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Medical Receptionist

Thames Avenue Surgery

The closing date is 22 January 2025

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Job summary

To provide a point of contact for patients and to act as a focal point of communication between patients, doctors and other medical staff.

Main duties of the job

Ensure efficiency of the appointment system and monitor flow of patients into consulting and treatment rooms.

Ensure that patients without appointments, but who need urgent consultation are seen in a logical and non-disruptive manner.

Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking treatment as temporary residents, ensuring procedures are completed.

Advise patients of relevant charges for private services when necessary accept payment and issue receipts for same.

Respond to all queries and requests for assistance from patients and other visitors. Obtain adequate and relevant information for the GP to act on.

Enter requests for home visits on computer stating time received, name of GP and including all relevant information and where necessary.

Ensure that requests for prescriptions are actioned where possible within two working days.

Process incoming messages in a timely and accurate way.

Action requests for ambulance transport and enter details in appropriate book.

Ensure reception and waiting areas are kept neat and tidy.

About us

At Thames Avenue Surgery we believe in keeping up the 'Family Doctor' experience for our patients. We have 2 full time GPs and a long-term Locum GP along with a large Nursing team. Our patients come first so we work hard to ensure a good patient experience every time. Our staff are flexible and dedicated to keeping Thames Avenue the best it can be. Working in a GP surgery is a high pressured job, but we have a supportive workforce who are always willing to assist when needed.

Date posted

13 January 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£11.44 to £12.21 an hour Rate of pay will be in line with the NMW

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

A5754-25-0001

Job locations

2 Thames Avenue

Rainham

Gillingham

Kent

ME8 9BW


Job description

Job responsibilities

Management of appointment systems

Ensure complete familiarity with all appointment systems in effect, including regular and incidental variations.

Ensure effective use of computer system.

Book appointments and recalls, ensuring sufficient information is recorded to retrieve medical record.

Making sure that the patient is booked appropriately, signposting where necessary.

Monitor effectiveness of the system and ensure that action is taken to resolve any problems or effect variations as required.

Repeat prescription service

Provide the point of contact for patients with enquiries relating to repeat prescriptions and ensure follow-up action is taken if the enquiry cannot be resolved immediately.

Receive written or email requests for authorised repeat prescriptions, except in exceptional situations.

Where the information received is incorrect, insufficient or for controlled drugs, ensure that the request for a repeat prescription is referred to the appropriate doctor for action.

Where the information received is adequate and correct, with the exception of controlled drugs, prepare a prescription form ready for a doctors signature.

Ensure that problems and queries regarding repeat prescribing are brought to the attention of the appropriate doctor and that follow-up action is taken to resolve such matters.

Make regular checks on prescriptions ready for issue and bring to the attention of the appropriate doctor any that are not collected. All new medication to be entered by doctors or nurses

Ensure set guidelines are followed.

Operation of telephone system

Divert calls and take messages clearly and precisely and to follow the message through to the end, making sure that at the end of the shift, the next member of staff to take over is also clear on the message, if not actioned already.

Ensure that the system is operational at the beginning of each day.

Start and end of day procedures

Open up premises at the start of the day, reset the alarm to day function and make all necessary preparation to receive patients.

Secure premises at the end of the day; ensuring the building is totally secure, internal lights off, windows shut and alarm activated.

Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post

Ensure that doctors and nurses receive refreshments (tea, coffee, etc)

Ensure that any patient complaints are referred to the person in charge of the in-house Complaints Procedure if they are not able to be resolved quickly by front-line member of staff.

Ensure that you are familiar with all procedures relevant to your role.

Specific responsibilities as delegated individually, relating to various aspects of reception routines i.e. temporary residents, complaints, waiting room literature etc.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Management of appointment systems

Ensure complete familiarity with all appointment systems in effect, including regular and incidental variations.

Ensure effective use of computer system.

Book appointments and recalls, ensuring sufficient information is recorded to retrieve medical record.

Making sure that the patient is booked appropriately, signposting where necessary.

Monitor effectiveness of the system and ensure that action is taken to resolve any problems or effect variations as required.

Repeat prescription service

Provide the point of contact for patients with enquiries relating to repeat prescriptions and ensure follow-up action is taken if the enquiry cannot be resolved immediately.

Receive written or email requests for authorised repeat prescriptions, except in exceptional situations.

Where the information received is incorrect, insufficient or for controlled drugs, ensure that the request for a repeat prescription is referred to the appropriate doctor for action.

Where the information received is adequate and correct, with the exception of controlled drugs, prepare a prescription form ready for a doctors signature.

Ensure that problems and queries regarding repeat prescribing are brought to the attention of the appropriate doctor and that follow-up action is taken to resolve such matters.

Make regular checks on prescriptions ready for issue and bring to the attention of the appropriate doctor any that are not collected. All new medication to be entered by doctors or nurses

Ensure set guidelines are followed.

Operation of telephone system

Divert calls and take messages clearly and precisely and to follow the message through to the end, making sure that at the end of the shift, the next member of staff to take over is also clear on the message, if not actioned already.

Ensure that the system is operational at the beginning of each day.

Start and end of day procedures

Open up premises at the start of the day, reset the alarm to day function and make all necessary preparation to receive patients.

Secure premises at the end of the day; ensuring the building is totally secure, internal lights off, windows shut and alarm activated.

Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post

Ensure that doctors and nurses receive refreshments (tea, coffee, etc)

Ensure that any patient complaints are referred to the person in charge of the in-house Complaints Procedure if they are not able to be resolved quickly by front-line member of staff.

Ensure that you are familiar with all procedures relevant to your role.

Specific responsibilities as delegated individually, relating to various aspects of reception routines i.e. temporary residents, complaints, waiting room literature etc.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Keyboard skills and computer literacy is essential.
  • Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities.
  • Proven accuracy in transcribing information from request to issue of prescription.
  • Ability to use own initiative and local knowledge to respond to patients enquiries and requests.
  • Keeping your skills up to date. Taking part in personal and practice development plan (PPD) including maintaining a PPD file.
  • Flexibility on working hours.

Desirable

  • Previous experience working in General Practice would be of great benefit
  • Experience in using the clinical systems EMIS, Docman and DXS
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Keyboard skills and computer literacy is essential.
  • Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities.
  • Proven accuracy in transcribing information from request to issue of prescription.
  • Ability to use own initiative and local knowledge to respond to patients enquiries and requests.
  • Keeping your skills up to date. Taking part in personal and practice development plan (PPD) including maintaining a PPD file.
  • Flexibility on working hours.

Desirable

  • Previous experience working in General Practice would be of great benefit
  • Experience in using the clinical systems EMIS, Docman and DXS

Employer details

Employer name

Thames Avenue Surgery

Address

2 Thames Avenue

Rainham

Gillingham

Kent

ME8 9BW


Employer's website

https://thames-avenue-surgery.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Thames Avenue Surgery

Address

2 Thames Avenue

Rainham

Gillingham

Kent

ME8 9BW


Employer's website

https://thames-avenue-surgery.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Practice Manager

Laura Mills

thamesavenue@nhs.net

Date posted

13 January 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£11.44 to £12.21 an hour Rate of pay will be in line with the NMW

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

A5754-25-0001

Job locations

2 Thames Avenue

Rainham

Gillingham

Kent

ME8 9BW


Supporting documents

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Thames Avenue Surgery's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)