Receptionist Patient Advisor

We are looking for a confident individual that can join our supportive and forward-thinking practice. The job role involves working on our busy reception and busy phone lines. The job role is very patient-focused where projecting a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors is at the heart of the practice. We expect a high level of care and pride to be shown in our chosen candidate's work ethic. The receptionist patient advisor will be the first point of contact for patients either attending the practice or phoning the surgery. The role will be to optimise the patient's journey by receiving, assisting and directing patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way. They will work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary general practice team to meet the needs of patients and to support the delivery of policy and procedures. We have potentially two positions available: part-time and full-time. The right candidate will need to be able to work a selection of shifts Monday through to Friday. Our shifts start from 7.45am until 1pm or 1pm until 6.30pm. We do not open weekends.

Main duties of the job:

• Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the Practice.
• Provide telephone triage role by taking calls from patients and assigning them to the most appropriate service or clinician appointment.
• Process appointment and prescription requests.
• Various administration tasks relating to patient queries/requests.
• Updating patient medical records ensuring information is accurate.
• Acting as a patient chaperone as and when required.
• Check and restock clinical rooms with clinical stock on a regular basis.
• Work as part of a team to provide good patient-centred care.
• Liaise with patients in an appropriate manner.

About us:

Holland House Surgery is set across two sites, Lytham Primary Care and Freckleton Health Centre. It is a busy practice which is made up of 6 partners, supported by a host of clinicians and non-clinical staff that form the foundation of our practice. Holland House strives to provide an exemplary primary health care service for all patients registered with the practice making use of all the services available. We are a supportive practice that encourages development and participation in improving services. We are looking for an enthusiastic, confident and friendly individual who shares our values and has the energy and skills to contribute to shaping how we deliver patient care.

Job responsibilities:

• Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the Practice.
• Deal with all general enquiries and explain procedures.
• Checking patients in for appointments and monitor patient waiting times.
• Process appointment requests for future appointments from patients.
• Handing completed repeat prescriptions to patients and checking names and addresses.
• Advise patients of relevant charges for private services (non-General Medical Services), accept payment and issue invoices and receipts for these services.
• Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover ensuring procedures are completed.
• Action requests for fit notes.
• Assist the team with responding to email queries or forwarding where appropriate to the relevant Practice personnel.
• Deal with any deliveries to front desk.

Patient Advisor:

This is a role that involves taking calls from patients and dealing with patients at our reception desk, assigning them to the most appropriate service or appointment.

• Develop and maintain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the services provided by the Practice and the wider health community.
• Put patients at ease and give them the opportunity to explain their needs through active listening.
• Provide clear and concise information to patients.
• Employ a variety of questioning techniques to develop a full picture of the patients' requirements.
• Use advanced communication, negotiation and probing skills across a wide range of enquiries including emotive circumstances or caller aggression.
• Quickly and accurately record patient details, symptoms and enquiries where further contact is required.
• Identify potentially serious problems and bring those to the immediate attention of the appropriate clinician.

Appointments:

• Ensure total familiarity with the appointment system including regular and incidental variations.
• Book all appointments and recalls ensuring sufficient information is recorded to enable retrieval of the medical records.
• Assisting with the cancellation of clinics at short notice when required.
• Assist with contacting and booking patients for specific clinics.

Administration:

• To have a thorough knowledge of all Practice procedures, working in accordance with written protocols.
• Action tasks sent through EMIS Web in a timely manner.
• Check and complete Docman tasks including OOH.
• Open post as required and distribute.
• Scan and photocopy as requested.
• Process patients' change of address computer data and medical records (have knowledge of Practice area).
• Process repeat prescription requests in accordance with Practice guidelines.
• To assist with GP queries as requested.

Other Tasks:

• Check and restock clinical rooms with clinical stock on a regular basis.
• Ensure building security have thorough knowledge of doors/windows/alarm.
• Chaperone, as requested.
• Any other tasks allocated by managers.

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 role, the post-holder will 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.

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 people's 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:

• Assess own performance and take accountability for actions, either directly or under supervision.
• 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.
• Actively contribute to the development and service improvement within the Practice proactively offering ideas and suggestions for improvements.
• Participate fully in meetings with your Team Leader.

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 team's performance.
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients' needs.
• Effectively manage their 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 people's 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.
• Attend meetings when required.

Person Specification:

Experience:

• Experience in a customer-facing role.
• Ability to effectively manage own time, workload and resources.
• Strong IT Skills.
• Experience of answering telephones within a busy environment.
• Ability to be flexible.
• Good teamwork skills.
• Experience in Primary Care.
• Knowledge of EMIS clinical system.
• Familiarity with Docman.
• Knowledge of medical terms.

Qualifications:

• GCSE English and Maths at a minimum of a grade C/4 or equivalent qualification.

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.