Patient Advisor & Front Desk Specialist (GP Practice)

We are seeking a reliable and enthusiastic Patient Adviser to join our friendly and supportive team at Portland Medical Centre, part of the Bourne Health Partnership. The Patient Adviser team is the first point of contact for patients and all visitors at Portland Medical Centre. The Patient Advisers provide a reception service and handle all queries from patients on reception. The team also deals with all day-to-day enquiries that come to the practice via our online portal.

Main duties of the job:

• Provide a friendly and professional front-desk service to all patients and visitors.
• Handle patient enquiries in person, over the phone, and via the online portal.
• Process appointment bookings, cancellations, and rescheduling requests.
• Assist patients with general enquiries about practice services and signpost them to appropriate healthcare professionals or external services.
• Manage and respond to patient queries submitted via the online portal.
• Process prescription requests, referrals, and other administrative forms.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records using the practice's clinical system.
• Support with scanning, filing, and managing correspondence, ensuring data protection compliance.
• Assist in monitoring and actioning emails and tasks within the practice's communication systems.
• Assist with the organisation and administration of QOF recalls, ensuring patients attend necessary reviews and screenings.
• Contact patients via phone, SMS, or letter to remind them of due appointments or health checks.
• Ensure accurate recording of QOF-related data to support practice targets and patient care quality.
• Provide administrative assistance to clinicians and practice staff as required.
• Support the practice in implementing new initiatives to improve patient care and service efficiency.
• Comply with NHS confidentiality and data protection policies.
• Adhere to all health and safety regulations within the practice.

This list is not exhaustive, and all team members should be prepared to accept additional, or surrender existing duties, to enable the efficient running of the organisation. Your individual job plan will be agreed with your line manager. This will be subject to change in accordance with the needs of the organisation.

Key Relationships:

• Internal: Members of the Senior Management team, Colleagues within The Bourne Partnership
• External: Other GP practices and practice groups, Other external organisations

The Patient Adviser is an integral part of the Practice Administration Team. The team provides the reception service for the practice and actions all general administration functions.

Confidentiality / Data Protection / Freedom of Information:

Post holders must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients, staff and other health service business in accordance with the Data Protection Act of 1998. Post holders must not, without prior permission, disclose any information regarding patients or staff.

Information Governance:

All staff must comply with information governance requirements. These include statutory responsibilities (such as compliance with the Data Protection Act), following national guidance (such as the NHS Confidentiality Code of Practice) and compliance with local policies and procedures.

Health and Safety:

All post holders have a responsibility, under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and subsequently published regulations, to ensure that The Bourne Partnerships health and safety policies and procedures are complied with to maintain a safe working environment for patients, visitors and employees.

Infection Control:

All post holders have a personal obligation to act to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). They must attend mandatory training in Infection Control and be compliant with all measures required to reduce HCAIs.

Flexible Working:

As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern and multiple sites so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends.

Sustainability:

It is the responsibility of all staff to minimise the environmental impact by recycling wherever possible, switching off lights, computers monitors and equipment when not in use, minimising water usage and reporting faults promptly.

We appreciate the interest of all applicants in this opportunity. Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we identify a suitable candidate before the advertised closing date. We encourage interested applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible.

Person Specification:

• Qualifications: GCSE or equivalent
• Experience: Customer Service Experience of working in primary care, Experience of working in a GP practice

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.