We have a vacancy for a Patient Services Assistant to join our friendly and supportive team. We are based in the beautiful market town of Blandford Forum, a short drive from Wimborne, Poole, Dorchester and Bournemouth.
As a Patient Services Assistant you would be expected to deal with inquiries from patients via telephone, email and online requests. If you don't have a health background don't worry, we will provide a tailored training program. The role is based across our three sites, so you must be able to drive and have access to a car.
We are ideally looking for someone who is willing to work 31 hours with the following work pattern: Monday 8am-7pm, Tuesday 2pm-7pm, Thursday 1pm-7pm and Friday 8am to 7pm. Interviews will be held on 10th July.
Please note, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role and proof of Right to Work will be required upon successful appointment. Previous applicants need not apply.
Main duties of the job
- To take telephone and online requests from patients and accurately record all essential information on the clinical system
- To answer/make telephone calls in a professional manner, ensuring important/appropriate information is documented and redirected accordingly and to accurately take messages
- To provide accurate and up to date information to answer the enquiries of patients and visitors, where necessary seeking the advice of others, and responding to and/or redirecting all patient and visitor requests accordingly
- To accurately maintain and update appointment systems, booking in patients and visitors
- To ensure Reception, waiting areas, notice boards and clinical rooms are maintained in a clean and tidy state
- Register new patients and process patient data on the computer and in medical records.
- Receive, assist and signpost patients to the appropriate service or healthcare professional.
- Provide 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.
About us
At The Blandford Group Practice, we continually strive to create a workplace culture that parallels our core values focusing on ethical attitude, open communication, and strategic & continuous self-development. We are an inclusive and diverse workplace that empowers our team to work collaboratively to complete their best work for the benefit of the local community.
Our Practice was rated as 'Outstanding' by CQC in late 2025.
What can we offer?
- 5 weeks pro rated annual leave plus Bank Holidays
- Enrolment into the NHS Pension
- Enhanced sick leave once passed probation
- Free parking at all sites
- Annual pay review
Job responsibilities
About Us
At the Blandford Group Practice we are passionate about making adifference to our patients health and wellbeing. We pride ourselves on being afriendly and welcoming team. We deliver NHS services from three surgeriesacross Blandford and employ a variety of non-clinical staff and healthprofessionals such as GP's, Nurses, Physios, Mental Health Practitioner,Pharmacists and Paramedics. We are part of the NHS Pension Scheme.
Job Summary
Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing theappropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient andeffective way.
Provide general assistance to the Practice team andproject a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either inperson or via the telephone
Job Responsibilities
Administration
Tohave a thorough knowledge of all Practice procedures.
Supportingwith cancelling and moving appointments
Towork in accordance with written protocols
Collecting/filing papernotes as required/requested
Photocopyas requested
Issuebills, collect monies and give receipts for non-NHS fees.
Distributepatient communications via the front desk as and when needed.
Liaisewith other team members across the Practice to provide the best service forpatients.
Dealwith clinician requests for follow up appointments with patients
Reception
Welcomeand check in patients for their booked appointments.
Beable to cover all reception positions as necessary to include the front desk,online triage, phones, and admin tasks.
Appointments
Processappointment requests for on the day and future appointments from patients bytelephone, online triage, and in person.
Dealwith visits requests
Computer
Thoroughknowledge of Outlook, SystmOne, and any other system used by the Practicerelevant to the job role.
Telephone
Haveworking knowledge of the telephone system, telephone groups, and voicemails.
Workwithin recommended targets provided by Patient Services Team Manager.
Other Tasks
Ensurebuilding security have thorough knowledge of doors/windows/alarm.
Keepreception area clean and tidy.
Anyother tasks allocated by managers
Completeopening and closing checks as required.
Confidentiality
Inthe course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us togather, sensitive information in relation to their health and othermatters. They do so in confidence andhave the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and actappropriately
Inthe performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holdermay have access to confidential information relating to patients and theircarers, Practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to informationrelating to the Practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to beregarded as strictly confidential
Informationrelating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or thebusiness of the Practice may only be divulged to authorised persons inaccordance with the Practice policies and procedures relating toconfidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data
Health & Safety:
The post-holder willassist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety andsecurity as defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:
Usingpersonal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines
Identifyingthe risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a waythat manages those risks
Makingeffective use of training to update knowledge and skills
Usingappropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy andsafe way and free from hazards
All members of staffhave a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of vulnerable adults, childrenand young people in all relevant areas of their work. This will include timely attendance atrelevant training events and compliance with the Practices Policies andProcedures and Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Inter-Agency SafeguardingProcedures.
Equality and Diversity
Thepost-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carersand colleagues, to include:
Actingin a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting themin a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and currentlegislation
Respectingthe privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
Behavingin a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental andrespects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
Personal/ProfessionalDevelopment:
The post-holder willparticipate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part ofthis employment, such training to include:
Participationin an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility formaintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
Takingresponsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstratingskills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work
Quality:
The post-holder willstrive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:
Alertother team members to issues of quality and risk
Assessown performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly orunder supervision
Contributeto the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities andmaking suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
Workeffectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
Effectivelymanage own time, workload and resources
Communication:
The post-holder shouldrecognize the importance of effective communication within the team and willstrive to:
Communicateeffectively with other team members
Communicateeffectively with patients and carers
Recognizepeoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly
Contribution to theImplementation of Services:
The post-holder will:
ApplyPractice policies, standards and guidance
Discusswith other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines willaffect own work
Participatein audit where appropriate
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Evidence of supporting patients or customers face to face or via telephone
- Good level of written and verbal communication
- Experience of customer care and helping patients or customers
- Evidence of qualifications in respect of using Microsoft Office / PC Skills
Experience
- Experience of working in a public reception environment
- Experience of telephone switchboard operation
- Experience of dealing with the public/patients
- Experience of SystmOne clinical system
Skills and Knowledge
- Excellent keyboard and computer skills
- Driving licence and access to a car
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.
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