Medical Receptionist/Call Handler

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary:

Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the most appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and professional manner. This will be by telephone and face to face.

Provide general assistance to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors arriving at the practice

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Ensure a professional and efficient reception service is provided to patients and other visitors
• Deal with general enquiries and explain practice procedures where required
• Make new and follow-up appointments
• Communicate test results in an accurate manner
• Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed
• Enter patient information on to the practice clinical system as required
• Process prescriptions and deal with enquiries
• Register new patients to the Practice
• Open and distribute practice mail
• Keep waiting area tidy and ensure information is up to date
• General administrative duties
• Undertake a share of communal duties and any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the Office Manager, Practice Manager or Partners

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

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 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
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Good general education including GCSE passes 4+ (A-C) in Maths and English or equivalent

Desirable

• NVQ in Customer Service or Administration

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a Customer Service environment

Desirable

• Experience of call handling ideally gained in a Call Centre.
• Experience of working in a GP practice

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Excellent customer service skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Good IT skills
• Good time management
• Able to work as part of a multi-skilled team
• Able to remain calm under pressure
• Able to work in a constantly changing environment
• Able to work on own initiative and without direct supervision
• Polite, friendly and articulate manner
• Reliable
• Flexible approach with hours of work, being able to cover additional shifts

Desirable

• Call Centre/Call Handling 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

Fairfield Park Health Centre

Address

Tyning Lane

Camden Road

Bath

BA1 6EA

Employer's website

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