Reception Manager

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Reception Manager is responsible for managing the reception area and staff to ensure the day to day smooth running of the reception team and its function ensuring the practice is providing an excellent service to patients. The role will cover both surgery sites.

The role requires fast paced decision making at times and can be challenging. You will therefore be confident in dealing with patients and staff whilst leading a professional service which echoes across your team. Engagement with patients takes place in person, over the telephone and electronically, so you will be comfortable in all capacities.

You will also work with multiple stakeholders including GP Partners, Management, PCN staff and other healthcare partners. You will be supported by and accountable to senior management.

Primary objectives will include reception person management, driving transactional efficiencies as well as supporting practice projects, supporting clinical teams, and developing the reception area so that it reflects the very high standard set by the practice.

You will be responsible for the leadership and supervision of a team of receptionists, ensuring all reception duties are performed effectively and to the required standards, meeting the objectives of the practice. You will also be responsible for supporting staff development, providing guidance and direction, ensuring staff are up to date with mandatory training, carrying out annual appraisals and various other duties.

You will be empowered to drive agreed upon actions whilst having the remit to introduce and develop your own ideas. The practice management teams engage on a daily basis and hold a dedicated meeting once a week. You will be expected to partake and engage in these sessions.

You will supervise, develop and orchestrate the Reception Team. Contribute to the planning, duties and functions. Embed a professional ethos, providing excellent levels of patient care in an environment which is effective, efficient and empathetic at all times. You will provide admin support to the GPs, Admin manager and Practice manager as appropriate. You will work with the Admin manager to implement staff training and maintain standards of service to patients.

General Office Duties Involvement

Answering telephone calls, conveying messages, and dealing with patients during busiest times and/or to cover reception team rota, where necessary to maintain standards in service

Ensure reception team are dealing with all tasks requiring their input / action in a timely manner and workload is not building up without being addressed

Ensuring office communication systems are streamlined and appropriate use of electronic task system is maintained

Patient services

• Ensure the reception team are providing excellent service to patients and any visitors to site
• Provide general assistance to the Practice Team and project a positive and friendly image to patients
• Have a thorough understanding of services , how to use them effectively and guiding patients through their interactions with the Practice
• Be first point of contact to patients for complaints following practice complaints procedure.
• Deal with more complex patient enquiries

Employed Staff

• Line manage and support the reception team
• Manage the reception team rotas and annual leave / other absence requests
• Monitor development of reception staff
• Ensure communication systems are running smoothly, all staff are kept fully informed of changes in procedures or policies and protocols.
• Support recruitment and selection of new members of the reception team
• Identify training needs
• Ensure practice policies and protocols are followed
• Organise staff rotas, including authorising leave requests and suitable leave arrangement cover and following any periods of sickness complete return to work interviews for all members of the reception team
• Act as a link between management handling questions and helping resolve work-related problems in a professional and timely manner
• Liaise with the management team concerning staffing and organisation of work

Reception Management, Administration and IT

• Acting as the primary point of contact in reception for clinicians

Have a full understanding of the appointment system, repeat prescribing and all other reception functions and administration ensure that reception staff are fully trained in all areas

Have a clear understanding of the telephone systems, daytime and out of hours

Have a good working knowledge of all reception software and hardware

Have full understanding of and oversee patient text messaging service

Have understanding and working knowledge of Data Protection Act and implications for patient record sharing

Be responsible for the management of the patient information screens

Attend staff meetings and lead discussion on topics identified by the reception team, represent reception staff, raising relevant reception issues and proposing improvement initiatives and solutions

Attend to and resolve or escalate ad hoc issues and problems as they arise in the day-to-day operations of reception

Raise and report all significant events to Administration manager / Deputy manager for further discussion at SEA meetings

Assist the Practice Manager / deputy manager in adhering to Care Quality Commission standards

Other Tasks

Health and safety raising any concerns to the Practice Manager. Ensure staff are working safely and within guidelines in the reception team environment.

Oversee room availability and booking of rooms for attached clinical staff and outside agencies be first point of contact for these staff and for GP Locums

Complete any ad hoc tasks as required by Partners, Salaried GPs and Practice manager / deputy manager as appropriate

Attend to and resolve or escalate ad hoc building or facilities issues as they arise in the day-to-day running of the practice reporting all issues to the practice manager

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 development 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 their own work.

Participate in audit where appropriate.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE (or equivalent) English and maths

Experience

Essential

• Previous General Practice experience, ideally in a reception supervisory or management role
• Experience with SystmOne
• Competent in Microsoft office / word / excel
• Experience of dealing with members of the public either face to face or over the telephone

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Excellent organisational skills
• Able to effectively manage and prioritise own workload
• Ability to work both within a team and independently
• Makes effective and considered decisions, but understands when to seek advice and guidance
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written

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

Borough Road & Nunthorpe Medical Group

Address

Borough Road

Middlesbrough

Cleveland

TS1 3RY

Employer's website

https://www.boroughroadandnunthorpe.nhs.uk/index.aspx?pr=A81030 (Opens in a new tab)