Job description

Job responsibilities

The purpose of the position 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.

Job Responsibilities:

• 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.
• eRS referrals
• Docman filling and coding
• Processing new registrations
• Receive and make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
• Action repeat prescription requests and ensure that they are ready for collection by the patient within 48 hours, either on the computer or manually.
• Prepare lists and notes for all surgeries and clinics held, ensuring completion of all associated paperwork.
• Enter patient information on to the computer as required.
• Patient notes and correspondence:

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.
• 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 or the practice 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
• 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 and free from hazards
• Actively reporting of 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, such training to included:
• 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

Person Specification

Qualities/Attributes

Essential

• Ability to organise workload priorities
• Ability to use own judgement and initiative when dealing with problems and enquiries
• Good verbal and oral communication skills
• Excellent telephone manner
• Ability to communicate positively with patients and all members of the practice team and outside organisations
• Ability to recognise, accept and adhere to the need for strict confidentiality
• Good knowledge of English language and grammar
• Ability to work independently, but also as a team member
• Flexible and adaptable

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Good computer skills, Microsoft Word and Excel
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE Maths
• GCSE English
• Demonstrable commitment to professional development

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience in dealing with the public
• Reception experience
• Customer service experience

Desirable

• Previous work experience at a GP Practice
• Experience of the EMIS Web 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

Kingston GP Chambers

Address

Surbiton Health Centre

Ewell Road

Surbiton

Surrey

KT6 6EZ