Receptionist in Towcester

We have an exciting opportunity for a Receptionist to join our friendly and supportive team at Towcester Medical Centre & Paulerspury Surgery. We are a high performing GP surgery serving a growing local community, and we are looking for someone who enjoys working with people, thrives in a busy environment, and takes pride in providing excellent patient care. This is a varied, fast-paced and rewarding role, ideal for someone who is calm, organised and approachable.

Our core opening hours are Monday - Friday 8:00am to 6:30pm. We also currently offer extended hours on a Wednesday evening from 6:30pm to 8:00pm and one Saturday per month 9:00am to 5:00pm. We are happy to consider full-time or part-time applicants, with hours discussed to meet both practice needs and individual availability. Some flexibility to cover extended hours for sickness or annual leave will be required.

Main duties of the job

• Is friendly, professional and patient-focused
• Can remain calm under pressure and manage competing demands
• Has excellent communication skills, both in person and on the telephone
• Works well as part of a team but can also use their own initiative
• Is IT-literate (full training will be provided on our clinical system)

Previous GP or healthcare experience is helpful but not essential, as full training and support will be given.

About us

We are a supportive and experienced team who value working together. We offer comprehensive training and ongoing support. This is a role where you can make a real difference to patients every day. We are a welcoming practice with strong community values.

Job responsibilities

• Welcoming patients and visitors in a professional and friendly manner
• Answering the telephone promptly and booking appointments in line with the practice policy
• Handling face-to-face and telephone appointment requests calmly and courteously
• Taking and passing messages accurately
• Liaising with patients, colleagues and external healthcare providers
• Maintaining a tidy, welcoming reception area
• Opening and closing the premises in line with practice protocols (as required)

Team Responsibilities

• To monitor and maintain security during working hours
• Ability to deal with difficult/stressful situations calmly and efficiently
• To work well in a team
• Cover for colleagues in times of sickness, annual leave and courses
• To apply oneself diligently to one's work during working hours, working under one's own initiative, work methodically and take responsibility
• To be punctual and responsible
• To be discreet and confidential about the details of your work both at work and outside of working hours

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, the practice health & safety manual, and the practice infection control policy and published procedures. This will include:

• Monitor and maintain security during working hours
• 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
• Actively reporting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general/patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holder's role
• Maintain covid security at all times
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)

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.

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
• 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

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Essential: Good standard of literacy
• Essential: Good standard of numeracy

Knowledge and Skills

• Desirable: Knowledge of Emis clinical system

Personal Skills

• Essential: Excellent interpersonal skills
• Essential: The ability to remain calm under pressure

Experience

• Essential: Experience of reception or public facing work
• Desirable: Experience of working in Primary Care

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.

Employer details

Employer name: Towcester Medical Centre

Address: Link Way, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 6HH

Employer's website: https://www.towcestermedicalcentre.co.uk/