Job responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities:
The
duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the practice reception
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:
- Opening
up/locking-up of practice premises and maintaining security in accordance with Practice
protocols;
- Maintaining
and monitoring the practice appointments system;
- Processing
personal and telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone
consultations and ensuring callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare
professional;
- Completing
appointment requests with patient information into our GP Triaging System
- Processing,
scanning 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 including word/data
processing, filing, photocopying and scanning;
- Ordering,
re-ordering and monitoring of forms, sample bags and other supplies;
- Dealing
with clinical waste/sharps boxes;
- Keeping
the reception area, notice-boards and leaflet dispensers tidy and free from
obstructions and clutter.
- Assisting
to maintain practices procedures.
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 and free from hazards;
- Actively
reporting of 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.
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 recognizes 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 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;
- Recognize 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.