Medical Receptionist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Post: Medical Receptionist

Accountable to: Partners, Practice Manager, Reception Supervisor

Specific Reception Duties:

Greeting patients politely and ensuring that the appointment system is run efficiently, monitor the flow of patients to and from consulting rooms, managing queues through telephone and face to face interaction.

Ensure patients are informed if a clinician is running late or called out.

Ensure urgent extras are monitored with appropriate guidance.

Advise patients of relevant charges for non-NHS services, accept payment and issue receipt for same.

Explain practice arrangements and requirements for new and temporary patients.

Accept registration forms from prospective patients ensuring adherence to practice policies.

Respond to all queries and requests for assistance from patients and other visitors to the practice as appropriate.

Enter requests for home visits including all relevant information.

Deal efficiently with emergency situations.

Maintain a supply of relevant bags, bottles and stationery to keep consulting rooms stocked; ensure rooms have adequate supplies.

Keep reception areas clean and tidy.

Handle specimens as per practice protocol.

Management of appointment system

Maintain working knowledge of the appointment system i.e. times of all clinics, duration of appointments, knowledge of computer system, doctors rotas, procedures for booking routine and urgent appointments

Book appointments accurately and appropriately.

Monitor daily available appointments and report any overload to Reception Supervisor as appropriate.

Operation of telephone system

Receive and make calls as required. Divert calls and take messages as appropriate, recording information for clinicians to action (home visits, phone calls etc.)

Patient Liaison

Provide non clinical patient care, dealing with requests for information, test results, requests to speak to clinical staff, ensuring confidentiality and privacy for patients.

Ensure patients have access to any relevant leaflets, support groups, carers association etc.

Information technology and audit duties

Maintain working knowledge of computer/clinical system, reporting any problems to Reception Supervisor.

Adhere to practice policies regarding security and confidentiality, records management roles and responsibilities and computer skills

Building

Report any maintenance matters to the Reception Supervisor

Confidentiality & Data Protection

Where it is a requirement of the job for the post-holder to use computers or other information technology, he/she will be required to ensure that security procedures are followed as appropriate and that confidential information for example, passwords, are not communicated to unauthorised individuals.

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

All employees are required by Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts and omissions. 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:

o Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines

o Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks

o Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills

o Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards

o Reporting potential risks identified

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

o 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

o Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues

o 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/personal development programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment to include:

o Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development

o Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

o Completing all mandatory training in the timeframes agreed as per the Practice Mandatory Training Matrix

Communication

The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

o Communicate effectively with other team members

o Communicate effectively with patients and carers

o Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the Implementation of Services

The post-holder will:

o Apply Practice policies, standards and guidance

o Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own and others work

o Participate in audit where appropriate

General Clause

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive but to indicate the main responsibilities of the post and may be amended from time to time after consultation with the post-holder to reflect the needs of the service.

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Flexible attitude to work.
• Able to work as part of a team.
• Well motivated.
• Able to deal with sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy.

Other requirements

Essential

• Understanding of the importance of confidentiality.

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• Effective time management (Planning & Organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Problem solving & analytical skills
• Ability to follow policy and procedure

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 6 months work experience in a paid or voluntary capacity.
• Experience of working directly with members of the public in a busy customer service environment.
• Knowledge of working in an administrative office environment.
• Experience of working as part of a team.

Desirable

• Experience in a medical receptionist role.
• Experience of answering telephone calls in a high call-volume environment.

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ Level 2 or equivalent in Maths and English

Skills

Essential

• Basic inputting/keyboard skills
• Good verbal communication skills
• Good telephone manner
• Ability to produce work of a high standard and with attention to detail

Desirable

• Previous use of a computerised patient information system.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

NHS North Of England Commissioning Support Unit

Address

Doctors Surgery

83 Queens Road

CONSETT

County Durham

DH8 0BW

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.necsu.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)