Patient Care Advisor in Norwich

We are growing our team! We are looking for trained SystmOne receptionists to work full or part time with a start time of 8am and a finish time of 6.30pm. This position is for experienced medical receptionists with experience in general practice or the NHS. You must be able to start at 8am and work a full day until 6.30pm, part time accepted. This is a very rewarding post and would suit someone who likes to be busy and work as part of a team, and enjoys variety in their working day.

Patient Care Advisors are the first point of contact for our patients and visitors, whether that be over the telephone, face to face at the front reception desk or through our online portal. Needing to make sure that every patient contact counts and that patients get the right help at the earliest opportunity. We need passionate, patient-focused individuals to help us deliver the best service to our patients by offering a first-class level of Reception/Customer Service. Discretion and confidentiality are essential attributes of a successful Patient Care Advisor. This post requires flexibility, responding to varying demands and changing circumstances. Communication, teamwork, motivation and hard work ethic are essential qualities.

Main duties of the job:

• Provide a positive and friendly image to all patients and other visitors.
• Welcome patients on arrival, ensuring all patients are checked in either manually or via the patient touch screen.
• Making effective use of the practices appointment system to include booking and cancelling of appointments, assisting and monitoring the appointment system, including the processing of our online portal system.
• Answering incoming calls in a timely, professional, and efficient manner. Assisting with any patient queries and concerns, responding promptly and positively.
• To read, action and maintain the Patient Contact Waiting Lists system within System One, ensuring that patients are booked in as and when required.
• To explain the Practice arrangements and formal requirements for new patients, temporary residents and ensure procedures are completed within a certain timeframe.
• To share information regarding the practices complaint procedure.
• To open and scan post where necessary.
• To assist with the cancellation of clinics as and when required.
• Dealing with tasks that are generated through System One in a timely and efficient manner.
• Be responsible for opening the practice at 8am in preparation for patients calling and presenting to the practice for clinics.
• Handle any complex queries and challenging situations in a professional manner, ensuring any issues are resolved, where possible, at first point of contact.
• Effectively handle all queries that present at the practice including those from hospital clinicians, social services, etc. by problem solving, signposting, or escalation of matters as appropriate.
• Updating and monitoring patient information boards to ensure all relevant information is available and up to date.
• To have a thorough knowledge of all relevant practice procedures.
• To work in accordance with written protocols.
• To provide cover for colleagues in times of absence for annual leave/sickness.
• Support in the processing of prescriptions to ensure effective patient care.
• It will be necessary to attend and contribute to various practice meetings as requested.

This job description is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and will be reviewed periodically in conjunction with the post holder. The post holder is required to carry out any duties that may be requested by the Partners and the Management Team.

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. The post holder must not enter patient records without clinical or administrative need to do so. The post holder must maintain confidentiality of information, always acting within the terms of the Data Protection Act and the Caldicott Principles on patient confidentiality. The post holder must also maintain an awareness of the Freedom of Information Act.

HEALTH AND 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.
• Reporting potential risks identified.

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 recognizes 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:

• 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.

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 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.
• Recognize people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SERVICES

Apply Practice policies, standards and guidance. Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work. Participate in audit where appropriate. Assist where required with the Quality Outcomes Framework. Participate in CQC inspections (where deemed appropriate).

Person Specification

Experience

• Strong commitment to the vision of Lionwood Medical Practice.
• Genuine interest in the needs of the local community and our patients.
• Ability to work as part of a team and establish good working relationships at all levels.
• Ability to work under pressure in stressful situations.
• Ability to work and act on own initiative.
• Willingness to work flexibly to suit the needs of the practice.
• Approachable, polite and tactful.
• Highly organised.
• Ability to multi-task.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Good telephone manner.
• Punctuality.
• Experience of customer service/NVQ equivalent.
• GCSE qualifications or equivalent.
• Able to communicate effectively and understand the needs of the patient.
• The ability to manage multiple activities.
• Experience in use of I.T. systems e.g. MS Outlook, MS Word, Excel and the internet.
• Ability to prioritise and work to tight deadlines when faced with conflicting demands.
• Demonstrate good attention to detail.
• Work methodically with accuracy ensuring attention to detail.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a primary care setting.
• Experience of reception work.
• Knowledge and experience in the use of System One clinical system.

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.

Employer details

Employer name: Lionwood Medical Practice
Address: 30a Wellesley Avenue, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 4NU, United Kingdom