Medical Receptionist/Administrator

Job responsibilities

Key Duties & Responsibilities

1. Reception duties

Welcome and receive all patients and visitors to the Practice

Assist and direct patients to the appropriate healthcare professional/service when they arrive at the Practice

Process all requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultation/triage ensuring all calls are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional and ensuring careful and accurate recording of details at all times

Project a positive and friendly image to patients and visitors either in person or on the telephone

Explain Practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients wishing to register and those seeking temporary registration ensuring all registration procedures are completed

Complete new registration procedures and ensure accurate recording of details at all times

Receive and make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery

Action repeat prescription requests and ensure they are ready for collection by the patient within 72 hours

Provide test results to patients on advice from the GP or Nurse

Accept payment and issue receipts for private (non-general medical services) services

Facilitate effective communication between patients, members of the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies

Act as a chaperone for general examinations if requested following appropriate training

Maintain a general overview of the reception area and take appropriate action to manage difficult/aggressive patient behaviour or those whose illness/condition worsens while waiting to be seen.

Deal with general enquiries and explain procedures as requested

Offer general assistance to the Practice team

2. Premises

Open up premises at the start of the day, if first to arrive, de-activate the alarm make all necessary preparations to receive patients for the opening time of the Practice

When last to leave premises at the end of the day, ensure that the building is totally secured, telephone diverted to Out of Hours number, internal lights are switched off and the alarm activated

Clear and re-stock consulting rooms as required

Ensure the reception area, notice boards and leaflet racks are tidy and free from clutter and obstructions

3. Personal/Professional development

The post holder will participate in any training activity implemented by the Practice or Woodlands Medical Practice as part of this employment, such activity to include:

Participation in an annual performance review (appraisal), including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own development activity

Taking responsibility for own development and learning by following through objectives set at appraisal

Ensure attendance at identified training events

Attend induction training, mandatory training and mandatory updates as required

Attendance at Practice meetings

Support the induction and training of new members of staff in reception procedures

4. Equality & 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 individuals 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-judgemental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights

5. Safeguarding

Safeguarding Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and post holders to share this commitment. Legislation places a statutory duty on all organisations and professionals to work together in the interest of protecting vulnerable children, young people and vulnerable adults. All healthcare professionals, including those staff and volunteers who work within a healthcare setting have a duty to safeguard and support the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and this practice is committed to this principle. The practice will provide training and induction programmes to include safeguarding to all existing and new staff and volunteers to promote these aims and raise awareness of the duties and responsibilities it places on our staff. Page 5 of 6 All health professionals working directly with children, young people and vulnerable adults should ensure that safeguarding and promoting welfare forms an integral part of all stages of the care they offer. Other health professionals who come into contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, parents and carers in the course of their work also need to be aware of their safeguarding responsibilities.

6. Quality

The post holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice by:

Complying with and adhering to all Practice policies and Procedures

Alerting other team members to issues of quality and risk

Assessing own performance and taking accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision

Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and teams 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

7. Confidentiality

In the course of your employment you will have access to confidential information relating to individuals and the organisations business. You are required to exercise due consideration in the way you use such information and should not act in any way which might be prejudicial to individual patient, staff or the organisations interests. Information which may be included in the category which requires extra consideration covers both access to the general business of the organisation and information regarding individuals. If you are in any doubt regarding the use of such information in the pursuit of your duties, you should seek advice from your manager before communicating information to any third party.

8. Data protection

Woodlands Medical Practice is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. You must not at any time use the personal data held by the organisation for a purpose not described in the Register entry or disclose such data to a third party. If you are in any doubt regarding what you should or should not do in connection with the Data Protection Act, then you must contact your line manager or appropriate senior lead at the time.

9. Health & Safety

Employees must be aware of the responsibility placed on them under the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) to maintain a healthy and safe working environment for both staff and visitors.

Employees also have a duty to observe obligation under the organisation Safety policies and to maintain awareness of safe practices and assessment of risk.

10. Financial Regulations

All staff are responsible for the security of Woodlands Medical Practice property, avoiding loss or damage where possible.

11. Other duties

Any other duties, as agreed with the line manager and the member of staff to meet the needs of the organisation. This may involve travel to other sites within the organisation.

Qualifications

Essential

• Good standard of Secondary Education
• GCSE or equivalent to D or above in English and Maths

Desirable

• IT/ Word processing qualification
• ECDL

Experience

Essential

• Working in a busy public reception environment
• Reception & clerical duties
• Using word processing packages
• Using a computerised booking in system
• Dealing with the public/patients
• Working in a busy telephone answering environment
• Working as part of a team

Desirable

• Working in an NHS service

Skills and Attributes

Essential

• Excellent organisational skills
• Excellent communication skills verbal and written
• Excellent customer service skills
• Polite, pleasant & professional interpersonal manner, both on the telephone and in person
• Able to work effectively as part of a team
• Able to work on own initiative & problem solve within own area of work
• An understanding, acceptance & adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
• Able to work without direct supervision and determine own work priorities
• Able to work under pressure
• Able to liaise effectively with a range of
• individuals/services within the Practice, within Woodlands Medical Practice
• A Good standard of IT/word processing skills
• Able to maintain an accurate and thorough approach to work
• Able to work to set standards, policies & procedures
• Interest & aptitude for learning new skills
• Willingness to actively engage in appraisal, personal development and training
• Awareness of diversity issues & able to work in a non-discriminatory manner
• Flexible approach to undertaking a wide variety of tasks
• Flexible approach to working hours, willingness to work anti-social hours, shifts, cover at other Practices etc and externally.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).