Medical Receptionist

We are a well-established, friendly and caring practice looking for a new team member to join us in providing high-quality care to our local community. We have a vacancy for a part-time Medical Receptionist to work 19 hours a week over 3 days. You will be required to work an occasional Friday evening from 6.30 - 8.00pm or Saturday under the extended access scheme. The work pattern will be: Tuesday 1:00pm - 6.30pm, Friday 8:00 - 5:30pm.

The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated, hardworking individual who has excellent customer service, communication, and IT skills. Good organisation skills and the ability to prioritise and work under pressure with initiative is a necessity. As we are a small team, you would need to be flexible to cover holidays and sickness as and when required. Previous GP practice experience, with knowledge of EMIS is essential, with medical terminology and SNOWMED coding an advantage. Salary dependent upon knowledge, skills and experience.

Main duties of the job

• Greet and check-in patients, ensuring a positive and welcoming experience.
• Schedule appointments and manage the appointment calendar.
• Answer phone calls and respond to inquiries or direct calls to the appropriate staff member.
• Verify patient information.
• Maintain patient records and update information as necessary.
• Assist with administrative tasks such as scanning and coding documents, processing prescriptions.
• Coordinate referrals to other healthcare providers as needed.

About us: Based in the small village of New Longton, near Preston, we look after around 2,000 patients from our recently refurbished premises. Our close-knit team currently includes 3 GPs and 1 practice nurse, supported by an experienced and welcoming administrative team. We are part of the Bridgedale Primary Care Network (PCN), working alongside 4 other local practices. Through the PCN, we benefit from a range of Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) professionals, who work closely with us to support our patients and enhance the services we provide. We are proud of our strong team spirit and place a real emphasis on staff well-being. Every member of the team is valued, and we aim to provide a positive, supportive and enjoyable place to work.

We offer:

• A salary and annual leave package aligned to Agenda for Change Band 3.
• Access to the NHS Pension Scheme.

If you are looking to join a small, supportive, patient-focused practice where you can really get to know your colleagues and your community, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Job responsibilities

• Maintain an efficient and effective surgery/clinic appointment system.
• Prioritise appointments according to urgency.
• Receive patients and visitors promptly and courteously, directing them as necessary.
• Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary medical care ensuring that these patients are registered correctly on the computer system and practice procedures relating to new patients are followed.
• Assist patients in the completion of relevant NHS forms.
• Ensure that all visitors sign a confidentiality declaration on the first occasion that they attend the surgery.
• Ensure all home visits, requested at reception, are logged following the practice protocol.
• Ensure reception and waiting areas are kept neat and tidy.
• Record samples received from patients at reception.
• Update noticeboards, leaflets, magazines and other literature as required.
• Deal with all enquiries, referring to the appropriate member of staff.
• Advise patients of charges for private services, accept payment and issue receipts.
• Action requests for ambulance transportation ensuring that this is documented to the practice protocol.
• Ensure the consulting rooms are prepared in readiness for each surgery session, checking the full range of forms and restocking as required.
• Ensure that the reception area is kept clean and tidy and stocked with all relevant forms.
• Ensure the consulting rooms are checked at the end of each surgery session and left tidy and secure.

Management of Repeat Prescriptions

• Receive patient requests for authorised repeat prescriptions.
• Process prescriptions using the electronic prescribing system.
• Prepare a prescription form/electronic prescription for a doctor's signature.
• Ensure the details of the issue of all repeat prescriptions are entered on the appropriate computerised patient record.
• Provide the point of contact for patients and outside agencies with enquiries relating to repeat prescriptions and ensure follow-up action is taken if the enquiry cannot be resolved immediately.
• Monitor patient compliance with medication and alert doctor to any discrepancies.
• Ensure that problems and queries regarding repeat prescriptions are brought to the attention of the duty doctor and follow-up action is taken to resolve such matters.
• Make regular checks on prescriptions ready for issue and amend the computerised patient record of any that are not collected.
• Distribute prescriptions to relevant collection point and liaise with chemists as required.
• Adhere to the acute prescription protocol.

Management of Building and Systems

• Open premises, reset alarm and make preparations to receive patients.
• Ensure the telephone system is operational at the beginning and end of each day including answerphones.
• Secure premises at the end of the day, internal lights off, windows closed and alarm activated (if required).

Operation of Practice Telephone Systems

• To receive incoming and initiate outgoing telephone calls in order to facilitate timely and appropriate communications.
• Take accurate messages, give information and advice (not medical) to GPs, patients, relatives and other staff involved with the patient in a manner responsive to customer needs and in accordance with Practice procedures.
• Liaise with the duty doctor if required, in relation to patient enquiries.
• Take requests for home visits, record on the clinical system.

