Receptionist

This role will receive, assist & direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way. The role will also 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.

Main duties of the job

• Deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments.
• Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed.
• Receive and deal with telephone calls as quickly and efficiently as possible.
• Action repeat prescription requests and ensure that they are ready for collection by the patient within 48 hours, either on the computer or manually.
• Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.
• Enter patient information on to the computer as required.
• Patient notes and correspondence:

• Ensure hospital correspondence, reports, results etc are scanned/filed promptly and in the correct patient computerised records.
• Ensure that all new patients are registered onto the computer system promptly and accurately.

Job responsibilities

Job summary:

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.

• Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the practice.
• Deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments.
• Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed.
• Receive and deal with telephone calls as quickly and efficiently as possible. Make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
• Enter requests for home visits onto the computer, ensuring careful recording of all relevant details.
• Action repeat prescription requests and ensure that they are ready for collection by the patient within 48 hours, either on the computer or manually.
• Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.
• Enter patient information on to the computer as required.
• Patient notes and correspondence:

• Ensure hospital correspondence, reports, results etc are scanned/filed promptly and in the correct patient computerised records.
• Ensure that all new patients are registered onto the computer system promptly and accurately.
• Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the Partners or the practice manager.

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 post-holder's role.
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually).

Equality and diversity

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people's 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 that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights.

Training and Development

• 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

• 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 team's performance.
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs.
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Communication

• Communicate effectively with other team members.
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
• Recognize people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Contribution to the implementation of services

• 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 an audit where appropriate.

Person Specification Qualifications

• GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths or equivalent.

Experience

• Experience working in an office/reception environment.
• Experience of working in primary care.

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.