Medical Receptionist

**Job summary**:
**Part time, 20.5 hours over 3 or 4 days per week. These hours will primarily fall between 8am and 6.30pm. Applicants MUST be able to do these start and finish times.**
- Please note, some flexibility and cover for absent staff will be required._

Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way.

Provide general assistance and support to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone.

**Job responsibilities**:

- To have a thorough knowledge of all practice procedures
- To work in accordance with written protocols
- Ensure an effective and efficient service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the practice
- Deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments.
- Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover, and ensure procedures are completed.
- Receive and make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
- Process requests for home visits, ensuring that all relevant details are carefully recorded and referring to duty doctor where necessary.
- Ensure repeat medication is issued in line with the protocols that are already in place and ensure that any queries raised are dealt with quickly and correctly.
- Liaise with patients and pharmacies regarding queries and requests.
- Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.
- Enter patient information on to the computer as required.
- Make and serve refreshments for staff and visitors, ensure the kitchen is kept clean and tidy and air and tidy the waiting room in turn with other staff.
- Premises:

- Open up premises at the start of the day when first to arrive, de-activate alarm and make all necessary preparations to receive patients.
- When last to leave at the end of the day, ensure that the building is secure, internal lights are off and the alarm activated.
- Make arrangements for interpreters for relevant patients, including telephone and face to face bookings
- Filing documents in medical records
- Deal with outgoing mail if required
- Arranging transport for patients when appropriate
- Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the partners or the practice manager.

**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, the practice health & safety manual, and the practice infection control policy and published procedures. This will include:

- Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
- 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
- Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
- Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holder’s role
- Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)
- Reporting potential risks identified
- Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

**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 recognises the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and c