Medical Receptionist (Fixed Term - Maternity Leave Cover, Job Share)
Dukinfield Medical Practice
An exciting opportunity has arisen at Dukinfield Medical Practice for a Medical Receptionist on a fixed-term basis to cover maternity leave. This role is offered as a job-share position.
Based in Dukinfield, Tameside, the practice provides care to approximately 11,200 patients. The doctors, nurses and wider practice team at Dukinfield Medical Practice are committed to delivering the highest quality care and supporting the health and wellbeing of the local community.
The successful applicant will contribute to the smooth running of both patient-facing and back-office operations as part of the reception team. The role involves a range of administrative and reception duties in a busy GP practice environment.
This is a fixed-term post for the duration of maternity leave. Working hours will be part-time as part of a job-share arrangement, with shifts scheduled Monday to Friday between 7:00am and 7:30pm.
Ideally, candidates will have some previous experience working in a general practice setting, although full training and support will be provided.
Flexibility and the ability to work effectively as part of a team are essential.
JOB TITLE: MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST
REPORTS TO: RECEPTION MANAGER
20-22 Concord Way, Dukinfield SK16 4DB
Job summary:
Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way.
Provide general assistance to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone.
Follow practice protocols to ensure consistent and high quality care is provided to our patients
Carry out administrative tasks relating to patient records, document management and ensuring patients can access reports, prescriptions and that they are easily accessible.
Job responsibilities:
Reception & Telephony duties:
Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the practice
Deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments.
Using your own judgment and communication skills, ensure that patients with no prior appointment but who need urgent consultation are seen in a logical and non-disruptive manner.
Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover, and ensure procedures are completed.
Receive and make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
Complete online triage form and enter requests for home visits onto the clinical system appointment diary, ensuring to carefully record all relevant details and referring to duty doctor where necessary.
Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.
Support and advise patients on the practice online triage system.
Enter patient information on to the computer as required.
Carry out Reception administrative tasks as per the weekly rota.
Ensure that all new patients are registered onto the computer system promptly and accurately
Premises: Open up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm and make all necessary preparations to receive patients. When last to leave at the end of the day, ensure that the building is totally secured, internal lights are off and the alarm activated.
General Responsibilities for All Staff
The post-holder is expected to:
Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the partners or the practice manager.
Adhere to practice policies and procedures and relevant legislation including the requirements of any professional bodies
Attend mandatory training as identified by the practice
Highlight potential development areas
The post-holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients' staff and practice business in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Caldicott principles.
Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed upon them under the Health and Safety at
Work Act (1974), to ensure that the agreed safety procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for employees and visitors.
All members of staff have a responsibility to report all clinical and non-clinical accidents, incidents or near-misses promptly and when requested to co-operate with any investigations undertaken.
All members of staff have a responsibility to demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
The practice has adopted an equal opportunities policy and all employees must be aware of their obligations to abide by the spirit and nature of the policy to avoid direct and indirect discrimination.
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:
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 of 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
Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
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
Communication:
The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
Communicate effectively with other team members
Communicate effectively with patients and carers
Recognise people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly
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
Please see our Practice website for more information.