General Practice Assistant/Administrator
What is a General Practice Assistant (GPA)?
It is a new exciting role being rolled out across general practice.
A GPA is responsible for supporting the smooth running of a GP clinic. The GPA is required to perform routine administration and potentially some clinical tasks on behalf of the GP, freeing up their time to focus on the patient.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide a comprehensive range of administrative and clinical support to ensure the smooth day‑to‑day running of the practice. This role combines administrative responsibilities with General Practice Assistant duties to support GPs in managing clinical workload, improving efficiency, and enhancing patient care.
Administrative Duties
- Manage and monitor all incoming practice emails
- Ensure correspondence and results are accurately filed and coded
- Manage medical records including retrieval and returns
- Act as point of contact for patients and stakeholders
- Process and acknowledge complaints
- Send routine communications such as DNA letters
- Attend meetings and take minutes
- Run reports and support data extraction
- Support GPs with administrative and clinical workload
- Sort and prioritise clinical post
- Code clinical correspondence into records
- Complete basic forms for GP review
- Manage private medical work (Letters/Forms/Safeguarding Reports and SARs)
- Arrange appointments, referrals and follow‑ups
- Liaise with external agencies
- Communicate with patients and care teams
Potential Clinical Responsibilities
- Prepare patients before consultations
- Measure blood pressure and perform basic tests
- Assist with ECGs and phlebotomy
- Support immunisations and wound care
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Professional and organised
- Strong time management
- Proficient in Microsoft Office
- Knowledge of EMIS/AccuRx desirable
- Understanding of safeguarding and governance
Confidentiality
In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust 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.
Equality & Diversity
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.
Communication
The post‑holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
Communicate effectively with other team members.
Be familiar with all mediums of communications such as email, tasks, telephone etc.
Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
Recognise peoples' needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Communicate effectively to outside agencies.
Communicate clearly with their lead GP.
Contribution to Implementation of Services
Contribute to the effective implementation of services within the practice.
Quality & Governance
Follow policies, participate in audits and support continuous improvement.
Personal & Professional Development
Participate in training, appraisals and ongoing development.
Additional Duties
Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role.
Person Specification
Experience
- Experience of working in general practice, particularly dealing with administrative tasks.
- Experience of dealing with clinical correspondence, medical reports, etc.
Qualifications
- GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths.
- GPA Accredited Training programme (training will be provided if this has not been completed).
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.
