Job 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 Reception Mannager/Practice
manager, dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing
levels:
Processing
personal and telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone
consultations and ensuring callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare
professional
Opening
up/locking-up of practice premises and maintaining security in accordance with
Practice protocols
Maintaining
and monitoring the practice appointments system
Taking
messages and passing on information
Initiating
contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team member and
associated healthcare agencies and providers
Provision of
refreshments for staff and visitors as required; loading and emptying the
dishwasher 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
will 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 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 the policies, standards and guidelines will
affect own work
Participate
in audit where appropriate