Job responsibilities
Job Summary:
The post holder will have experience within a customer service role, be friendly, approachable and confident in speaking with people either over the telephone or face to face. The post holder will have good knowledge of Microsoft Word and possess confident PC skills. The post holder will also have excellent organisational skills and will work well within a busy team environment as well as on their own initiative. The post holder will also be flexible and will be able to undertake extra hours due to holidays and sickness at short notice as and when required.
The post holder will receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and professional way.
Job Responsibilities:
- 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.
- Action internal communication/tasks from all medical professionals in a timely manner dependant on their urgency.
- Ensure completion of personal workload or escalation outstanding items to appropriate colleague prior to end of shift.
- Contribute to the practice QOF achievement by liaising with patients to capture missing information (smoking status for example) and ensuring appointments are made for outstanding recalls.
- Follow existing practice protocols for patients with no prior appointment but who need urgent consultation to ensure appropriate escalation and management.
- Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed.
- Receive and make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
- Enter requests for home visits, ensuring careful recording of all relevant details and where necessary refer to on-call doctor.
- Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.
- Effective communication with patients on all levels and via different mediums.
- Ensure timely and accurate recording of patient data onto system one.
- Support the GPs, patients and Pharmacists in the issuing of prescriptions for authorisation.
- Premises: Open up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm and make all necessary preparations to receive patients. When last to leave at the end of the day, ensure that the building is totally secured, internal lights are off and the alarm activated.
- Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the Front of House/Practice Managers.
Health & Safety:
Under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 it is the responsibility of the individual employees at every level to take care of their own health and safety at work and that of others who may be affected by their acts at work. This includes co-operating with management in complying with health and safety obligations particularly by reporting promptly any defects, risks or potential hazards.
Fire Procedure:
The post holder must adhere to the current Fire Policy which includes attending training sessions as required.
Equal Opportunities:
The partnership has policies covering equal opportunities and harassment. These policies are accepted as good practice. The aim is to ensure that no colleagues, potential employees, patients or clients are harassed or receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, colour, religion or ethnic/national origin.
Confidentiality:
The post holder must not, either during employment with the partnership or afterwards, disclose any information of a confidential nature relating to the business carried out by the partnership, its associated companies, suppliers or patients except to officials and partners whose duty it is to know such information, or make use of any financial or business secrets of the practice. A copy of the partnerships policy on confidentiality will be handed out with the contract of employment.
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 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 programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:
- Participation in an annual PADR reviews, Information Governance Training etc.
- Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.
Communication:
The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
- Communicate effectively with all team members;
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers;
- Communicate effectively with other organisations;
- Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly, in line with the Practice Accessible Information Standard.
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.
Note: This job description outlines the main duties and responsibilities of the position and is designed for the benefit of both the post holder and Scartho Medical Centre in understanding the prime functions of the post. It should not be regarded as exclusive nor exhaustive as there may be other duties and responsibilities associated with and covered by the grading of the post.
Scartho Medical Centre has the right to vary the duties after consultation with you.