Job responsibilities
The purpose of the role is to:
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.
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 reception 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 practice manager, dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels:
- 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, either over the telephone or face to face.
- Add all visit requests onto the duty doctors telephone triage list with a contact number and brief reason for visit.
- Processing and distributing incoming mail
- Filing and retrieving paperwork
- Processing repeat prescriptions in accordance with practice guidelines
- 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
- Providing administration assistance as required from time to time, including filing, photocopying and scanning
- Keeping the reception area, notice-boards and leaflet dispensers tidy and free from obstructions and clutter
- Using your own judgment and communication skills, ensure that patients with no prior appointment but who need urgent consultation are seen in a logical and non-disruptive manner.
- 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.
- Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.
- Ensure the kitchen is kept clean and tidy in turn with other staff.
- Premises:
o Open up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm and make all necessary preparations to receive patients.
o 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.
- 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, free from hazards
- 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
- Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)
- 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
