Receptionist/Administrator in Ashley

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a friendly, motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our busy 2 partner rural GP practice. It is an essential requirement of the role that the post holder has flexibility to provide cover during periods of annual leave and sickness.

19+ hours per week (TBC). Working days Monday to Friday (TBC). Shifts will include 7.45am start time and 6.30pm finish time. Salary dependent on experience.

• Offer general assistance to the practice team and project a professional, positive and friendly image to patients, doctors, staff, colleagues, health service professionals and other visitors, either in person or on the telephone.
• Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way.
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the practice, including the provision of secretarial and clerical support to clinical staff and other members of the practice team.
• Facilitate effective communication between patients, members of the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies.

We are a small friendly practice with 5000+ patients. Our clinical team comprises of 2 GP Partners, 1 Salaried GP, 2 Practice Nurses, 1 Senior Health Care Assistant plus support from PCN staff. We are also a training practice in conjunction with West Midlands Deanery. We have 4 receptionist/administrators, 4 dispensers, 1 Practice Manager and 1 Operations Manager.

The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the practice administration team may include any or all of the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the Practice or Operations Manager, dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels:

• Opening up/locking up of practice premises and maintaining security in accordance with practice protocols.
• Maintaining and monitoring the practice appointments system.
• Processing face to face and telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultations, and ensuring callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional.
• Greeting and screening patients attending the surgery.
• Explaining Practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensuring procedures are completed.
• Processing and distributing incoming (and outgoing) mail.
• Taking messages, ensuring accuracy of details and passing on information using appropriate processes and prompt delivery.
• Viewing the online services for messages and dealing with them appropriately.
• Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team members and associated healthcare agencies and providers.
• Clearing and re-stocking of reception area and consulting rooms as required.
• Providing clerical assistance to practice staff as required from time to time, including word/data processing, filing, photocopying and scanning.
• Printing blood forms.
• Advising patients of relevant charges for private services (non-General Medical Services), accepting payment and issuing invoices.
• Undertaking any clerical tasks essential to the receptionist/administrative team.
• Ordering, re-ordering and monitoring of stationery and other supplies.
• Dealing with clinical waste.
• Processing samples received from patients following the specimen handling protocol.
• Dealing with urgent results for the GPs.
• Keeping the reception area, noticeboards and leaflet dispensers tidy and free from obstructions and clutter.
• Covering for absent colleagues as and when necessary.

(This list is not exhaustive)

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.

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, free from hazards.
• Actively reporting 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).
• Demonstrating due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

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.

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, with 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.

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.

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.

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.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with all team members.

Qualifications: GCSE grade A to C in English and Mathematics, NVQ in Customer Service.

Experience: Experience of using own initiative, experience of customer service, excellent communication skills (Written and Oral), time management and the ability to work to deadlines, interpersonal skills, planning and organising skills, performing under pressure, self-motivated, flexibility, confidentiality, punctuality, ability to work to protocols, commitment to training and development, experience of working in primary care, experience of working in a reception area of a GP Practice.

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.