About this role
Job summary
Kingswinford Medical Practice are looking to recruit an organised, methodical and flexible Receptionist / Patient Advisor to work within our Reception team.
Excellent communication, customer service, computer and interpersonal skills are essential. The role also requires an ability to work efficiently under pressure and as part of a team.
Experience of working in a general practice is desirable but not essential.
The successful applicant will:
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.
Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the practice.
Facilitate effective communication between patients, members of the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies.
Undertake signposting of patients in the role of a Care Navigator to other health and social care services as appropriate.
Work strictly in accordance with the Practice protocols.
Main duties of the job
The main duties are to:
Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the Practice. 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. Maintaining and monitoring the practice appointment system. Processing personal and telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultations, and ensuring that callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional. Action repeat prescription requests in accordance with practice guidelines. Computer data entry/data allocation and collation; processing and recording information in accordance with practice procedures. Ensure that all new patients are registered onto the computer system promptly and accurately. Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team members and associated healthcare agencies and providers.Please also see attached job description.
About us
Kingswinford Medical Practice is a 5 partner GP practice based in Kingswinford with a patient population of approximately 8000 patients.
We are a friendly team who work hard to be recognised as one of the leading practices in Dudley.
Our reception team currently consists of 6 receptionists. We are looking to add a further member to the team who will work between 17 & 25 hours per week over 3 to 5 days.
Job description Job responsibilities
Job Summary
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.
Effective use of the appointment system, booking appointments, the processing of information (electronic and hard copy) in a timely manner and in accordance with current policies.
Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the practice.
Facilitate effective communication between patients, members of the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies.
Undertake signposting of patients in the role of a Care Navigator to other health and social care services as appropriate.
Act as the central point of contact for patients, be responsible for the distribution of information, messages and enquiries for the clinical team, liaise with multi-disciplinary team members and external agencies such as secondary care and community service providers.
The post-holder will be an integral part of the general practice team.
Work strictly in accordance with the Practice protocols.
Key responsibilities
Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the Practice.Receive and make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.Initiate contact with and respond to requests from patients, team members and external agenciesSignpost patients to the correct serviceMaintain and monitor the practice appointment systemProcessing personal, telephone and e-requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultationsAssist with total triage administrationDirect requests for information, i.e., DSAR, insurance/solicitors letters and DVLA forms to the administrative teamArrange transport for patients where required.Organise interpretation services for patients where required.Action repeat prescriptions in accordance with practice guidelines, ensuring they are processed accurately and efficientlyComputer data entry/data allocation and collation; processing and recording information in accordance with practice procedures.Handling patient samples and sharps boxes in accordance with the practice protocol.Explain Practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed.Ensure that all new patients are registered onto the computer system promptly and accurately.Data entry of new and temporary registrations and relevant patient information as requiredAccurately detail information on patients records within the clinical systemProcess patients change of address computer data and medical records (have knowledge of Practice area). Communicating test results to patients at the request of the clinician in accordance with practice protocol.
Photocopy documentation as required
Act as a chaperone as require
To oversee clinical waste collections in accordance with the practice protocol.
Receiving all deliveries to the practice and ensuring that recipients are notified promptly following receipt and that where vaccines are received, action is taken to ensure maintenance of cold chain.
To monitor visitors to the practice, ensuring that practice protocols are adhered to.
Providing clerical assistance to practice staff and clinicians from time to time, including data processing, filing, photocopying and scanning.
Opening up/locking up of practice premises and maintaining security in accordance with practice protocols.
Be an integral part of the general practice teamCarry out system searches as requestedManage all queries as necessary in an efficient mannerAdvise patients of relevant charges for private (non-General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.Confidentiality:
The organisation is committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times.
It is essential that, if the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained, all staff must protect patient information and provide a confidential service.
Learning and development:
The effective use of training and development is fundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriate skills, knowledge, attitude and competences to perform their role. All staff will be required to partake in, and complete mandatory training as directed. It is an expectation for this post-holder to assess their own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate.
The post-holder will undertake mentorship for team members and disseminate learning and information gained to other team members to share good practice and inform others about current and future developments (e.g., courses and conferences). The post-holder will provide an educational role to patients, carers, families and colleagues in an environment that facilitates learning.
Quality:
To preserve and improve the quality of the organisations outputs, all personnel are required to think not only of what they do but how they achieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able to develop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work.
The responsibility for this rests with everyone working within the practice to look for opportunities to improve quality and share good practice and to discuss, highlight and collaborate with the team to create opportunities to improve patient care.
This practice continually strives to improve work processes which deliver healthcare with improved results across all areas of our service provision. We promote a culture of continuous improvement where everyone counts, and staff are permitted to make suggestions and contributions to improve our service delivery and enhance patient care.
Staff should interpret national strategies and policies into local implementation strategies that are aligned to the values and culture of general practice. All staff are to contribute to investigations and root cause analyses whilst participating in serious incident investigations and multidisciplinary case reviews.
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 clearly with vulnerable patients and with individual who have English as an additional language. Communicate effectively with patients and carers Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly Please see attached job description for further information.
The above list of duties is not exhaustive and may be subject to change as deemed necessary.
Person Specification
Experience Desirable
Experience of working in primary care
Qualifications Essential
GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths or equivalent
Employer details Employer name Kingswinford Medical Practice
Address Standhills Road
Kingswinford
West Midlands
DY6 8DN
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.kingswinfordmedicalpractice.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)