Medical Secretary /Receptionist in Barnard Castle

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our Practice Team as a Medical Secretary /Receptionist.

The role will require the Team member to work between our busy secretarial and reception team.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will provide efficient secretarial support to the Partners and practice team. They will also carry out receptionist duties in the practice.

Ability to use own judgment and be able to work under pressure without direct supervision is essential.

Facilitating effective communication between patients, members of the Primary healthcare team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies is also an essential part of this role.

About us

Barnard Castle Surgery is housed in purpose-built accommodation. Our practice population is approximately 11,000 patients and the practice area is approximately 400 square miles which covers Barnard Castle and surrounding villages.

We are a well-established training practice for both GP Registrars and Medical Students.

Our clinical team consists of 6 GP Partners, 4 Salaried GPs, 3 Advanced Clinical Practitioners, GP Registrars and Medical Students supported by our Nursing and Administrative Team. We are also supported by our team of Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Social Prescribers, Nursing Associate and Care Coordinator who are attached to us.

CQC Rating Good.

High QOF achievers.

The Health and Wellbeing of our team is paramount and we have achieved Silver level of the Better Health at Work Award. We are working towards Gold.

We value our team members and create a supportive professional environment.

We are actively involved in Teesdale Primary Care Network and Durham Dales Health Federation.

Job responsibilities

Job responsibilities:

• To provide an efficient audio, copy typing and word processing service for GPs and Health Professionals as required. This includes the typing of letters, reports, patient referrals and also electronic referrals to secondary providers in an accurate and quality manner.
• Book hospital appointments for patients using the NHS e-referral system.
• Arrange urgent referral appointments.
• Check systems for referral rejections and appointments made.
• Monitor and check tasks and workflows to ensure urgent and two week wait referrals are received and appointments made.
• Effectively liaise with Practice, Primary Care Organisations, patients and other external organisations to assist promptly with the resolution and administration of queries.
• Ensure telephone enquiries are dealt with in a courteous and timely manner and take messages as appropriate.
• Maintain referrals database and worklists.
• Action tasks as required via Systm 1.
• To establish and maintain filing and administrative systems i.e., scanning, so that computer information is easily accessible and secure.
• To assist with the gathering of statistics and information when required.
• To have a thorough knowledge of all Practice Procedures.
• To work in accordance with written Protocols.
• Photocopy as requested.
• Attend meetings and take minutes.
• Communicate effectively with the secretarial team to ensure policies and procedures are up to date.
• Process appointment requests from patients by telephone and in person.
• Ensure efficiency of Systm1 appointment system and monitor flow of patients into consulting and treatment rooms.
• Ensure patients without appointments but who need urgent consultation are seen in a logical and non-disruptive manner.
• Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover, ensure procedures are completed.
• Action tasks daily.
• Advise patients of relevant charges for private services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.
• Respond to all queries and requests for assistance from patients and other visitors.
• Enter requests for home visits onto computer stating time received and including all relevant information and where necessary. i.e., urgent calls refer to the duty doctor.
• Ensure reception and waiting area are kept neat and tidy.
• Be able to cover all reception duties as necessary.

Administration

• Scanning post in medical records.
• Ensure correspondence, reports, results etc. are scanned into the correct records.
• Open and distribute incoming mail received.
• Registration of new patients.
• Process patients change of address, computer data and medical records (have knowledge of practice area).
• Retrieve and re-file records as required, ensuring that strict alphabetical order is adhered to.

Other Tasks

• Open premises at the start of the day when first 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, all electrical equipment has been turned off and the alarm activated.
• Prepare rooms for meetings.
• Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post.

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.
• Any breach of confidentiality is viewed as a serious matter and will lead to disciplinary action according to the agreed procedure. Such privileged, confidential information must remain so even after you cease to be employed by the practice. Disciplinary procedures are set out in your contract of employment and staff handbook.

Health & Safety

• The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management of their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice health and safety policy, the practice health and safety manual and practice infection control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):
• 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.
• Undertake periodic infection control training.
• 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.

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.
• Attendance at the quarterly protected time meetings.
• Attendance at all Mandatory and Statutory training requirements as indicated by the Practice Manager.

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 whilst embracing the practices ethos of recording of any errors or near misses and learning by mistakes without blame.
• 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 all 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.

This Job Description is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and will be reviewed annually in conjunction with the post-holder at the annual appraisal. The post-holder is also required to carry out any duties that may reasonably be requested.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to a minimum GCSE level standard or equivalent.
• GCSE Mathematics & English (C or above).
• AMSPAR Receptionists Qualification.
• NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care /Customer Services / Administration.
• RSA /OCR typing

Experience

• Experience of working as part of a team.
• Experience of administration duties.
• Experience working with patients /public.
• Experience of Systm One or other clinical system.
• Experience working in a health care setting.
• Experience using Microsoft Office (word, excel, outlook).
• Experience of secretarial work in primary /secondary care.
• Polite and confident.
• Flexible and cooperative.
• Motivated.
• Forward thinker.
• High levels of integrity and loyalty.
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations.
• Ability to work under pressure.

Skills & Qualities

• Excellent keyboard skills.
• Good standard of literacy.
• Excellent communicator with a pleasant, polite and professional manner.
• Ability to work as part of an integrated multi-skilled team.
• An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality and respect for diversity.
• Understanding of personal responsibility re Health and Safety.
• Comfortable working to agreed objectives /duties.
• Clear, polite telephone manner.
• 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 & procedure.
• Use of Systm One.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.

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.