Job responsibilities
JOB
DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Medical
Receptionist/ Admin Assistant
REPORTS TO: Senior
Receptionist/Practice Manager
HOURS: 20-25 Hours per
week
Job summary:
The purpose of the role is
to:
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
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
Undertake
a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the
practice, including the provision of secretarial and 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 senior
receptionist/practice manager, dependent on current and evolving practice
workload and staffing levels:
Premises:
Open
up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm and
make all necessary preparations to receive patients.
When
last to leave at the end of the day, ensure that the building is totally
secured, internal lights are off and the alarm activated.
Maintaining
and monitoring the practice appointments system
Ensure
an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any
other visitors to the practice
Deal
with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments.
Using
your own judgment and communication skills, ensure that patients with no prior
appointment but who need urgent consultation are seen in a logical and
non-disruptive manner.
Advise
patients of relevant charges for private (non-General Medical Services)
services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.
Enter
patient information on to the computer as required.
Patient
notes and correspondence:
o
Retrieve and re-file records as required, ensuring strict alphabetical order is
adhered to
o
Ensure correspondence, reports, results etc. are filed promptly and in the
correct records, ensuring that all recent correspondence is available when
patients are seen.
o
Ensure records are kept in good repair, with all necessary information on the
outside cover clearly visible.
Make
and serve refreshments, ensure the kitchen is kept clean and tidy and air and
tidy the waiting room in turn with other staff.
Ensure
that all new patients are registered onto the computer system promptly and
accurately
Undertake
any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the
partners, the practice manager or senior receptionist.
Explain
practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking
temporary cover, and ensure procedures are completed.
Receive
and make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring
accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
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
Dealing
and facilitate the clinical waste collections.
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
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
Demonstrate
due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
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
This
job description covers the main duties the post holder is expected to
undertake. These duties may be revised periodically in consultation with the
post holder and according to the work needs.
