Job responsibilities
Job Title: Medical Receptionist
Main Purpose: to act as the communication point between the practice and patients either face-to-face or over the phone.
Accountability: To the Partners through the Reception Supervisor and Practice Manager
Hours: See contract of employment
Organisational Relationships
Internal: the Partners and all other members of the Vine House team.
External: Patients and their families, visitors to the practice.
Necessary skills:
Ability to use own judgment, resourcefulness and be able to work under pressure without direct supervision.
To have excellent communication skills and patience.
To be reliable and flexible.
To observe strict confidentiality on all matters relating to the practice and its patients.
Main areas of activity
1. Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the practice
2. Deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments.
3. Using 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.
4. Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed.
5. Receive and make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery. Send and respond to text messages.
6. Enter requests for home visits onto the triage list, ensuring careful recording of all relevant details and where necessary refer to Duty Doctor.
7. Process prescription requests
8. Prepare lists and notes for clinics where necessary.
9. Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.
10. Enter patient information on to the computer as required.
11. Patient notes and correspondence:
a) Retrieve and re-file records as required, ensuring strict alphabetical order is adhered to
b) Ensure records are kept in good repair with all necessary information on the outside cover clearly visible.
12. Premises:
a) When first on duty, open up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm and make all necessary preparations to receive patients.
b) 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.
13. Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the Partners or the Practice Manager/Reception Supervisor/Administration Supervisor
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, to include:
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
Reporting potential risks identified.
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 recognizes 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 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 recognize 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 own work
Participate in audit where appropriate.