Practice Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Support the management team and GP Partners to:

• File documentation.

• Manage and update the practice website.

• Take accurate notes of meetings.

• Co-ordinate appointments in the general management diary.

• Support management of the Practice Managers To-Do lists.

• Support booking of clinicians training courses.

• Support health and safety issues within the practice.

• Help fix problems with IT equipment.

• Help fix site problems and inform colleagues of any problems with the site.

• Help Practice Management with occasional off site tasks

• Prepare rooms for meetings and events.

• Contact patients by phone, email or via the clinical system SystmOne.

• Run reports via SystmOne.

• Summarise information using spreadsheets and Word.

• Keep waiting room information up to date.

• Support health promotions and campaigns.

• Support advance bookings for patients with long-term conditions (eg recall letters and phone calls).

• Assist with responses to requests for medical information from patients and third-parties.

• Work to keep the practice site and its contents secure, including security of patient information.

General

• Project a positive, professional and friendly image to patients and visitors.

• Respect the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.

• Provide general assistance to the practice team, including tidying work areas.

• Ensure fully aware of, and work in line with, all policies, procedures and practices at St George’s Medical Centre.

• Report any untoward incidents, significant events, confidentiality breaches and any other issues of quality and risk immediately to Practice Management.

• Communicate confidently and professionally over the telephone when dealing with patients, practice staff and partner organisations (other local pharmacies, hospitals, GP surgeries, suppliers and so on).

• Record actions in patient notes as and when appropriate.

• Use SystmOne clinical system to book appointments and communicate with patients and colleagues in a timely and professional manner.

• Attend supervision sessions, training and mentoring as required.

• Ensure compliant with all mandatory training programmes, including fire safety, Health and Safety, infection control and basic life support.

• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

• Actively take part in own personal development, training, supervision and appraisal as advised by line manager.

• There may be restrictions on when you can take annual leave, depending on colleagues leave requests. However, we operate a fair-planning system of leave authorisation.

• To undertake any other necessary work as may be required to maintain an efficient and high standard of care to St George’s patients and colleagues.

Equality and diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, including:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation, particularly the Equalities Act 2010 and UK employment 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.

• St George’s will make Reasonable Adjustments to support the post-holder fulfil their role and duties.

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 will have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carer(s), 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. Breaching patient confidentiality is likely to be considered misconduct and may result in disciplinary action.

Safeguarding

As a member of St George’s Medical Centre team, the post-holder has an obligation to understand, and follow the policies, procedures and practices that keep patients safe from harm, including raising concerns where necessary.

Person Specification

Personal skills and attributes

Essential

• Appreciative of the importance of patient confidentiality.
• Good communicator both verbal and written.
• Good customer service, and able to manage difficult or challenging patient situations.
• Well organised, diligent, and attentive to detail.
• Works well as part of a team.
• Self-motivated, able to prioritise and problem-solve.
• Keen to take on tasks and see them through to completion.
• Adaptable to change.
• Resilient; ability to work under pressure and manage personal stress.

Desirable

• Excellent communicator.
• Excellent customer service.
• Excellent organisational skills.

Experience

Essential

• Working in customer -facing role
• Working to policies, guidelines and operating procedures.
• Excellent IT skills, especially ability to use email and Microsoft Word and Excel. Ability to learn new systems.

Desirable

• Working in a GP surgery.
• Using a clinical system (e.g. EMIS, SystmOne).
• Advanced IT skills.
• Working as part of a management team

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE (or equivalent) English and mathematics at grade C or above.

Desirable

• Higher level qualifications (e.g. A-Level maths).
• Evidence of relevant continuing professional development and training.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

St George's Medical Centre

Address

2a Parsons Lane

Littleport

Cambridgeshire

CB6 1JU

Employer's website

https://www.stgeorges-littleport.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)