Patient Services Advisor

**MAIN PURPOSES OF POST**

To provide a friendly and helpful point of contact for patients and visitors to the Practice. Facilitate confidential communication between patients, doctors and other medical staff.

**SKILLS**

**ESSENTIAL**

Good Communication (verbal and written)

Maths and English Key stage 2 or above.

Clear handwriting

Polite empathetic telephone manner

Reliability and Flexibility

**DESIREABLE**

Good I.T. skills - Word and Excel

Patience

Resourcefulness

Ability to work on own initiative

**EXPERIENCE**

Telephone work and/or reception work, dealing with the public, working as part of a team, working to deadlines.

**SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS**

Observe and adhere to strict confidentiality on all matters relating to the practice and its patients.

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**

**Reception Duties**

Utilise computer system to ensure efficiency of appointment system and monitor clinician screens to identify any backlogs in the movement of patients into the consulting and treatment rooms.

Ensure that patients are directed to the most appropriate place for their care, by adhering to the Reception Triage Protocol.

Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary treatment, ensuring procedures are followed and all relevant paperwork completed.

Advise patients of relevant charges for private services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.

Enter patient information onto the computer records as requested.

Enter requests for home visits on to the Duty Dr triage screen, including all relevant information and checking contact details.

Provide chaperone services to medial staff when required.

Ensure personal safety when dealing with specimens from patients using gloves and bags provided by the surgery as per the relevant protocol.

Ensure that the reception area is kept tidy, safe and ready for use by incoming colleagues, together with forwarding on of any unresolved or urgent matters at the end of shift.

Ensure Reception waiting areas are kept neat, tidy and safe and keep a close watch for any deterioration in the condition of patients waiting, alerting the Duty team if necessary.

Book appointments and recalls with the appropriate clinician, ensuring sufficient current patient information is recorded to retrieve the medical record.

Monitor effectiveness of the system and report any problems or variations required to the Reception Manager.

Use Reception Triage Protocol to ensure that patients with no prior appointment, but need urgent consultation (walk-in) are referred to the appropriate GP or Duty Triage for assessment.

**Management of Medical Records**

Retrieve and refile paper records as required, ensuring that strict alphabetical order is adhered to.

Ensure postal correspondence is opened swiftly and passed to the correct member of staff for processing.

Ensure paper records are kept neat and tidy and in good repair with all necessary information recorded correctly on the outer cover.

Process deductions from the GP links system daily and ensure all records are correctly printed and sent to record management at PCSE along with the corresponding paper record.

**Operation of Telephone System**

Answer telephone calls promptly and as a priority over other tasks in a polite and helpful manner according to the Reception Protocol.

**Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post**

In all circumstances be aware of and maintain the highest standards of confidentiality in recognition of internal and external policy and legislation.

Possess an ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness, common sense and local knowledge, to respond to patients’ enquiries and requests.

To ensure personal knowledge base is kept up-to-date and to take ownership for own personal development, using Blue Stream Training on line and attending in house training sessions as required.

To attend and participate in practice meetings.

Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the Partners, Practice Managers or Reception Manager.

You are required to participate in a performance review and appraisal (on an annual basis) undertaken by the Reception Manager.

**HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK**

Attention is drawn to the duties placed on all employees by the Health and Safety at Work Act.

(a) To take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

(b) To co-operate with their employer so far as it is necessary to meet with the requirements of the legislation.

(c) Not to intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of health, safety or welfare in the pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions.

**Salary**: From £10.50 per hour

Expected hours: 37.5 per week

**Benefits**:

- Company pension
- Free flu jabs
- Free parking
- On-site parking

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday

Work