Job description

Job responsibilities

SUPERVISORY FUNCTIONS

• To provide a supervisory function to the reception team supporting the Patient Services Manager and existing supervisory team, thereby assisting with the smooth running of the Practice.
• To assist in the leadership of the reception team, ensuring an efficient and professional manner is maintained.
• To provide a focal point of communication between patients, doctors and other medical staff.
• To act as a role model, demonstrating and promoting the standards expected by the Practice and creating the energy and enthusiasm for the service.
• To liaise with and assist the Patient Services Manager and existing supervisory team as and when required.
• To deputise in the absence of the Patient Services Manager.
• Assisting in the supervision and leadership of the reception staff at the Practice
• Act as a role model to reception staff, supporting, motivating and promoting good staff relations.
• Ensure all Practice Protocols are understood and adhered to.
• Liaise with the Patient Services Manager and existing supervisory team to monitor/report on staff attendance, sickness absence and annual leave.
• Liaise with the Patient Services Manager and existing supervisory team to ensure cover and suitable contingency plans are in place for all leave, including unforeseen absence.
• Lead involvement with induction/training and eConsult
• Organise agency/bank staff and daily rotas in absence of the Patient Services Manager.

RECEPTION DUTIES

Answering the telephone with a professional and pleasant manner

Dealing with patient queries accurately, efficiently and effectively

Accurately take messages, include patient details, contact details and specific content of the message and convey to the appropriate person.

Book appointments accurately and with the appropriate clinician using the EMIS clinical system

Signpost and prioritise patients in line with appropriate training

To take appropriate and accurate demographic/personal details of patients, to include disabilities, carer status and other details relating to equality and diversity.

Deal with incoming confidential e mails from patients

Opening, sorting and distributing incoming post in an efficient and timely way

Use the clinical system effectively to inform clinical staff of relevant information relating to their patient.

Deal with prescription queries effectively and in a timely way. Completing patient requests for repeat medication accurately and within the practice standards

Organise transport (emergency and non-emergency) if required

Follow all start up and close down procedures daily to ensure security of the IT system and buildings.

Liaise with technical support in the absence of IT support on the premises.

To assist the administration process of ordering, taking delivery and maintaining stock supplies, being mindful of delivery instructions such as refrigeration requirements and acting upon them

To carry out specific, additional administrative tasks as requested and agreed with line manager

Undertake any other duties required by the practice to assist in the day to day running of the service.

Deal with situations involving distressed/unwell patients in line with policies and training

Manage patients who may be verbally or physically aggressive in a professional manner, using the appropriate alert systems and by following policy and training.

Deal with blood and urine specimens safely and in line with infection control policy, ensuring they are safely stored and ready for collection

Manage financial transactions in line with set protocols

Assist with day to day emailing requirements as necessary for the role

Participate in a weekly staff rota to cover the lead reception/call handling requirements during practice opening hours.

Communication

To communicate on the phone, by email, fax or in person with staff from a wide variety of NHS/other departments in a confidential, professional and efficient manner so that good communication between the surgery and all other services is maintained

To communicate in a professional, friendly and helpful way with patients, carers and the general public to maintain an excellent profile for the surgery amongst its users

To maintain confidentiality for all patients and users of the service

To communicate effectively and sensitively with service users who may be angry, confrontational, upset, anxious, fearful or have communication difficulties such as poor language skills, hearing loss or disabilities.

Responsibility

To carry out duties with a level of autonomy and minimum supervision, working within broad procedural guidelines

Use own initiative to deal with own workload and day to day tasks

To support the effect maintenance and management of office systems

To be responsible for identifying own training needs and training needs that may help improve service quality

To take responsibility when a clinician is unexpectedly not available in clinic, cancelling and rebooking appointments as directed

Work in accordance with practice policies and procedures

Report incidents and near misses to ensure the continued safety of staff, patients and visitors to the practice

Report incidents and areas of non-compliance to ensure that the practice responds and learns from errors and untoward events

General Duties

• The Post Holder may be required to work additional hours to cover holidays and sickness.
• Maintaining regular consistent attendance, punctuality, personal appearance and adherence to relevant health and safety procedures.
• To attend all statutory and mandatory training courses and any courses specific to this role.
• To be available for staff meetings and meetings with management.
• To have a good understanding and follow company policies and procedures.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and the general public.

