Assistant Practice Manager

We are looking to recruit an outgoing and dedicated Assistant Practice Manager to support the Practice Manager and Partners in the efficient, safe and effective running of the practice, with a particular focus on:

• Day to day supervision and support of the admin and reception teams
• Maintaining and improving administrative systems and processes
• Supporting access, demand management and patient experience
• Contributing to compliance with contractual, regulatory and information governance requirements.

The postholder will help protect GP and nurse time by ensuring robust nonclinical systems and good communication between teams.

Main duties of the job:

• Support to Practice Manager and Partners
• Act as deputy to the Practice Manager in agreed areas, and provide cover for some duties during periods of absence.
• Assist with implementation of practice policies, procedures and service changes.
• Provide day to day supervision and support to reception and admin staff.
• Prepare basic reports and data (e.g. appointment utilisation, telephony stats, DNAs, Friends and Family feedback) to support decision making.
• Contribute to practice meetings, taking minutes and following up agreed actions where required.

Admin and Reception Team Support:

• Provide day to day supervision and support to reception and admin staff, including:
• Assisting with rota planning and annual leave coordination
• Acting as a first point of contact for operational queries and minor issues
• Supporting induction of new staff and arranging buddying/mentoring
• Escalate performance or conduct concerns to the Practice Manager and assist with informal performance management as directed
• Help ensure adequate staffing levels for safe operation during core hours and any extended hours.

Administrative Systems and Workflows:

• Oversee and help coordinate key admin processes, for example:
• Insurance and medical reports (including supporting staff who prepare them)
• Typing and processing of GP letters and forms
• Scanning, coding and workflow allocation to clinicians
• Patient registrations, deductions and demographic updates
• Recall and invitation processes (e.g. chronic disease, vaccinations, NHS Health Checks)

Work with the Practice Manager and clinical leads to agree realistic turnaround times for nonurgent administrative work and ensure these are communicated to staff and patients. Identify bottlenecks and suggest improvements to reduce unnecessary GP and admin workload.

Reception, Access and Patient Experience:

• Support the smooth running of reception and telephony, including:
• Monitoring call handling and front desk pressures and escalating issues promptly
• Ensuring reception staff follow agreed care navigation and booking protocols
• Helping to manage system downtime or unexpected surges in demand

Help maintain accurate and consistent patient information across:

• Telephone messages
• Waiting room screens and posters
• Practice website (in liaison with the Practice Manager)

Collate and share patient feedback (Friends and Family, compliments, minor concerns) with the team and support learning from complaints and significant events.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Training:

• Assist in drafting, updating and implementing SOPs for admin and reception functions (e.g. appointment booking rules, letter requests, results communication, registrations).
• Ensure staff are aware of and have access to current SOPs and that changes are communicated clearly.
• Help identify training needs within the admin/reception teams and arrange or deliver training sessions (e.g. care navigation, use of clinical systems, customer service).

Information Governance and Confidentiality:

• Promote and monitor adherence to information governance, data protection and confidentiality policies within admin and reception teams.
• Ensure appropriate verification of identity before sharing information with patients or third parties.
• Support safe handling, storage and disposal of confidential information (paper and electronic).

Health, Safety and Safeguarding:

• Support the Practice Manager in ensuring that admin and reception staff:
• Understand emergency procedures (fire, medical emergencies, system failures)
• Know how to escalate safeguarding concerns to clinical leads
• Help implement the practice zero tolerance policy and support staff dealing with difficult or abusive behaviour, escalating to senior staff as needed.

Practice Development and Projects:

• Assist with practice and PCN projects as agreed (e.g. vaccination campaigns, access improvement work, digital tools rollout).
• Contribute ideas for improving efficiency, patient experience and staff wellbeing.
• Build effective working relationships with clinical and nonclinical colleagues, and with PCN or external teams where relevant.

Person Specification:

• Experience working in a busy administrative or customer facing environment.
• Experience supervising or supporting a team (e.g. rota coordination, informal leadership, mentoring).
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and manage competing demands.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a calm and professional manner.
• Good IT skills, including confident use of Microsoft Office and willingness to learn clinical systems (e.g. EMIS, Docman, AccuRx and eConsult or equivalents).
• Understanding of the importance of confidentiality and data protection.
• Ability to work flexibly, use initiative and problem solve within agreed boundaries.
• Previous experience in a GP practice or NHS primary care setting.
• Experience with GP clinical systems and workflow (e.g. registrations, scanning and coding, reports).
• Experience handling complaints or patient feedback.
• Knowledge of CQC requirements and/or NHS primary care contracts.

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.