Medical Receptionist
Job Description
Job summary
We are looking for a professional, highly effective and personable Medical Receptionist to join our friendly team. You must possess good attention to detail and work to a high standard. Patient focused and a positive attitude is a must. Within this role, you will be expected to deal with patients face to face and on the telephone answering a wide variety of queries, you will be involved with assisting with our triage service including booking appointments requested by the GPs and registering new patients. The successful candidate will need to work effectively under pressure in a fast-paced environment both independently and as part of a team.
General practice experience is desirable but not essential as full training will be given.
There will be cover required on an adhoc basis for our extended hours service until 8pm.
Main duties of the job
The main duties for the role are
- Covering the front desk, answering the telephones and dealing with patients face to face
- Booking / triage of appointments for the GPs, nursing team, ANPs
- Registering new patients, inputting the data from the new patient questionnaires on to the patients medical record
About us
Holmes Chapel Health Centre is a rural practice with 13,000 patients currently registered with us. We have 5 GP Partners, 3 salaried GPs and 1 Advanced Nurse Practitioner who work alongside a dedicated Nursing Team, Dispensing and Admin teams. We are located in a newly modernised, recently extended surgery in the centre of Holmes Chapel, a small village in the heart of the Cheshire countryside. We provide free car parking, minimum of 5 weeks annual leave pro rata and following 2 years continuous service at the practice, enrolment in Simply Health's Employee Assisted Health Programme.
Job responsibilities
Job summary:
Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way.
To provide a wide range of administrative support within the Health Centre to facilitate safe, effective and efficient patient care to the practice population, undertaking administrative duties as directed by the management team.
To work closely with other members of the team to ensure that all duties are completed in a timely manner.
To communicate effectively with the practice population providing good customer service.
To provide general assistance to the all members of the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone.
Reception Duties :
Greet all patients and visitors on arrival in to the building
Answer the telephone, dealing with and/or directing enquiries as appropriate
Respond to patient queries and request for assistance if needed
Book appropriate appointments on the practice computer system
Take messages at the front desk or over the telephone for same day advice/appointments/home visit requests according to practice protocol
Ensure that all urgent requests for information are dealt with promptly
Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed accurately
Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same
Take non urgent messages and notify the relevant staff member following practice protocol
Ensure that patients who present with acute symptoms at the desk or over the telephone are dealt with according to the practice protocol (including telephoning 999 where appropriate) and documenting the actions in the patients electronic record
Ensure that all contacts with patients are documented on the computer system where appropriate by entering an administration note on the consultation screen within EMIS
Contact patients, when advised, asking them to make an appointment with the relevant healthcare professional
Give results of investigations to the patients as per practice protocol
Registrations of new patients computer data entry and medical records ensure that all new patients are registered on to the computer system promptly and accurately
Receive specimens from patients at the request of the clinicians you will be expected to transfer clinical specimens in sealed request bags to pathology bags for collection
Administration Duties:
To have a thorough knowledge of all practice procedures and computer systems. To develop your knowledge to a standard so that you are able to teach others
To work in accordance of written protocols
Filing post in medical records if required
Email and photocopy as requested
Deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments
Receive and make telephone calls. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery
Action requests or ambulance transportation (urgent bookings only) and enter details as per the usual system
Enter patient information on to the computer as required, ensuring three point check policy is adhered to
Adding and generating of sample test requests within the EMIS system
Provide prompt support to clinicians in surgery and other colleagues when needed
Chaperone the GPs if asked to do so
General Duties:
Ensure building security at all times have thorough knowledge of doors/windows/alarm.
Open up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, deactivate alarm, open all clinical rooms, open the side gate entrance and make all necessary preparations to receive patients
When last to leave at the end of the day, ensure the building is totally secured, internal lights are off, computers are switched off or all left on as per guidance, radio/heaters/fans are switched off
Undertake any other additional duties and tasks as requested by the management team
Daily check of emails both personal work emails and practice emails and action as required
Flexibility:
Cover the work of colleagues during periods of annual leave and/or sickness in other clerical areas of the practice as directed by the Office Manager or other member of management team
Request annual leave in advance from the Office Manager, according to the practice protocol
In case of sickness, to inform the Office Manager as soon as possible that absence is likely
Cover various shifts/changes to hours in addition to your own hours/shifts if requested to by the Office Manager or other member of management team if required due to sickness or annual leave
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, you 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
Equality and diversity:
You will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples 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
You must co-operate with all policies and procedures designed to ensure quality of employment. Colleagues, patients and visitors must be treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.
Personal/professional development:
You 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
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