Patient Services Team Leader in Leominster

The Patient Services Team Leaderis responsible for the day-to-day operational leadership of the Practice'sPatient Services Department, ensuring the delivery of an efficient,professional and patient-centred reception and Care Navigation service acrossall Practice sites.

Thepost-holder will provide direct line management and support to the CareNavigator Team, promoting a culture of excellent customer service, teamwork,continuous improvement and compassionate patient care.

Workingclosely with the Assistant Practice Manager and Practice Manager, the TeamLeader will ensure that departmental processes operate efficiently, Practiceprotocols are consistently followed and patients receive safe, timely access tothe most appropriate healthcare professional or service.

Thepost-holder will be expected to lead by example, providing visible day-to-dayleadership whilst remaining operationally involved in supporting the departmentduring busy periods.

Main duties of the job

The Patient Services Team Leader will:

• Lead the Patient Services Department, ensuring the efficient daily operation of reception and Care Navigation services.
• Line manage, supervise, motivate and develop the Care Navigator Team.
• Champion excellent patient experience and customer service.
• Support the successful delivery of the Practice's Total Triage and Care Navigation model.
• Promote consistent application of Practice policies, protocols and procedures.
• Monitor departmental performance and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Act as the first point of escalation for operational issues relating to patient services.
• Work collaboratively with clinicians and the wider multidisciplinary team to improve patient access and operational efficiency.

About us

Mortimer MedicalPractice is a friendly, well-established GP practice located in rural Kingsland, Herefordshire, serving a diverse and supportive patientpopulation. The practice has two branch sites in nearby Orleton andLeintwardine, all of which are dispensing. With nearly 9,000 patients, we areproud of our reputation for delivering high-quality, patient-centred carewithin a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Ourmultidisciplinary team works collaboratively with respect, professionalismand kindness. We foster a positive workplace culture where every team member isrecognised for their contribution and encouraged to develop their skills andinterests. Staff wellbeing is important to us, and we strive to maintain asupportive atmosphere where colleagues feel valued.

We are committedto continuous improvement and providing excellent clinical care, our team benefits from strong clinical leadership, regular communication andopportunities for ongoing professional development. We encourage learning,share expertise across the practice and support career progression whereverpossible.

As a group ofsmaller community-focused practices, we buildmeaningful relationships with patients and colleagues. We take pride inknowing our patients and delivering personalised care that makes a realdifference to their health and wellbeing.

Mortimer MedicalPractice offers an excellent opportunity to develop careers in primary care in a rewarding and fulfilling environment.

Job responsibilities

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Operational Supervision

• Supervise the day-to-day operation of the Patient Services Department across all Practice sites.
• Ensure sufficient staffing levels are maintained through effective rota planning and resource allocation.
• Provide operational cover within the department where required.
• Oversee reception areas to ensure a welcoming, professional and efficient patient experience.
• Ensure consulting rooms, reception areas and public areas are prepared appropriately throughout the day.
• Coordinate room allocation and clinic utilisation.
• Ensure departmental processes are delivered consistently and efficiently.
• Support business continuity planning and operational resilience.
• Monitor workflow volumes and redistribute workload where necessary.
• Manage petty cash and departmental financial transactions where appropriate.

Care Navigation Leadership

• Lead the implementation and development of the Practice's Care Navigation model
• Ensure Care Navigation principles are consistently applied across the department.
• Provide day-to-day guidance to Care Navigators when managing complex patient requests.
• Act as the first point of escalation for non-clinical patient navigation queries.
• Ensure patients are directed safely and appropriately using agreed protocols.
• Work closely with clinicians to continually improve patient access pathways.
• Promote consistent understanding of local NHS services, community services and referral pathways.
• Support implementation of new patient access initiatives and digital triage systems.
• Quality Assurance and Service Improvement
• Undertake regular quality assurance audits of reception and Care Navigation processes.
• Review telephone answering standards, workflow management, appointment utilisation and patient access performance.
• Analyse patient feedback, complaints and compliments to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Implement service improvements in collaboration with the Senior Management Team.
• Ensure compliance with Practice policies, NHS guidance and regulatory standards.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement throughout the department.

Leadership and People Management

• Provide day-to-day line management for all Care Navigators.
• Lead, motivate and develop a high-performing Patient Services Team.
• Foster an inclusive, supportive and respectful working environment.
• Hold regular one-to-one meetings with staff.
• Assist the Assistant Practice Manager with annual appraisals and objective setting.
• Support probationary reviews for new staff.
• Identify performance issues and provide coaching and support.
• Manage annual leave requests and monitor sickness absence.
• Assist with recruitment, interviewing and induction of new team members.
• Promote staff wellbeing and encourage positive working relationships.
• Manage conflict professionally and fairly.
• Coaching and Staff Development
• Observe Care Navigators during patient interactions and provide constructive feedback.
• Identify training requirements and coordinate appropriate learning opportunities.
• Support colleagues in developing confidence in Care Navigation.
• Promote reflective learning following incidents or complaints.
• Promote consistently high standards of customer service.
• Ensure patients are treated with dignity, compassion and respect.
• Support staff in managing difficult or distressed patients.
• Act as the first point of contact for informal complaints and attempt early resolution.
• Escalate complaints appropriately where necessary.
• Encourage patient feedback to improve services.

