About this role
Job summary
Queen's Road Surgery, located in Consett are looking for a Medical Receptionist to join their GP Practice. The Medical Receptionist is responsible for providing front-line support to patients and ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the reception service. Key duties include greeting patients, managing appointments, handling telephone calls, processing registrations, relaying messages to clinicians, responding to enquiries, arranging home visit requests, handling specimens, and maintaining reception and consulting room supplies.
The role requires excellent customer service skills, strong communication, and the ability to work efficiently in a busy environment. Receptionists must maintain patient confidentiality, follow data protection and health and safety procedures, support equality and diversity, and participate in training and professional development.
Main duties of the job
Essential Requirements
NVQ Level 2 (or equivalent) in Maths and English. At least 6 months' experience in a paid or voluntary role. Experience working directly with the public in a busy customer service setting. Administrative office experience. Ability to work effectively as part of a team. Good keyboard, communication, and telephone skills. Attention to detail and understanding of confidentiality.Desirable Requirements
Previous experience as a medical receptionist. Experience handling high volumes of telephone calls. Experience using a computerised patient information system.Key Personal Qualities
Flexible and motivated. Team player. Professional and diplomatic when dealing with sensitive issues. Committed to maintaining patient confidentiality and delivering high-quality service.
About us
We are a well-established, highly regarded training practice based in a modern, purpose-built surgery in Shotley Bridge. Our greatest strength is our multidisciplinary team and the collaborative culture that underpins everything we do.
Our clinical team includes GPs, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists, First Contact Physiotherapists, Practice Nurses, Healthcare Assistants, a Mental Health Nurse, a Diabetic Nurse Specialist, and a Social Prescriber. They are supported by an experienced and dedicated management team, ensuring the smooth delivery of high-quality patient care.
As a proud teaching practice, we play an active role in developing the next generation of healthcare professionals. We regularly host GP trainees, foundation doctors, and medical students, and work closely with our Primary Care Network (PCN) to enhance and expand services for our patient population.
We place a strong emphasis on team wellbeing, professional development, and open communication. Our supportive environment, commitment to education, and strong team ethos make us a rewarding place to work and train.
Job description Job responsibilities
Post: Medical Receptionist
Accountable to: Partners, Practice Manager, Reception Supervisor
Specific Reception Duties:
Greeting patients politely and ensuring that the appointment system is run efficiently, monitor the flow of patients to and from consulting rooms, managing queues through telephone and face to face interaction.
Ensure patients are informed if a clinician is running late or called out.
Ensure urgent extras are monitored with appropriate guidance.
Advise patients of relevant charges for non-NHS services, accept payment and issue receipt for same.
Explain practice arrangements and requirements for new and temporary patients.
Accept registration forms from prospective patients ensuring adherence to practice policies.
Respond to all queries and requests for assistance from patients and other visitors to the practice as appropriate.
Enter requests for home visits including all relevant information.
Deal efficiently with emergency situations.
Maintain a supply of relevant bags, bottles and stationery to keep consulting rooms stocked; ensure rooms have adequate supplies.
Keep reception areas clean and tidy.
Handle specimens as per practice protocol.
Management of appointment system
Maintain working knowledge of the appointment system i.e. times of all clinics, duration of appointments, knowledge of computer system, doctors rotas, procedures for booking routine and urgent appointments
Book appointments accurately and appropriately.
Monitor daily available appointments and report any overload to Reception Supervisor as appropriate.
Operation of telephone system
Receive and make calls as required. Divert calls and take messages as appropriate, recording information for clinicians to action (home visits, phone calls etc.)
Patient Liaison
Provide non clinical patient care, dealing with requests for information, test results, requests to speak to clinical staff, ensuring confidentiality and privacy for patients.
Ensure patients have access to any relevant leaflets, support groups, carers association etc.
Information technology and audit duties
Maintain working knowledge of computer/clinical system, reporting any problems to Reception Supervisor.
Adhere to practice policies regarding security and confidentiality, records management roles and responsibilities and computer skills
Building
Report any maintenance matters to the Reception Supervisor
Confidentiality & Data Protection
Where it is a requirement of the job for the post-holder to use computers or other information technology, he/she will be required to ensure that security procedures are followed as appropriate and that confidential information for example, passwords, are not communicated to unauthorised individuals.
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
All employees are required by Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts and omissions. 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:
o Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines
o Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
o Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
o Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
o Reporting potential risks identified
Equality and Diversity
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
o 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
o Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
o 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/personal development programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment to include:
o Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
o Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work
o Completing all mandatory training in the timeframes agreed as per the Practice Mandatory Training Matrix
Communication
The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
o Communicate effectively with other team members
o Communicate effectively with patients and carers
o Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly
Contribution to the Implementation of Services
The post-holder will:
o Apply Practice policies, standards and guidance
o Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own and others work
o Participate in audit where appropriate
General Clause
This job description is not intended to be exhaustive but to indicate the main responsibilities of the post and may be amended from time to time after consultation with the post-holder to reflect the needs of the service.
Person Specification
Personal Qualities Essential
Flexible attitude to work. Able to work as part of a team. Well motivated. Able to deal with sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy.
Other requirements Essential
Understanding of the importance of confidentiality.
Skills Essential
Excellent communication skills (written and oral) Strong IT skills Clear, polite telephone manner Competent in the use of Office and Outlook Effective time management (Planning & Organising) Ability to work as a team member and autonomously Good interpersonal skills Problem solving & analytical skills Ability to follow policy and procedure
Experience Essential
Minimum of 6 months work experience in a paid or voluntary capacity. Experience of working directly with members of the public in a busy customer service environment. Knowledge of working in an administrative office environment. Experience of working as part of a team.
Desirable
Experience in a medical receptionist role. Experience of answering telephone calls in a high call-volume environment.
Qualifications Essential
NVQ Level 2 or equivalent in Maths and English
Skills Essential
Basic inputting/keyboard skills Good verbal communication skills Good telephone manner Ability to produce work of a high standard and with attention to detail
Desirable
Previous use of a computerised patient information system.
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 NHS North Of England Commissioning Support Unit
Address Doctors Surgery
83 Queens Road
CONSETT
County Durham
DH8 0BW
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.necsu.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)