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 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 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 senior receptionist/practice manager, dependent
on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels:
Opening up/locking up of practice premises
and maintaining security in accordance with practice protocols
Maintaining and monitoring the practice
appointments system
Processing personal and telephone requests
for appointments, visits and telephone consultations, and ensuring callers
are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional
Taking messages and passing on information
Filing paperwork
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, re-ordering and monitoring of
stationery and other supplies
Provision of refreshments for staff and
visitors as required; loading and emptying the dishwasher and keeping the
kitchen area clean and tidy
Keeping the reception area, notice-boards and
leaflet dispensers tidy and free from obstructions and clutter
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
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
Reporting potential risks identified
Demonstrate
due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
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 that 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, with 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
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
Recognise
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 own work
Participate in
audit where appropriate
