Job Description
MAIN PURPOSE OF POST
To provide a point of contact for patients and act as a focal point of communication between patients, doctors and other medical staff
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST
1. Reception duties
- Utilise appointment system to ensure efficiency and monitor flow of patients into consulting and treatment rooms.
- Ensure that patients without appointments 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, ensure procedures are completed.
- Advise patients of relevant charges for private services accept payment and issue receipts for same.
- Respond to all queries and requests for assistance from patients and other visitors.
- Enter requests for home visits into appointments system and into daybook stating time received and including all relevant information and where necessary refer to Dr Bath.
- In conjunction with the Repeat Prescriptions Protocol ensure that requests for prescriptions are acted upon where possible within two working days.
- Action requests for ambulance transportation and enter correct Read code onto computer.
- Ensure reception and waiting areas are kept neat and tidy.
2. Management of appointment systems
- Ensure total familiarity with all appointment systems in effect including regular and incidental variations.
- Book appointments and recalls ensuring sufficient information is recorded to retrieve any relevant paperwork.
- Monitor effectiveness of the system and report any problems or variations required to The Practice Manager.
3. Management of medical records
- Ensure that all records are accurately assembled. Ensure that the record is available for the Doctor in the instances of urgency.
4. Documentation/Patient notes and correspondence
· Scan and process clinical correspondence via Docman clinical software. Assist in developing new systems for the process of clinical correspondence.
· Retrieve and re-file records as required, ensuring strict alphabetical order is adhered to.
· Ensure records are kept in good repair with all necessary information on the outside cover clearly visible.
· Check and update patient’s contact details.
· Deal with patient tasks and action requests from Docman.
· Deal with emails from the generic email address.
· Fax and email relevant information as appropriate.
· Process incoming and outgoing post.
· Arrange new patient registrations explaining practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed
· Undertake photocopying as required for reception and the clinical staff as requested
· Ensure stocks of forms and patient information are maintained.
5. Preparation of consulting rooms
- Ensure that the consulting rooms are prepared in readiness for each consulting session, checking full range of forms and requirements and re-stocking as required.
- Ensure that the consulting rooms are checked at the end of each consulting session and left tidy and secure.
6. Operation of telephone system
- Receive and make calls as required. Divert calls and take messages as appropriate.
7. Start and end of day procedures
- Open up premises at the start of day, set alarm to day function and make all necessary preparation to receive patients.
- Ensure all bins are emptied and kitchen is clear (this does not include yellow bins)
- Ensure Dr Bath’s desk is clear and clean and ready for the morning surgery and free of all cups/glasses. This should also be checked when he leaves the premises at lunch time.
- All computers powered down.
- All non-essential electrical appliances are powered down.
- All medical record securely locked away.
- Ensure blinds are closed correctly.
- Ensure patient toilet is clean and ready for use the next day.
- Secure premises at end of day, ensure the building is totally secured, internal and external lights off and alarm activated.
8. Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post.
Person Specification for Post
- A methodical, conscientious honest and hardworking person with an understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality.
- An ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness, common sense and local knowledge, to respond to patients’ enquiries and requests.
- Excellent communications skills.
- Excellent team worker.
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, to include:
- 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
- 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 recognizes 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 which 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 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
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: Part-time
Part-time hours: 21 per week
Salary: From £10.37 per hour
Benefits:
Schedule:
Supplemental pay types:
- Bonus scheme
- Commission pay
- Performance bonus
- Tips
- Yearly bonus
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Luton: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work Location: In person