Patient Services Advisor

Job Summary

We are seeking a Patient Services Advisor to join our team at Martock and South Petherton Surgeries, working within the South Somerset West PCN. This is a permanent, 25-hour per week position.

Main Duties

• Provide administration and reception duties for the practice, dealing with patients, clinical staff, and colleagues in an efficient and polite manner.
• Receive, assist, and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional.
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the Practice in accordance with agreed procedures, protocols, and timescales.

About Us

Symphony Healthcare Services is a growing primary care organisation based in Somerset, aiming to improve and develop the best patient-centred care and services in the country.

Responsibilities

• Identify and book appointments and home visits in line with practice protocols, including cross-organisation bookings.
• Search for, register if necessary, and book onto the computer system patients as they present at the desk.
• Deal with enquiries, signposting, and requests, either face-to-face or over the telephone from a variety of external sources.
• Deal with distressed/aggressive patients safely and appropriately.
• Be able to prioritise patients in need of urgent medical attention.
• Deal with requests from patients and GPs for emergency calls.
• Maintain an overview of the waiting areas and ensure the area remains in a neat and tidy condition.
• Follow up hospital appointments, test results, and act upon messages on the system from the medical team.
• Record visit requests and alert duty doctor according to practice policy.
• Receive urgent results from the pathology department and liaise with GP and contact patients with information.
• Handle specimen samples from patients appropriately.
• Open up/lock Practice premises and maintain security in accordance with Practice protocols.
• Ensure telephone system has been transferred correctly to out of hours message.
• General daily administration tasks such as scanning, filing, retrieving paperwork, photocopying, and faxing.
• Deal with and respond to post and general emails in a timely manner.
• Initial handling of patient complaints by providing relevant information and informing the Practice Manager.
• Carry out inputting and alterations to computer records.
• Complete new patient registration process as requested and with appropriate training.
• Acting as a chaperone at practice (once relevant training has been completed).
• Assist in contacting patients who fall into the various Target areas as requested.
• Advise patients of relevant charges for private services and accept payments/issue receipts.
• Clear and re-stock consulting rooms if required.
• Keep all areas of the building, noticeboards, and leaflet dispensers tidy.
• Attend ancillary and other staff meetings and training courses as required.
• Participate in an annual appraisal.
• Assist with the provision of cover for colleagues' absences.
• Assist/support with the induction and training of new staff as directed by the Practice Manager or Lead.
• Offer general support to the practice and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors.
• Liaise with patients and pharmacies regarding prescription queries and requests as required.

Responsibilities and Overview of Contact Hub Working

• Provide patient service support to incoming callers, tasks include but are not limited to;
• Completing Anima triage questionnaire with patients and actioning Anima triage outcome.
• Taking general queries for patients and actioning as appropriate or escalating where appropriate.
• Being aware of available capacity across the PCN sites and flagging to lead/management if capacity thresholds are met.
• Seeking additional information from patients to support triage decisions as required.
• Supporting the completion of assigned tasks/administration related admin.
• Liaising with the Hub Clinical team when clinical decisions need to be made immediately for the patient.
• Ensure patient satisfaction by providing accurate and timely responses.
• Escalate patient complaints, inquiries, and feedback in a professional manner to the contact hub officer.
• Identifying and escalating issues to the contact hub officer.
• Provide signposting information to patient when necessary, confirming information shared is correct by interacting with the Hub clinical team.
• Monitor the generic e-mail inbox for the contact hub.
• Using their knowledge of company policies and procedures to assist patients with inquiries.
• Liaising with SFT (Somerset Foundation Trust) staff when relating to SSWPCN patients if necessary.