Triage Receptionist

The Medical Triage Receptionist is the first point of contact for patients. They are responsible for managing incoming calls, assessing patient needs through triage protocols, scheduling appointments, and directing patients to the appropriate healthcare professional. The role ensures safe, efficient, and compassionate access to care.

Main duties of the job

• Administration
• Monitor appointments, record all interactions, manage emails, workflow, and post.
• Maintain GDPR and confidentiality.
• Reception
• Answer calls, triage, gather correct information using system one transport booking triage and signpost.
• Ability to stay calm under pressure, multitasking, empathy, and understanding.

Job responsibilities

• Administration
• Book, reschedule, and cancel appointments according to practice protocols.
• Record all interactions accurately in Systmone using the Triage Template.
• Manage incoming emails, workflow, and post.
• Maintain confidentiality in line with GDPR.
• Reception
• Answer incoming telephone calls promptly and professionally.
• Use established triage guidelines to assess patient needs and urgency.
• Gather accurate information on symptoms, concerns, and demographics.
• Direct patients to appropriate services with the doctor during triage time e.g., same-day GP, nurse, emergency services, or self-care.
• Transport booking for housebound patients.
• Stock intake and ordering supplies of pathologies.
• Petty cash and income management.
• Friends and Family test monitoring.
• Checking rooms at the end of clinics.
• Chaperoning with appropriate training provided.
• Assisting clinicians with procedures if required.
• Emergency drug ordering.
• Deal with home visits requests.
• Booking with the remote hub for PCN FCP, Mental health nurse, ANP, clinical pharmacists, HCAs, and GPs over the weekend.
• Registrations of new patients using Systemone and GMS paper forms.
• Process patients' change of address, computer data, and medical records.
• Process repeat prescription requests in accordance with practice guidelines.

Communication & Coordination

• Liaise with clinical staff regarding urgent or high-risk patients.
• Provide patients with clear instructions on next steps, appointments, referrals, and self-care.
• Handle queries related to prescriptions, test results, and follow-up care where appropriate.

Triage & Signposting

• Use agreed triage protocols and care navigation pathways to assess patient needs.
• Gather relevant information from patients in a sensitive and structured way.
• Prioritise cases according to clinical urgency and escalate concerns to the duty GP, nurse, or appropriate clinician.
• Direct patients to the most suitable healthcare professional or service e.g., GP, practice nurse, pharmacist, NHS 111, A&E, or community services.
• Manage same-day appointment demand, ensuring urgent clinical needs are identified and addressed.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent communication and active listening skills.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and handle high call volumes.
• Strong organisational and multitasking ability.
• Proficient with patient management systems and basic IT tools.
• Understanding of confidentiality and safeguarding principles.
• Empathy and patience when supporting diverse patient needs.

Other Tasks

• Clear rooms after surgeries.
• Ensure building security; have thorough knowledge of doors, windows, and alarm.
• Make coffee for doctors.
• Any other tasks allocated by managers.

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.

Health & 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.

Patient Care & Support

• Offer reassurance, empathy, and clarity when dealing with anxious or distressed patients.
• Escalate medical emergencies immediately to clinical staff or emergency services.
• Ensure vulnerable patients (children, elderly, chronic illness, mental health) are prioritized appropriately.

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.

Contribution to the Implementation of Services

The post-holder will:

• 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.