Administration

• Organisation and administration of clinics including new registration medicals and other ad hoc clinics that may be required.
• Entry of patient data onto practice computers systems for new registrations, changes in registrations and temporary residents.
• Assist the Reception Manager to train new members of staff in all aspects of reception duties.
• In the short-term absence of the Reception Manager, assist staff and doctors in general queries relating to reception eg appointments, use of the computer etc.

Management of Medical Records

• To sort and summarise all clinical correspondence, received in both paper and electronic formats, including new patient records, received by the surgery accurately.
• Record all major events and illnesses, chronic conditions and diseases, major operations and procedures on the clinical system in accordance with the agreed protocol.
• To maintain an accurate, up-to-date medical summary on computer.
• To liaise with the Practice Manager and the GPs to rectify any discrepancies, inconsistencies or apparent inaccuracies in the records.
• To ensure that all practice targets for the update of patient medical records are met, and to facilitate the process of clinical audit.
• Provide computerised summaries of patient records as required.
• Deal with requests for access to medical records following practice protocols ensuring requests are logged and timescales are adhered to.

Document Management

• Scan incoming documents according to the protocol.
• Efficiently and accurately scan other patient records into the EMIS Web system and post into the correct patient's record.
• Shred clinical letters once they have been scanned according to the agreed retention period.
• Return not our patient letters to relevant organisations ensuring that the address where the document is to be returned to is up to date and accurate.

Organisation and Administration

• Maintains the procedures and protocols in place for the administration of clinics within the practice.
• To administer any system changes both clerical and computerised.
• Participate in the flu vaccination programme ensuring searches are carried out, invitations issued to patients and clinics are available.
• Participate in the administration of the cytology and immunisation call and recall programme following practice protocols as required.
• Log and send off smears and record contraceptive implants as required.

Registration Links

• Manage entry of patient data onto practice computer systems for new registrations, temporary, immediately necessary and emergency patients.
• Manage the removal of patients from the register in accordance with the Surgery's policies and procedures.
• Manage the practice's patient register to ensure that it is up to date at all times.
• Request patients' notes, monitor receipt and dispatch in accordance with policies and procedures.

Information Technology

• Keep the person who deals with computer issues informed of computing issues.
• Manage the day to day operation of the Practice EDI for Pathology Links and electronic transfers of information to include maintaining links, resolving problems and liaising with staff.
• Ensure adequate cover is maintained to review tests as they come into the practice.
• Ensure templates are up to date and accurately entered within appropriate time frames.
• Investigate and resolve problems in the day-to-day use of computers, printers and other IT related equipment and refer to support organisations as necessary.
• Maintain up-to-date records of requests made by the Practice for assistance from software and hardware support and the outcome.
• Maintain up-to-date records of requests for assistance on IT matters from within the Practice.
• In liaison with system suppliers, install new software as required.
• Advise the Practice Manager on practice computing equipment requirements and identify cost-effective solutions.
• Maintain the Surgery's website.
• Assist in the training of users of the Practice's computer systems.
• Ensure that the practice computer system is secure in terms of preventing unauthorised access and maintaining virus protection.
• Undertake searches of data held electronically.
• Report any issues relating use/problems with practice computer systems to the Practice Manager on a regular basis.
• Ensure that results and correspondence are dealt with according to practice policy and allocated to clinicians as required.
• Non-practice requests should be rejected.
• Provide training on practice procedures for any new member of staff and ongoing advice/training for existing members.

Management of practice targets

• To communicate with patients, dealing with enquiries and booking appointments as appropriate.
• To maintain a comprehensive practice disease register.
• Participate in the administration of the call and re-call programme within the Quality and Outcome Framework and enhanced service guidelines.
• To include initiating patient invitations, clinic bookings and patient enquiries.
• Assist in the development and maintenance of procedures and protocols.
• Provide administrative input as required to the clinical team.

Other

• Assist other team members as necessary.
• Take the external mail to the post office daily.
• Check Milk and Tea/coffee supplies ensuring that stock levels are maintained and purchasing supplies, as necessary.
• Provide administrative support as required by the Practice Manager.
• Undertake any other duties that are appropriate to the post.

Person Specification

• Experience of working in a customer service role in a busy office environment.
• Windows based IT experience.
• Experience of working in a GP practice.
• Experience of working with the EMIS clinical system.

Qualifications

• GCSE English and Maths.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Accuracy.
• Ability to multitask.
• Committed to providing patient centered care.
• Knowledge and understanding of confidentiality and GDPR.
• Able to obtain satisfactory DBS clearance.
• AMSPAR medical reception.
• NVQ level 3 in relevant subject.
• Experience of working as a medical receptionist.
• Working knowledge of medical terminology.
• An understanding of the EMIS 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.