Attend performance and development reviews with your line manager

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths or equivalent

Experience

Essential

• Experienced in supervising a team of 10-20 members
• Experience in a patient facing role

Desirable

• Experience of working in Primary Care
• Previous NHS experience

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

Montpelier Health Centre

Address

Bath Buildings

Bristol

BS6 5PT

United Kingdom

Employer's website

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

Job description

Job responsibilities

Montpelier Health Centre

Reporting to: Patient Services Manager

Hours: Full time (37.5hrs)

Job Purpose: To receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional they need in a courteous, respectful, efficient and effective way.

To provide general assistance to the whole Practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person, online or via the telephone.

To liaise with other NHS bodies, health care providers, support workers and other professions to help resolve issues relating to the care of patients.

Responsibilities:

Provide cover for the front Reception desk, welcoming patients and visitors to the Practice and assisting them with their queries. Ensure all are dealt with confidentially, respectfully and holistically.

Answer incoming telephone calls from patients with a professional and pleasant manner. Using Practice provided tools and protocols to signpost patients to the most appropriate service or healthcare professional.

Book appointments accurately and with the appropriate clinician using the EMIS clinical system.

Process online requests submitted by patients in line with Practice protocols, ensuring patients are updated on next steps.

Manage patients who may be verbally or physically aggressive in a professional manner, using the appropriate alert systems and following Practice policy and training.

Accept deliveries for the Practice team being mindful of delivery instructions such as refrigeration requirements and acting upon them.

Deal with blood and urine specimens safely and in line with infection control policy, ensuring they are safely stored and ready for processing.

Deal with situations involving distressed/unwell patients in line with Practice policies and training.

Allocate test results to appropriate Clinicians using the EMIS clinical system and following Practice protocols.

Follow Practice guidelines to support patients to access their prescriptions by liaising with the Medicines Management Team or appropriate Clinician.

To take appropriate and accurate demographic/personal details of patients, to include disabilities, carer status and other details relating to equality and diversity, and update EMIS system accordingly. Utilise support from Registration Clerk or Lead Health Navigators if required.

Follow all opening up and closing down checklist procedures to ensure security of the IT system and buildings, including clearing consulting rooms of confidential and protected documents.

Handle financial transactions from patients in line with set protocols for chargeable documents.

Organise transport for patients (emergency and non-emergency) if required.

To carry out additional administrative tasks as requested and agreed with Line Manager.

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, to 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

• Reporting potential risks identified

• Act as Fire Warden if required (Full training will be given)

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 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 both clinical and non-clinical

• communicate effectively with patients and carers

• recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Ensure that the practice presents a professional welcome to its patients and to that end this role is designed to change and adapt to the needs of the practice. Therefore, this job description is a guide and as such is not exhaustive.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to GCSE, grade C or above (or equivalent) in English Language and Maths
• Experience of dealing with the public, both on the telephone and in person
• Good IT skills including use of spreadsheets
• Resilient and able to work under pressure with competing demands, whilst maintaining a high standard of accuracy
• Ability to prioritise workload
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy skills
• Ability to listen carefully in order to understand the needs of others
• Uses initiative
• Ability to build effective working relationships with all practice staff
• Ability to work across Practice opening hours
• Flexibility for cover
• Willingness to learn and acquire new skills

Desirable

• Previous clerical / administrative experience
• Primary Care / NHS experience
• Use of electronic Patient Administration Systems such as EMIS
• Ability to negotiate and influence others with credibility
• Ability to work for long periods of time with frequent use of VDU and keyboards

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

Montpelier Health Centre

Address

Bath Buildings

Bristol

BS6 5PT

United Kingdom

Employer's website

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