off and the alarm activated.
-
Provide
information to patients on the Practice Complaints Procedure when necessary
and, if party to a complaint, assist in the investigation process carried out
by the Practice Manager.
-
Provide
training for other members of staff, medical students and any other visitors as
appropriate to the post.
-
Undertake
any other additional administrative duties appropriate to the post as requested
by the Partners, the Practice Manager or Reception Manager.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good secondary education
- Dealing with the public
- Uses computer, either personally or professionally
- Excellent communication skills
- Good handwriting
- Good English language
- Good telephone manner
- Computer literate - email, internet and Microsoft Word
- Excellent customer care approachable and caring
- Ability to work as part of an integrated multi skilled team
- Calm and able to deal with difficult situations
- Use own initiative
- Keen learner
- Able to work under pressure
- Professional and friendly personality
- Organised
- An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
- Able to work in a changing environment
- Able to provide flexible working hours
Desirable
- Medical Receptionist training
- Customer Care training
- Experience in General Practice or other medical environment.
- Experience in customer care.
- Other languages
- Experience of using the EMIS web clinical system.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good secondary education
- Dealing with the public
- Uses computer, either personally or professionally
- Excellent communication skills
- Good handwriting
- Good English language
- Good telephone manner
- Computer literate - email, internet and Microsoft Word
- Excellent customer care approachable and caring
- Ability to work as part of an integrated multi skilled team
- Calm and able to deal with difficult situations
- Use own initiative
- Keen learner
- Able to work under pressure
- Professional and friendly personality
- Organised
- An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
- Able to work in a changing environment
- Able to provide flexible working hours
Desirable
- Medical Receptionist training
- Customer Care training
- Experience in General Practice or other medical environment.
- Experience in customer care.
- Other languages
- Experience of using the EMIS web clinical system.
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.
