Patient Navigator in Warminster

The Avenue Surgery is seeking an enthusiastic and forward-thinking patient navigator to join our like-minded team. The successful candidate will be the first contact for patients, either face to face or via the telephone, offering general assistance to the practice team and projecting a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors.

Job Purpose:

• Offer general assistance to the Practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone.
• Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way, providing a here to help approach and promoting a can-do ethos.
• Facilitate effective communication between patients, members of the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Have a thorough knowledge of the practice and all policies and protocols relative to the role.
• Ensure that the reception is manned at all times during the practice opening hours.
• Answer general enquiries, explaining surgery procedures and demonstrating up-to-date awareness of the various range of services the practice/community provides.
• Be able to cover all reception roles, including cover at alternative locations if required.
• Respond to a patient in an emergency.
• Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non-General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts.
• Deal with patient requests for registration as per the practice protocol, explaining practice arrangements and formal requirements.
• Process patients through Accrux triage tool action accordingly, whether face to face or on the telephone.
• Initiate contact with and respond to requests from patients, other team members and associated healthcare agencies and providers.
• Demonstrate familiarity with all appointment systems in operation.
• Book appointments ensuring that enough information is recorded for clinicians to follow, using the signposting tool on the clinical booking system.
• Monitor and direct patients where necessary to consulting and treatment rooms.
• Draw the Doctors/Nurses attention to any patient who may need immediate attention.
• Make the Doctors/Nurses aware of patients with special needs e.g. deaf or blind.
• Support and act as a chaperone for vulnerable patient groups attending appointments, following the practice chaperone policy and safeguarding.
• Provide clerical assistance to practice staff as required, including word/data processing, filing, photocopying and scanning.
• Deal with franking of all mail generated by the practice.
• Maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Ensure that the telephone system is operational at the beginning and end of each day in accordance with practice protocol.
• Be fully conversant with the Practice computer system including word and Microsoft Outlook.
• Strictly adhere to the practice computer security protocol.
• Ensure building security has thorough knowledge of doors/windows/alarms (including opening up procedures, de-activation of alarm system and making all necessary preparations to receive patients).
• Keep the reception area, notice boards and leaflet dispensers tidy and free from obstruction and clutter.
• Attend training sessions.

Person Specification:

Qualifications:

• Essential: GCSE grade A - C in English & Maths; NVQ level 2 in customer care.
• Desirable: Qualified to NVQ level 3 in customer care.

Personal Attributes:

• Essential: Ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness and common sense; ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities; ability to work as part of an integrated multi-skilled team; pleasant, articulate and helpful, with an ability to work under pressure; attention to detail; understanding of and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality; ability to project a positive and friendly image to patients and visitors.
• Desirable: Ability to work in a changing environment, ability to adapt to immediate changes when required.

Experience:

• Essential: Experience of working in a public reception environment, dealing with the public on a day-to-day basis; telephony and computer experience; personal commitment to training and personal development.
• Desirable: Experience of medical reception work in Primary Care; experience with working with TPP computer system and familiarity with medical terminology.

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.