Patient Care Advisor (Receptionist)

We are looking for someone to represent the practice face to face, on the telephone and through our online services. Assisting and care navigating patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective manner, in line with appropriate training.

Provide general assistance to the patients, visitors and practice team in a positive and friendly manner, either in person or via the telephone or electronically. Carry out administrative duties including scanning, filing and clinical coding.

Hours required - Full and Part Time considered. Working week 37.5hrs. Shift patterns in advance between 0745am and 1845pm at present. Some potential for enhanced hours. Rotational Saturday morning shift, shared amongst the team, on current average, no more than x3 per year.

About us: We are a dynamic and friendly training practice with over 13,000 patients in Leckhampton, Cheltenham. We are passionate about providing a high standard of care. We are looking to recruit an additional Patient Care Advisor to join our enthusiastic, friendly, supportive and hardworking team. The work is varied, and the ideal candidate will be someone with good customer and interpersonal skills with the ability to work calmly under pressure.

As part of our Practice Learning Time and in line with our surgery values; we promote a positive working environment with opportunities for team building and personal development.

• Welcome patients and any other visitors to the practice, ensuring a professional effective and efficient reception service is provided.
• Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other members of the practice team and other healthcare professionals.
• Deal professionally, calmly and efficiently with emergency situations.
• Handling repeat prescription requests online, by email or in person.
• Deal with all general enquiries, explaining procedures where necessary.
• Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and temporary residents, ensuring relevant forms are completed and procedures followed.
• Assist patients to register for access to online services.
• Make appointments and guide patients to the correct medical professional.
• Scanning, filing and coding of correspondence.
• Direct specimens as per practice protocol.
• Advise patients of relevant charges for non NHS services, accept payment and issue receipts.
• Open & closing building.
• Processing in person, online and by telephone, requests for appointments, ensuring callers are directed to the appropriate health care professional in line with care navigation training.
• Book in, amend and cancel patients in line with the practice appointments procedures ensuring optimum efficiency of the appointment system directing to online services as appropriate.
• Action all tasks allocated by the reception team ledger in a timely and efficient manner.
• Deal with requests for home visits in accordance with practice protocols or as directed.
• Monitor the practice appointment system and ensure patients are notified if a Clinician is running late or unable to fulfil a booked surgery.
• Respond to calls from patients in a supportive, courteous and professional manner.
• Ensure all calls are answered in a timely manner.
• Transfer calls to the relevant members of the practice team as required.
• Deal with appointment and repeat prescription queries over the telephone/email/dashboard.
• Receive and make telephone calls as required, documenting when necessary, ensuring accuracy of detail.
• Booking interpreters for patients when requested.
• To have a thorough knowledge of all Practice procedures.
• To work in accordance with written protocols.
• Open internal and External Mail.
• Sort and date stamp all incoming patient related mail.
• Scan patient related documents onto the patient medical notes.
• Retrieving/filing notes for surgeries and update as necessary.
• Scanning and Filing post in medical records, assigning to other members of staff as required.
• Photocopy/scan and laminate documents as requested.
• Monitor and respond to all website queries to the reception team.
• Registrations of patients as and when required.
• Process patients change of address computer data and medical records.
• Action repeat prescription requests and ensure that they are processed within surgery policy timeframe whether paper or electronic.
• Check incoming e-mails on a regular daily basis.
• Undertake administration tasks and enter patient information on to the computer as required.
• Use the clinical and other surgery IT systems as required for the purpose of this post.

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent.
• GCSE English or equivalent.

• Experience of working with the general public.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• IT skills including using Microsoft 365.
• Clear and polite telephone manner.
• Able to work as part of a team and autonomously.
• Time Management and the ability to work to deadlines.
• Able to follow policies and procedures.
• Polite and Confident.
• Motivated.
• High levels of integrity and loyalty.
• Sensitive and empathic in difficult situations.
• Proven People Skills.
• Able to work under pressure.
• Able and willing to provide cover for sickness and holiday with the team.
• Flexibility of working hours/able to work at the desired times.
• Adaptable and flexible to change.
• Knowledge of SystmOne Clinical System.
• Experience of Primary Care and working in a GP Practice.
• Experience in conflict resolution.

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. Please note: as per policy, if you are successful in the role and currently a patient of the surgery, you will be required to register elsewhere.