Job Description

We are seeking an experienced healthcare administrator to join our friendly GP Practice team. If you are someone who places value on the people you work with and are dedicated to excellence in all you do, this could be an opportunity for you.

You will need to have exceptional attention to details and be able to work with high volumes of letters. Additionally you will need to be a good people person and enjoy helping people.

The main role is key to the safe and effective functioning of the GP Practice and you will work in a team to ensure that letters are added to patient notes and actioned according to our protocols. Ideally we are looking for experienced candidates who are also able to perform clinical coding of letters.

The role will involve some shorter shifts covering reception. This role demands candidates who have a "can do" attitude and who enjoy speaking to people. It requires you to ascertain and build trust with patients and often to explain systems and process to others.

We are seeking either a full time candidate or two part time candidates.

We will close this advert early if we have received adequate applications.

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Date of Position: January 2026

Introduction

This document provides information for prospective recruits about the position applied for. The description should be used in conjunction with the Person Specification. This ensures that we are interviewing the right people for the role and that all expectations are met.

Generally job descriptions are there to outline the basis of any position within the surgery. Expectations can be managed and individual's experience independence and accountability.

The job description will be used for developmental purposes such as reviews, training and appraisals.

2. The

Job Title: Medical Receptionist & Administrator

The Organisation's Objective:

The objective of the practice is to provide high quality care and service to the patients of The Priory Surgery with the staff working together as a team, feeling supported within a professional environment.

Job Holder's Objective:

To successfully support the GPs of the surgery administratively with appointment care, patient care and general administration. To communicate effectively with patients colleagues, always working as a team. To support the Practice in delivering an exceptional patient service. To offer flexibility when necessary, professionalism, efficiency and care.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

Patient care

Appointments

GP support

Telephone & computer use

Confidentiality & security

Summarising

Working Conditions:

Office-based

Non-smoking environment

Overtime will be necessary

3. Key Areas of Responsibility

This section is broken down in to key areas of responsibility and includes the expectation under each area by bullet point.

Administration and Summarising

Administration

All letters that come into the surgery daily are scanned to the patient's record and work flowed to an appropriate person for action. This is a large daily task.

This will form the majority of the role.

Performance will be satisfactory when:

Letters (electronic and paper based) are scanned or moved appropriately to the patient's record in a timely fashion.

The letter is work flowed appropriately with correct coding being added where necessary.

Clinical coding is added to the letter following the protocol or from a request from a GP.

The appropriate protocol is followed regarding work flow of the letter with actions being taken by the administrator to deal with letters where agreed and safe to do so, in a timely fashion.

The GP/clinicial advice is sought when necessary.

Summarising

The summarising of patient notes is an important role within the Practice. It is the process whereby information received from Primary Care Support England (PCSE) send us newly registered patient notes and we enter specific information on to the electronic record by text and code. Notes are then tagged together in chronological order.

This is an independent part of the role that is done on the top floor as part of the admin team.

Performance will be satisfactory when:

Notes are summarised within 6-weeks and in-line with the protocol provided

The information summarised is in-line with the requirements of the protocol

If hand-writing is unreadable a GP/clinician will be sought for guidance

Allergies are entered on to the system in the correct manner for all accessing the system to see

Summarising will be carried out away from reception as part of the admin team

Any on-going training issues or concerns with summarising will be shared with colleagues and the Practice Manager for training needs to be met

All clinical discrepancies and queries will be discussed with a GP immediately, not to be second guessed

Patient Care

The sole purpose of all roles is to deliver a high level of quality care to each and every patient. Regardless of the pressure, personal circumstances or workplace issues, the patient is to always come first.

Performance will be satisfactory when:

Patients are greeted in an appropriate and professional manner at all times.

Any delays whether over the telephone or in person are apologised for regardless of the reason, out of courtesy.

Accountability is taken and issues are resolved swiftly and professionally within a reasonable time-frame with the patient's awareness.

Privacy is respected and any patients showing discomfort at the front-desk are taken to a private room.

Unknown or incomplete information is given to the patient at a later time as promised via telephone or a return visit.

Confidentiality rules are adhered to at all times, involving shredding or placing documents in the shredding bag.

Noise and voices in the reception back-office are kept to a low-level so that patients are heard at the front desk and to maintain a professional environment.

Patients are greeted speedily or acknowledged if the telephones are busy.

Patients are spoken to calmly, respectfully and professionally at all times.

Patients are kept informed during an emergency - system shut-down, fire drill or similar.

A clinician is called for immediately during an emergency situation.

Help is offered to patients when struggling with the self check-in or any other procedure/advice/form filling.

Prescriptions are processed in the correct manner by the Prescription Admin Team unless a deputy is in place in their absence.

Complaints are listened to calmly and the patient is given the opportunity to speak. If the issue is not resolvable by the receptionist a complaint form is given to the patient for completion.

Public areas of the building are maintained, clean and safe for patient use.

TLC patients are dealt with carefully and care exceeds 'normal' service. I.e. 'Above and beyond' is expected.

