Job Description

We are looking for someone to join our Care Navigation team on a full time basis, Monday - Friday. This role is 37.5 hours a week on a rota within the reception team.

In this role you will project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors and deal with queries in a responsive, professional, courteous, caring and efficient manner.

As front line support the post holder will assist and direct patients in accessing the most appropriate service or healthcare professional. You will facilitate effective communication between patients, members of our primary health care team and other associated healthcare agencies, dealing with potentially difficult situations within your remit as they arise. Working in an efficient manner the post holder is expected to undertake a variety of tasks using their skills and knowledge.

You will provide general assistance to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image either in person or via the telephone.

Key Responsibilities:

Reception Duties

Receive and direct patients and visitors on arrival at the reception area in a friendly and courteous manner, ensuring their requirements are met professionally and efficiently. Assisting patients with self-check-in as required.

Provide help to patients and visitors with general enquiries, and to assist them to make appointments.

Receive record and direct accurate messages when appropriate and pass these onto other members of the team using emails or the clinical system.

Deal efficiently with general enquiries from patients' - explain surgery procedures, appointment system and all other procedures for obtaining services, hand out patient information / practice leaflet as appropriate. Provide patient forms / referral letters that are waiting for collection.

To build knowledge in patient on line access, referrals, medical coding and summarising, recording deaths and have a good knowledge of prescriptions to assist patients at the first point of contact.

Using your own judgement and communication skills ensure that patients with no prior appointment but who need urgent consultation are seen in a logical and non-disruptive manner

To advise patients on approximate waiting times and of any unexpected delays.

To advise patients of relevant charges for private services and take in fees from patients where applicable and issue receipts.

To listen to patients complaints, remaining polite and empathetic at all times, making sure they are addressed and dealt with appropriately, enlisting the help of a senior colleague when needed.

At the start of the day, make all necessary preparation to receive patients.

At the end of the day ensure that the reception area is tidy and ready for use by staff the next day.

To tidy waiting area i.e. collect together magazines, etc at the end of morning and evening surgery - remove any "old" magazines.

Deal with any paperwork received whilst on duty, ensuring no patient information is left in drawers/on desk within the reception area.

Photocopy forms/patient information etc. ready

Telephone Duties

Question patients effectively and document patient information with a high level of accuracy

Maintain and monitor the practice appointment system

Process telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultations and ensure callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional, as guided by your navigation resources

Computer data entry/data allocation and collation; processing and recording information in accordance with Practice procedures.

Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team members and associated healthcare agencies and providers.

Promote and advise on the online consultation services via the website and assist patients accessing services via our online portals.

Helping to maintain hygiene control measures.

Receive and make calls as required. Divert calls and take messages as appropriate

Use of telephone management system, ensuring callers are not kept queuing longer than necessary and keeping talk time to a minimum.

Answer telephones promptly in a polite and professional manner and manage calls appropriately - ensure phones are answered within 5 rings where at all possible.

Dealing with patients and other callers and forwarding to the most appropriate team member if necessary.

Process appointment requests from patients ensuring they are directed to the most appropriate service.

Administrative Duties:

To check and accurately update patients' addresses and telephone numbers and other contact information on the clinical system.

Complete tasks sent via the clinical system.

General Tasks:

To ensure confidentiality is maintained for patients attending the practice and hospital at all times.

Chaperone for the GP's if requested to do so - training to be provided.

To help with any other tasks that may require to be done in order to maintain efficient operation of the practice as requested by the doctors or practice manager.

To attend reception meetings when scheduled.

To contribute to team working within the practice, offering support to and seeking support from colleagues wherever possible.

Ensure the end of day closure procedures are completed as directed.

In certain circumstances it may be necessary to help cover for colleagues who are absent, or provide additional hours or take on additional duties in times of pressure/crisis.

This is not an exhaustive list of duties but is intended as a guide.

Communication

Practice staff should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

Communicate effectively with other team members. Communicate effectively with patients and carers. Recognize people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Individual Responsibilities

Attendance and completion of mandatory training as directed by the practice. Attendance at practice meetings as directed by the practice. Adhere to practice policies and procedures. All staff are required to register at an alternative surgery as a requirement of the role.

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 carer's, 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:

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. 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. Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually). 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 recognises 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 that 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.

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.
Job Type: Full-time

Pay: 12.21 per hour

Benefits:

Company pension Free parking On-site parking Store discount
Schedule:

Day shift
Education:

GCSE or equivalent (preferred)
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 26/05/2025