Job responsibilities
Job Summary:
- Undertake various administrative duties to ensure the smooth running of the Practice, including clerical support for clinical staff and other team members.
- Project a positive, friendly, and helpful image to patients and visitors, whether in person, on the telephone or through any other communication method e.g. email.
- Receive, assist, and direct patients to the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient, and effective manner.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The following duties may be assigned to members of the Practice reception team. Duties may vary under the direction of senior colleagues and/or the Practice Manager, depending on workload, Practice needs and staffing levels:
- Open and/or close the Practice, maintaining health & safety and security protocols.
- Maintain and monitor the Practice appointments system.
- Process personal and telephone requests for appointments, visits, and telephone consultations, ensuring callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional.
- Process and distribute incoming and outgoing emails, faxes and eConsultations.
- Take messages and pass on information accurately and timely.
- Process prescriptions and other requests from patients and third-party organisations.
- Perform computer data entry, data allocation, and collation; process and record information following Practice procedures.
- Initiate contact with and respond to requests from patients, team members, and associated healthcare agencies and providers.
- Provide clerical assistance as required, including typing, filing, photocopying, and scanning.
Confidentiality:
- Patients entrust us with sensitive information regarding their health and other matters. They expect staff to respect their privacy and act appropriately.
- The post-holder may access confidential information about patients, their carers, Practice staff, and other healthcare workers. Information about the Practice as a business organisation is also confidential. 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 disclosed to authorised persons following Practice policies and procedures regarding 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, including:
- Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines.
- Identifying 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 manner free from hazards.
- Reporting identified potential risks.
Equality and Diversity:
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity, and rights of patients, carers, and colleagues, including:
- Acting in a manner that recognises the importance of peoples rights, consistent with Practice procedures, policies, and current legislation.
- Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs, and beliefs of patients, carers, and colleagues.
- Behaving in a manner that is welcoming, non-judgmental, and respectful of individual 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, including:
- Participating in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of personal and/or professional development.
- Taking responsibility for own development, learning, and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others undertaking similar work.
Quality:
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:
- Alert 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 to improve and enhance team 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 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:
- Cover for colleagues during training and annual leave absences.
- Apply Practice policies, standards, and guidance.
- Discuss with other team members how policies, standards, and guidelines will affect own work.
- Participate in audits where applicable.