All results are fed-back to patients appropriately within the correct parameters and timescales.

Appointments

Appointment making and management of is a core role within the reception department. Training is provided and any training needs will be observed and followed-up appropriately.

Performance will be satisfactory when:

Appointments are booked correctly at all times ensuring that all patients are seen on the day where possible or booked ahead.

Appointments are made with a brief note outlining the concern.

Initials are placed on all appointment bookings, within the entry screen.

Any problems with appointment bookings in general are logged and reported to the Reception Supervisor with examples provided.

Visits are logged correctly including the address and telephone number and are managed according to the procedure.

Visits are checked by the appropriate person.

Any patient at-home emergencies are discussed with the duty doctor.

On the day appointments are distributed well incorporating minor illness.

Double appointments are offered to patients appropriately.

Discretion is used during personal problems.

Consideration is in place should the patient be known by the receptionist on a personal level.

GP and General Support

All employees have a duty to support the GPs and the Practice Manner. Individual responsibility for certain roles will be given.

Performance will be satisfactory when:

General enquiries from patients, colleagues or other connecting bodies are dealt with professionally.

Patient messages are kept clear and concise for GPs, not exceeding 6 per day unless duty doctor.

Incoming and outgoing post is handled in a timely fashion adhering to postal collection times.

Between the hours of 8 and 10, the telephones, online forms and front-desk patients are the priority with individual roles and admin duties put to the bottom of the list.

GP requests, especially during a patient consultation, are dealt with speedily and calmly.

Any stocking of consultation rooms that hasn't been in place is reported to the Practice Manager as soon as possible to ensure the problem is managed.

Urgent clinical letters are put in the correct drawers/trays at all times.

Any additional request/area of responsibility between reception and other departments/the GPs/Practice Manager is handled professionally and with courtesy.

Any problems/inconsistencies and concerns are handled professionally with specific details logged for the Practice Manager.

Frequent absences from the reception area without notice, especially during busy periods are avoided.

Out of Hours reports are acted upon appropriately according to protocol.

Telephone and Computer Use

Telephones and computers feature heavily in the role of receptionist.

Performance will be satisfactory when:

The telephone is answered within 4 rings where possible and answered correctly, including receptionist name, The Priory Surgery and a greeting.

Patient details are amended as per the protocol, correctly and only once the patient has shown identification.

Inappropriate comments and notes are not entered on to the patient records.

Complaints about the patient are not entered on to the patient records.

Deaths are passed on to the appropriate person swiftly.

Data or IT problems are reported to computer admin team appropriately.

Docman, scanning, printing, hardware/software problems are reported to the computer admin team immediately.

The telephones are transferred over in a timely fashion as a priority in the morning and the evening.

Telephone system times are changed according to GMT.

Telephone problems are reported to the Practice Manager immediately or BT if there is a line problem.

Emails are checked throughout and responded to appropriately.

Folders on the Y:Drive are used sensibly. (The Shared Drive).

Personal emails are only accessed at the agreement of a supervisor/manager and internet surfing is not an occurrence.

Mobile phones are on silent and are only used/viewed during breaks or at the agreement of the Practice Manager at their discretion.

Confidentiality and Security

Confidentiality comes under the Information Governance remit, the Practice has autonomy to check on this at any time. Each staff member is accountable for the security of the Practice.

Performance will be satisfactory when:

Bags and purses are not left on show and are locked away.

Personal money is not handled in the surgery.

The building is opened up correctly in the morning.

The building is closed down correctly in the evening, including the checking of all windows and doors, to include the locking up of prescription pads.

Alarm problems are reported to the Practice Manager.

The alarm is set when the last person leaves the building.

Any hazards or safety concerns are reported to the Practice Manager immediately.

Any accidents are logged and the Duty Doctor informed.

Patient incidents are handled, logged and monitored.

Unpredictable patients are not spoken to alone and arrangements are put in place for security (i.e. a door left open, regular checks from a colleague - tea, fake telephone query etc...).

All patient information is given by the patient and is not disclosed by a receptionist. For example, the patient is asked for their date of birth or address, it isn't given to them first.

All patient or practice discarded information is placed in a shredding unit.

Prescription and front-desk queries are dealt with confidentially.

All visitors to the surgery are signed in and shown the confidentiality clause in the signing in book before being given a 'visitor' sticker.

Any strangers roaming the private areas of the building are challenged professionally.

Heath and safety procedures are followed at all times.

The reception front and back offices are kept tidy, clean and safe without obstruction at all times.

Please note that neither role is more important than the next and the time-split between roles should be respected.

These responsibilities are not exhaustive and may be altered or added to at any time

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent

Pay: 12.21-13.00 per hour

Benefits:

Company events Company pension Employee discount Free flu jabs On-site parking Sick pay Store discount
Application question(s):

Do you have experience as a Medical Administrator?
Education:

GCSE or equivalent (preferred)
Experience:

Administrative experience: 2 years (required)
Work Location: In person