Job responsibilities
Job
Summary: Reception
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
Reception Responsibilities:
- To
have a thorough knowledge of all Practice procedures and to work in
accordance of them.
- Fax
and photocopy as requested.
- Liaise
with hospitals and other primary health care teams as and when necessary.
- 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.
- Ensure
queries and complaints are dealt with effectively.
- Ensure all messages are logged when
taken and check messages at beginning, during and at the end of shifts to
ensure that they have been dealt with and if necessary, carry forward to
the following day.
- 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.
- Explain practice arrangements and formal
requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover, and ensure
procedures are completed. Ensure that all new patients are registered onto
the computer system promptly and accurately.
- Process patients change of address
computer data and medical records (have knowledge of Practice area.
- Enter requests for home visits onto the
appointment screen, ensuring to carefully record all relevant details and
referring to duty doctor where necessary.
- Action repeat prescription requests and
ensure that they are ready for collection by the patient within 72 hours,
either on the computer or manually.
- Prepare lists and notes for all surgeries
and clinics held, ensuring completion of all associated paperwork.
- 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.
o
Open
up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm and
make all necessary preparations to receive patients.
o 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.
- Undertake any other additional duties
appropriate to the post as requested by the partners, the reception
supervisor, the assistant manager or the practice manager.
Telephone
- Have
working knowledge of telephone/bleep system, during and after hours.
- Answering
telephone promptly on all lines.
- Receive and make telephone calls as
required. Divert calls and take
messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
Other Tasks
- Ensure
building security have thorough knowledge of doors/windows/alarm.
- Any
other tasks allocated by managers or supervisor
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, to 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.
- 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 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 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.
- 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.