Job responsibilities
The purpose of the role is to:
Offer 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
Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service
or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way
Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth
running of the practice, including the provision of secretarial and clerical
support to clinical staff and other members of the practice team
Facilitate effective communication between patients, members of the
primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare
agencies
Duties and responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities to be
undertaken by members of the practice administration/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 lead receptionist/practice manager, dependent on
current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels:
Opening up/locking up of practice premises, activation/deactivation of alarm system and maintaining security in accordance with
practice protocols
Unlock consulting rooms/key safe; switch on computers and
lights; switch over answerphone and ensure consulting rooms are tidy
Maintaining and monitoring the practice appointments system
Processing personal and telephone requests for appointments, telephone
consultations and ensuring callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare
professional
Deal with home visit requests, carefully noting all details
Arrange transport to hospital appointments for housebound patients
Register new patients, temporary residents and any requiring immediate
and necessary treatment, carefully checking all details for accuracy and enter
on computer registration link
Processing and distributing incoming and outgoing mail
Taking messages and passing on information
Filing and retrieving paperwork
Processing repeat prescriptions in accordance with practice guidelines
Reconcile new patients notes with relevant FP7s and FP8s
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
Clearing and re-stocking of consulting rooms as required
Providing clerical assistance to practice staff as required from time to
time, including word/data processing, filing, photocopying and scanning
Ordering and monitoring of stationery and other supplies
Provision of refreshments for staff and visitors as required, cleaning
of utensils and keeping the kitchen area clean and tidy
Keeping the reception area, notice-boards and leaflet dispensers tidy
and free from obstructions and clutter
Cover sickness/annual leave and work reasonable overtime when required,
including some weekends.
Perform any other relevant and reasonable duties that may be requested
by the lead receptionist, practice manager or partners.
Undertake all mandatory training as required.
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 and the practice infection
control policy. 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, free from hazards
Actively reporting 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
Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of
children.