Administration and Systems

• Oversee all reception administration including:
• patient registrations
• workflow management
• incoming and outgoing correspondence
• home visit requests
• electronic task management
• Act as departmental super-user for Practice IT systems including EMIS Web, Anima and other digital platforms.
• Ensure staff are appropriately trained in departmental systems.
• Support implementation of new digital services.

Communication

• Maintain effective communication throughout the department.
• Ensure staff remain informed regarding operational changes, new protocols and service developments.
• Attend departmental and Practice meetings.
• Build effective relationships with clinicians, community services and external organisations.
• Communicate operational issues promptly to the Senior Management Team.

Performance Monitoring

• Produce departmental performance information where required
• Telephone performance
• Appointment capacity
• Workflow backlogs
• Staffing levels
• Sickness absence
• Overtime
• Identify trends and recommend improvements.

Health & Safety

• The post-holder must take responsibility for their own and others health, safety and security.
• All staff within the department adhere to their individual responsibilities for infection control and health and safety, using a system of observation, audit and check, hazard identification, questioning, reporting and risk management.
• Maintain an up to date knowledge of health and safety and infection control statutory and best practice guidelines and ensure implementation across the Practice.
• 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 across the Practice.
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and initiate and manage the training of others in these areas.
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards, and initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed.
• Actively identifying, reporting on and correcting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised.
• Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other staff.

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.
• Personal and Professional Development
• Participate in annual appraisal.
• Maintain own professional development.
• Undertake leadership and management training.
• Keep up to date with developments in Primary Care and NHS patient access.
• Maintain knowledge of Care Navigation best practice.

Quality

• Strive to maintain quality within the Practice
• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
• Assess their own performance and take accountability for their own actions, either directly or under supervision.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on their own and the teams activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance.
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patient needs.
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.
• Lead quality improvement initiatives within the Patient Services Department.
• Encourage innovation and identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency.
• Support the Practice in achieving strategic objectives relating to patient access and patient satisfaction.

General Responsibilities

The duties described above are intended to provide an overview of the role and are not exhaustive. The post-holder will be expected to undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as reasonably requested by the Practice Manager or Partners to meet the changing needs of the Practice.

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Excellent understanding of customer service principles. Good understanding of confidentiality, GDPR and Information Governance. Good IT skills. Understanding of leadership and team management principles.
• Good working knowledge of EMIS WEB, Docman, Anima
• Knowledge of Care Navigation principles.
• Understanding of Total Triage.
• Knowledge of NHS Primary Care services and patient pathways.
• Awareness of QOF, Enhanced Services and NHS contractual requirements.
• Knowledge of HR processes including absence management, performance management and staff wellbeing.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent leadership and organisational skills. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to motivate and develop others. Excellent problem-solving skills. Ability to prioritise workload and manage conflicting demands. Excellent attention to detail. Professional telephone manner. Ability to remain calm under pressure. Ability to deal confidently with difficult situations and challenging behaviour. Competent user of Microsoft Office and digital systems.
• Coaching and mentoring skills. Audit and quality improvement experience. Ability to analyse operational data and produce reports. Experience implementing service improvements. Experience delivering staff training.

Qualifications

• GCSE (or equivalent) in English and Maths at Grade C/Level 4 or above. Good standard of literacy and numeracy.

Experience

• Experience working within a customer-facing environment. Experience supervising or leading a team. Experience managing competing priorities in a busy environment. Experience handling confidential information. Experience using computerised management systems.
• Experience within NHS General Practice or Primary Care. Experience leading Reception or Care Navigation teams. Experience of workforce rota planning. Experience supporting recruitment, induction, appraisal and performance management. Experience using EMIS Web, Anima or other Primary Care systems.

Leadership

• Leads by example. Builds positive working relationships. Encourages teamwork and collaboration. Demonstrates fairness, professionalism and emotional resilience. Supports change positively and constructively.
• Experience leading organisational change or implementing new ways of working.

Personal Qualities

• Friendly, approachable and professional. Positive role model. Confident decision-maker. Empathetic and patient. Resilient under pressure. Flexible and adaptable. Reliable and trustworthy. Excellent team player. Ability to maintain confidentiality. Committed to delivering excellent patient care and customer service. Demonstrates integrity, accountability and professionalism.
• Passion for service improvement and innovation. Commitment to continuous professional development. Enthusiasm for developing others and promoting a positive workplace culture.

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.