Receptionist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Work pattern:

19.50 hours per week as follows:

Tuesday: 8.30am -1.00pm and 2.00pm -7.00pm

Thursday: 8.00am -1.00pm

Friday: 8.00am -1.00pm

Days and shifts are distributed between our two sites within approx. 3 miles of each other

(Flexibility essential to meet the needs of the practice)

Responsibilities

All staff are responsible for ensuring that health and Safety and other Surgery policies and procedures are read and adhered to.

Reception Duties

• Receiving/directing patients appropriately.
• Answer the telephone promptly in a professional manner, dealing with or re-directing enquiries appropriately
• Taking and recording messages including requests for home visits and preparing those records needed by the GP for a home visit.
• Utilise number system to ensure efficiency of appointment system and monitor flow of patients into consulting and treatment rooms.
• Make new and follow-up appointments. Ensure that patients without appointments but who need urgent consultations are seen in a logical and non-disruptive manner.
• Register new patients, explaining practice arrangements and formal requirements to all new patients and ensure procedures are completed.
• Process requests for ambulance transportation and record details in appropriate book.
• Receiving and recording cash and cheques from patients for fees payable, as instructed.
• Assisting disabled and elderly patients etc as necessary.
• Ensure all visitors sign in and out of Visitors Book.
• Ensure computer and telephone system is operational at the beginning of each day. Check telephone night/out-of-hours service is switched off in the morning and on in the evening appropriately.
• Being alert to, and reporting to the relevant person, matters affecting Health & Safety or security.
• Ensure the reception area is kept clean, tidy and safe at all times.
• Carry out any additional tasks as directed by the manager, clinical team, and colleagues.

Admin/Clerical Duties

• Registration and data entry of newly registered patients
• Collecting, maintaining and preparing statistics/audits, as requested.
• Entering patients records on computer, checking and searching those records as appropriate
• Organising outgoing post, assembling items for courier and posting mail. Opening and distributing both hospital and general mails as directed.
• Printing out and photocopying of patients records for as requested.
• Processing computerised repeat prescriptions
• Scanning incoming post.

General Duties

• Opening of the premises at the start of the day and make necessary preparation to receive patients Switch on computers in GPs rooms and ensure all relevant equipment are turned on and functional. Report any faults to the Assistant Manager.
• Ensure consulting rooms are prepared in readiness for each consulting session, checking full range of forms and requirements and re-stocking as necessary.
• Walk around building at the end of each day to check rooms are empty, computers are switched off and windows and doors are closed, including entry doors, and that the building is secure.

Housekeeping Duties

• Preparing and distributing refreshments on a rota with other staff and clearing away afterwards.
• Ensuring premises are kept clean and tidy when domestic staff are off duty, ie checking public toilets, tidying magazines and leaflets in the waiting area and discarding old or damaged items.

This Job Description is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and will be reviewed periodically in conjunction with the post holder. The post holder is required to carry out any duties that may reasonably be requested by the Partners, or the Practice Manager.

Education/ Training

• Participate in the internal Team Meeting and any other organised training required by the Surgery.
• The post holder will identify his/her personal development needs and discuss ways of meeting those needs, in line with the in-house training policy.
• It is essential that the post holder has the ability and commitment to participate in, and complete any training as deemed necessary by the Partners or Practice Manager.
• The Practice operates an internal annual appraisal system which is there to enable all staff to evaluate their role, duties and performance.

Team working

• Understand own role and scope, and identify how this may develop over time
• Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working
• Prioritise own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embedded within the culture of the team
• Work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery
• Participate in team activities that create opportunities to improve patient care
• Participate in and support local projects as agreed with the practice management team

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

Equality and diversity

• 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
• Identify patterns of discrimination, take action to overcome this, and promote diversity and quality of opportunity
• Enable others to promote equality and diversity in a non-discriminatory culture
• Support people who need assistance in exercising their rights
• Act as a role model in the observance of equality and diversity good practice
• Accept the rights of individuals to choose their care providers, participate in care and refuse care

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

Utilising information

• Use technology as an aid to management in planning, implementation and monitoring, presenting and communicating information
• Review and process data using accurate Read codes to ensure easy and accurate retrieval for monitoring and audit processes
• Understand the responsibility of self and others regarding the Freedom of Information Act

Management of risk

• Manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients
• Monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines
• Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs
• Oversee the monitoring, stock control and documentation of controlled drug usage according to legal requirements if applicable
• Participate in the local implementation strategies that are aligned to the values and culture of general practice

Learning and development

• Disseminate learning and information gained to other team members in order to share good practice and inform others about current and future developments
• Assess own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate
• Make effective use of learning opportunities within and outside the workplace, evaluating their effectiveness and feeding back relevant information
• Provide an educational role to patients, carers, families and colleagues in an environment that facilitates learning

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:

• Using 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
• Reporting potential risks identified

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

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

The Future

• As the practice develops in an ever-changing commercial and political climate, it is important that all members of staff are prepared to adapt accordingly.
• The Partners and/or the Practice Manager reserve the right to re-distribute duties and functions amongst the members of staff from time to time to meet the requirements of the Practice. All requests for such changes shall not be unreasonably refused.

Dated: July 2020

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A basic standard of education to secondary school level Understands the role of the Receptionist and patient interactions Knowledge of confidentiality and its application

Desirable

• A minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) Experience of working in General Practice or a Health Care Environment Involvement in outside activities which involve teamwork and social interaction with people

Experience

Essential

• Working with members of the public face-to-face and/or by telephone Experience of delivering an excellent service to patients in a pressurised environment Experience in maintaining stock levels and using re-ordering software Experience in working under indirect supervision Computer competent, particularly using a Windows-based systems

Desirable

• Experience of working in General Practice or a Health Care Environment

Aptitudes

Essential

• Excellent communication skills Pleasant telephone manner Good interpersonal skills to build and maintain effective relationships with patients and colleagues Able to communicate clearly and precisely (oral and written), and where there may be barriers to understanding Work well as a team member Be able to work calmly under pressure in a busy working environment Organised and methodical and the ability to prioritise your own workload Flexible, enthusiastic, reliable and responsive to change Understanding and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality Tact, diplomacy and empathy, especially when dealing with anxious patients Able to work under supervision, as well as use own initiative Able to work quickly yet unhurriedly and accurately Able to work in a flexible manner and cope with changes in working patterns Enjoy learning new duties and taking responsibility Ability to confidently manage own workload and enjoy working to deadlines.

Desirable

• Involvement in outside activities which involve teamwork and social interaction with people

Interests

Essential

• Interest in general practice and changes within the NHS

Attributes

Essential

• Patient and able to relate well to people Able to handle distressed and angry patients with confidence and sensitivity

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

The Fairlands Practice

Address

Fairlands Avenue

Fairlands

Guildford

GU3 3NA

Employer's website

https://fairlandsmedicalpractice.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)