Receptionist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Description

Title:Receptionist

Responsible To:Surgery Team Leader

Main Purpose of the Post:

To provide high quality reception and general office/administration tasks, relating to the practices provision of excellent primary healthcare, and the smooth, effective running of the practice

Duties & Responsibilities of the Post:

Main Duties:

• Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional
• Maintaining and monitoring the practice appointments system
• 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
• Deal with all general enquiries
• Facilitate effective communication between patients, members of the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies
• Register new patients to the practice onto the Clinical System.
• Ensure urgent and home visit requests are recorded appropriately to ensure timely action
• Receive and make telephone calls as required; Participate in the practice centralised call centre
• Promote online services to patients
• Advise patients of relevant charges for private services
• Take payment and issue receipts for any chargeable services, ensuring accurate record keeping
• Receive and disseminate incoming mail as appropriate
• Ensure any safeguarding report requests are passed to the appropriate clinician in a timely manner
• Open/Close premises in line with procedure including activation/deactivation of alarm.
• Ensure the premises are completely secure. Report any security issues accordingly.
• Receiving deliveries and ensuring paperwork is forwarded accordingly, ad items are stored swiftly and appropriately

Confidentiality:

As per both Government legislation and Practice Policies ensure that all confidentiality, data protection and information governance policies and guidelines are followed and strictly adhered to, reporting any infringements to the Operations Office immediately.

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 and free from hazards
• Actively reporting of 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.
• 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 staff performance review.
• 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.
• Lead on induction and training of new staff at site
• 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/Information:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the practice and management 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

Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post.

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive, but to indicate the main areas of responsibility. It may be changed after consultation with the post holder. The employee shares with the employer the responsibility for review and modification of duties. Suggestions and discussions are welcome.

Policies and Procedures - the duties and responsibilities of the post will be undertaken in accordance with the policies, procedures and practices of the Practice, which may be amended from time to time. You are required to be flexible and the practice reserves the right to alter such fixed hours as may be considered necessary to ensure the surgery runs smoothly.

The business operates between the hours of 0700 2100 hours Monday to Friday (0800 1300 Saturday), with possible requirement for some future evening and weekend working as the business develops.

Person Specification

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills
• Commitment to follow practice procedure
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure whilst maintaining a positive outlook and appearance
• Able to work autonomously without direct supervision and recognise when a team approach is needed

Qualifications

Essential

• Minimum GCSE in English and Maths (C / 4 Grade and above)

Desirable

• ECDL or equivalent
• NVQ Level 3 Customer Service / Business Administration

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience of more than 6 months in a customer focused role
• Telephone and call handling experience

Desirable

• Primary Care Experience
• Experience of resolving high conflict situations

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of confidentiality requirements

Desirable

• Clinical Systems in Healthcare

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Portsdown Group Practice

Address

Somerstown Surgery, Tyseley Road

Portsmouth

Hampshire

PO5 4EZ

Employer's website

https://www.portsdowngrouppractice.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)