Patient Advisor Phone Hub

**Patient Advisor**

**JOB TITLE**:
Patient Advisor

**SUMMARY OF ROLE**:
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced call handler to join the Beacon Medical group phone hub team. This role is to support our patients with their medical queries and ensure that they are signposted to the correct care first time. Your role as a call handler will be varied and good communication with patients and colleagues will be key. The phone hub is open Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 18:30, where we operate a morning and an afternoon shift. The Phone Hub are part of the unseen hard-working team behind Beacon.

The successful applicant will help provide support to our patients using their excellent customer service skills and ensure that accurate data inputting and general note keeping information into our clinical system is maintained at all times.

Following GDPR guidance, Work with a fast pace to a high quality, in all areas of our phone hub role. Knowledge of medical reception work is preferable, being able to follow all practice guidelines, policies & procedures is essential.

**SALARY**:
Grade 1

**HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT**:
The surgery operates extended opening times across all sites as part of its business opening hours, as part of employees contract there will be a requirement to cover extended hours on a rotation basis.

Wotter shift pattern will be the exception and will be determined on the reviewed Wotter opening hours.

**PLACE OF WORK**:
The post holder will need to work across several sites on a regular basis according to which ‘hub’ team they are assigned to on any particular shift.

**APPOINTMENT**:
Permanent contract

**ACCOUNTABLE TO**:
**Reception Manager**

The post holder will be part of the wider Beacon Medical Group team and will:

- Work effectively alongside other teams and clinicians within the Group in a professional manner to nurture a spirit of collaborative team working.
- Develop positive working relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders
- Be encouraging and supportive to colleagues across the Group
- Promote a positive working environment

**KEY RESPONSIBILITIES**:
The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the reception team may include any or all of the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the Reception Manager, dependant on the current and evolving workload and staffing levels.

Patient/ Customer Care
- To meet and greet patients, members of the public and visitors to the practice in a friendly and courteous manner
- Offer general assistance to the practice team and project a professional, positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone.
- Facilitate effective communication between patients, members the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies.
- Liaise with district nurses, midwives and other professionals within the community teams, on behalf of patients
- Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the Practice
- Ensure that excellent customer care is being delivered at all times
- Play an active role in the co-ordination, and review of patient surveys
- Offer solutions and actively listen to patients to resolve issues.
- Deal with complex and sensitive issues
- Receive specimens for laboratory analysis from patients and advise patients of their test results on request
- Arrange patient transport as directed

Operations
- Process telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultations
- Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way, including sign posting patients to the most appropriate appointments using in-house triage guidance.
- 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.
- Book appointments ensuring sufficient information is recorded to ensure retrieval and accurate notes and use of the medical record.
- Monitor flow of patients into consulting and treatment rooms
- Maintain and monitor the practice appointments system, adding clinics and amending slots as directed
- Collate patient data as directed
- Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.

Prescriptions
- Receive requests for repeat prescriptions from patients, pharmacy and care home staff, and process these in a timely and accurate manner and distribute signed prescriptions on request
- Dealing with prescription enquiries that other members of staff are unable to answer from patients and local pharmacists
- Identifying and suggesting ways of how to imp