Job responsibilities
JOB TITLE: PATIENT SERVICES (MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST)
HOURS: 37.5 hours per week
REPORTS TO: PATIENT SERVICES MANAGER
Job summary:
Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way. Provide 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.
Job responsibilities:
Reception
Welcome patients on arrival in a friendly & courteous manner and monitor the flow of patients during consultations, informing them about changes or delays & dealing with queries as required
Assist patients with online registration, eConsult, self-check in and all relevant online services
To participate in covering Reception & all associated work in regards Extended Hours (shared working of some evening, early morning & weekends)
To work in accordance with written protocols
Deal with administrative tasks as requested by clinical staff (eg contacting patients for review following test results, changing appointments etc)
Ensure all messages from patients, medical personnel, other health service staff & the general public are recorded accurately and passed on to the appropriate staff member via electronic means whenever possible (ie task, notification or e-mail as per protocol)
To liaise confidently and professionally with health care professionals & attached staff
Ensure patients are informed about medical students, doctors or other clinical staff in training & ask for consent as required
Safely send emails & texts to patients and other agencies as required following protocol
Promote/register patients with online Patient Access, advise patients of the Electronic Prescribing Service (EPS) & the NHS App
Issuing repeat prescriptions & sending electronically to GP
Handing completed repeat prescriptions to patient or pharmacy drivers (checking names and address/consent as protocol)
Open & stamp all incoming post and pass to Admin for processing in a timely manner
Regularly check the script box for out of date scripts & the sick note collection box for sick notes more than 3 months old & record & destroy as per policy
Regularly check the 'Letters/Reports Collection Box' & record/destroy out of date items as per policy
Arrange specimen/blood forms using ICE system (at clinician request)
Giving results to patients
Deal appropriately with incoming urgent documents & work
Manage all aspects of reception position as necessary
There may be times when you are required to work alone in the practice (we have a lone worker policy you must adhere to).
Appointments
Process appointment requests from patients by telephone and in person following protocols to allocate to appropriate clinician & prioritise urgent requests on-call doctor
Record visit requests on EMIS in line with protocols
Make appointments as advised by Admin i.e. contact patients to make chronic disease reviews etc
Computer/IT
To be proficient in the use of EMISWeb appointments, tasks, notifications, electronic repeat prescriptions & accessing records in accordance with protocols & using practice templates where available
Registration of new patients computer data entry & medical records
Process patients change of address & contact details computer data & medical records (have knowledge of practice area)
Process repeat prescription request in accordance with practice guidelines
During each shift check & respond to NHSmail e-mails as appropriate
Telephone
Have working knowledge of telephone system, during & after hours.
Deal with incoming calls or re-direct to the appropriate member of staff
Ensure phone messages are correct & up to date ready for closures via online portal
Other Tasks & Housekeeping Duties
As a key holder, you will ensure building security is maintained have thorough knowledge of doors/windows/alarm.
Ensure working areas are kept clean & tidy as required
Ensure public areas (Reception/Waiting Room) are kept tidy and welcoming
Ensure reception office is kept tidy & professional
Management of stock in your work area
Any other tasks appropriate to your role as requested by Management
Skills & qualities required for the role of Medical Receptionist
Excellent understanding of confidentiality in general practice/NHS
Ability to work as part of a team & autonomously when required
Must be open, honest and trustworthy
Must be professional & have integrity
Must have IT skills (EMIS knowledge essential))
Must have excellent communication skills (be articulate, be able to listen, use facial expressions & body language, take accurate notes etc)
Must be reliable, well organised & flexible
Must have the ability to remain calm & be calming
Must ensure decision-making process considers effects on patients, staff & business
Must be friendly, enthusiastic, courteous & compassionate
Must have pride in self, team & workplace
Must be driven & highly motivated with the ability to motivate, a forward thinker with a can do attitude
Must be able to use initiative & delegate, but also be able to take and give direction
Must have the ability to be assertive & firm when required & to act fairly & with empathy whilst considering the rights, needs & wants of others
Confidentiality:
In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health & other matters. They do so in confidence & have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy & 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 & their carers, practice staff & 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 & procedures relating to confidentiality & the protection of personal and sensitive data
Health & safety:
The post-holder will assist in promoting & maintaining their own & others health, safety and security as defined in the practice health & safety policy, the practice health & safety manual, fire safety procedures & the practice infection control policy and published procedures. This will include:
Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
Acting as fire warden to ensure the safety of patients and colleagues in the event of fire (following training)
Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
Identifying & reporting risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy & safe way and free from hazards
Actively reporting of health & safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
Keeping own work areas & general/patient areas clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role
Equality and diversity:
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers & 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 & policies, and current legislation
- Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs & 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:
Participating in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, training to include:
- Participation in an annual appraisal, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
- Attending training sessions ad-hoc and regularly attend the training provided by the ICB on Thursday afternoons when appropriate
- Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work
- Complete training modules online via Bluestream
- Share ideas with the team
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 reviewing significant events, results of patient surveys, complaints or suggestions and working 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
- Ensure you communicate ANY safeguarding concerns to your manager/GP ASAP following the practice policy
Contribution to the implementation of services:
The post-holder will
- Apply and adhere to 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
These duties are not exhaustive and any reasonable changes or additions to this list should not be unreasonably refused.