Job responsibilities
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE Medical Receptionist/
Admin Assistant
REPORTS TO Senior Receptionist/Practice
Manager
HOURS 20-25 Hours per week
Job
summary:
The
purpose of the role is to:
Receive, assist and direct patients in
accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous,
efficient and effective way.
Provide 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
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
Undertake a variety of administrative
duties to assist in the smooth running of the practice, including the provision
of secretarial and clerical support to clinical staff and other members of the practice
team
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 practice administration 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 senior
receptionist/practice manager, dependent on current and evolving practice
workload and staffing levels:
Premises:
Open up premises at the
start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm and make all necessary
preparations to receive patients.
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.
Maintaining and
monitoring the practice appointments system
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.
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.
Advise patients of relevant charges
for private (non-General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue
receipts for same.
Enter patient information on to the
computer as required.
Patient notes and correspondence:
o Retrieve and
re-file records as required, ensuring strict alphabetical order is adhered to
o Ensure
correspondence, reports, results etc. are filed promptly and in the correct
records, ensuring that all recent correspondence is available when patients are
seen.
o Ensure records
are kept in good repair, with all necessary information on the outside cover
clearly visible.
Make and serve refreshments, ensure
the kitchen is kept clean and tidy and air and tidy the waiting room in turn
with other staff.
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, the practice
manager or senior receptionist.
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.
Processing personal
and telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultations,
and ensuring callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional
Processing and
distributing incoming (and outgoing) mail
Taking messages and
passing on information
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 clerical
assistance to practice staff as required from time to time, including word/data
processing, filing, photocopying and scanning
Dealing and
facilitate the clinical waste collections.
Keeping the reception
area, notice-boards and leaflet dispensers tidy and free from obstructions and
clutter
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
This job description covers the main
duties the post holder is expected to undertake. These duties may be revised
periodically in consultation with the post holder and according to the work
needs.
