Reception Manager in Brighton

As the Carden Surgery reception manager you would oversee the front‑of‑house operation of the practice, ensuring patients are welcomed, appointments are managed efficiently, and administrative systems run smoothly. You would be responsible for the training of the administration staff, handle patient queries and complaints, maintain confidentiality, and support clinical teams by keeping day‑to‑day practice operations organised and compliant.

Main duties of the job include:

• Leading and coordinating the reception team to ensure efficient, patient‑centred front‑of‑house services.
• Managing appointment systems.
• Supervising and training reception staff.
• Handling patient enquiries and complaints.
• Ensuring high standards of customer service.
• Maintaining patient confidentiality.
• Overseeing administrative processes.
• Supporting clinicians with accurate information flow.
• Monitoring workloads and rosters.
• Ensuring reception services comply with NHS policies, data protection, and practice procedures.

The Carden Surgery is based at County Oak Medical Centre in Brighton, East Sussex. We provide a range of primary care services to registered patients, including routine and urgent appointments. The surgery has three GP Partners, four salaried GPs, alongside a Nursing team, Pharmacy team, First Contact Practitioner, Mental Health Care Coordinators, and Social Prescribers. Patients can book same‑day or advance appointments, and interpreters can be arranged if needed. The practice also includes a branch at New Larchwood Surgery in Coldean, offering additional local access to GP services. Carden Surgery serves a diverse local population and forms part of the Brighton North & Central Primary Care Network, working with nearby practices to provide coordinated community healthcare. Our previous Care Quality Commission inspections was rated good overall for safety, effectiveness, responsiveness, caring and leadership.

Job responsibilities include:

• Efficient management and direction of the administration team, ensuring all administrative duties are performed effectively and to the required standard, meeting the objectives of the practice.
• Supporting the management team in promoting ED&I, SHEF, quality and continuous improvement, confidentiality, collaborative working, service delivery, and learning and development, and ensuring the organisation complies with CQC regulations.
• Providing support towards the maximisation of both enhanced services and QOF achievements, reporting to the Partners and Practice Manager.
• Being an integral part of the general practice team.

Induction will include a full induction programme, and management will support you throughout the process.

Learning and development is fundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriate skills, knowledge, attitude and competences to perform their role. All staff will be required to partake in, and complete mandatory training as directed. It is an expectation for this post-holder to assess their own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate. The post-holder will undertake mentorship for team members and disseminate learning and information gained to other team members to share good practice and inform others about current and future developments (e.g., courses and conferences). The post-holder will provide an educational role to patients, carers, families and colleagues in an environment that facilitates learning.