Job responsibilities
JOB TITLE: Medical Receptionist
MAIN PURPOSE OF POST: 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.
RESPONSIBLE TO: Reception
Manager
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Reception Duties
Understand
and utilise I.T systems used in practice for patient correspondence. These
include online patient consultations; online requests for medication; online
patient registrations; online patient direct appointment bookings
Monitor
flow of patients into consulting and treatment rooms
Ensure
that patients without appointments 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, ensuring procedures are completed
Advise
patients of relevant charges for non NHS services, accept payment and issue
receipts
Respond
to all queries and requests for assistance from patients and other visitors
Record
request for home visits stating time received and including all relevant
information and where necessary refer to the Duty Doctor
Action
repeat prescriptions within 2 working days in line with the practice protocol
Ensure
reception and waiting areas are kept neat and tidy
To
attend training as required by management
To
attend all reception team meetings and Doctor/site meetings when scheduled
Record Keeping
Internal record keeping as required
Accurate electronic filing of patient
correspondence within the surgery records
Appointment
systems
Ensure total
familiarity with all surgery appointment systems including regular and
incidental variations
Book
appointments and recalls ensuring sufficient information are recorded to
retrieve medical record
Monitor
effectiveness of the system and report any problems or variations required
Operation of
Telephone System
Promptly
answer telephone calls received at the practice for either an appointment,
query or information and sign-post appropriately.
Ensure that
the system is operational at the beginning of each day and report any
problems with the phones to the Reception Manager
Start and end of
day procedures
Open premises
at the start of the day, deactivate alarm and make necessary preparation
to receive patients
Secure
premises at the end of the day, ensure building is totally secured,
internal lights off and alarm activated
Administration
Action emails
appropriately and scan hand-delivered post on to the computer system.
Ensure appropriate
correspondence is dealt with accurately and efficiently and where
necessary passed onto the appropriate team.
Liaise with
patients, external departments, both face to face and by telephone or e-mail
Check and
action e-mails, tasks and workflows on a daily basis
Your work may
change, subject to consultation, depending on the needs of the
organisation. This may include
incorporating administration work within your working week.
Special
requirements of the post
Understanding
and acceptance of and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality.
Ability to
use own judgement, resourcefulness, common sense and local knowledge, to
respond to patients enquiries and requests.
Excellent
communication skills.
Flexibility
Essential to
be able to provide reasonable cover for absent colleagues for holidays and
sickness.
May be
required to carry out other reasonable tasks from time to time as requested
by the Partners or Management team.
Data Protection
and Confidentiality Issues
To ensure
that when accessing data relating to patients, the information obtained
and used is registered appropriately under Data Protection Act
To ensure
that all information held centrally by the practice relating to the
patients health, medical treatment, personal details and registration
details remains confidential to the practice and patient
To ensure
that all requests for medical information about a patient from external
organisations and patients family members is legitimate, complies with
Access to
Medical Records and other legislation, has the written consent of the
patient and practice.
Must be
familiar and comply with Information Governance guidance
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
Undertake
significant analysis in order to improve systems and communication within
the practice
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.
NOTE:This job description reflects the present
requirements of the post. As duties and responsibilities change and develop the
job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation
with the post-holder.
