Reception Team Leader

JOB FUNCTION To lead the reception team, ensuring an efficient and professional manner is maintained. To provide a focal point of communication between patients, doctors and other medical staff. To act as a role model, demonstrating and promoting the standards expected by the practice and creating the energy and enthusiasm for the service. To liaise with and assist the Practice Manager and Deputy Practice Manager as and when required.

SUPERVISORY & MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS Manage the reception staff at the main site and branch site. Ensure all Practice Protocols and Reception Protocols are up-to-date (in conjunction with the Practice Manager and Administration Manager), understood and adhered to. Undertake reception staff 6-month appraisal reviews in liaison with Practice Manager who undertakes annual appraisal to ensure objectives are on track. Manage and record reception staff annual leave to ensure appropriate cover in conjunction with Practice Manager.

Monitor and ensure suitable contingency plans are in place for all leave and sickness absence in conjunction with Practice Manager. Be the first line of management to deal with any incidents arising with the reception team, take appropriate action and liaise with the Practice Manager. Assist the Practice Manager with recruitment and selection of receptionists. Ensure all new receptionists undertake induction training and training in the reception role in conjunction with the Practice Manager.

Assist with and minimise potential problems that may lead to complaints. MAIN DUTIES Reception Duties: As part of a reception team you will be responsible for: Entering all requests for home visits appropriately on the practices clinical system stating time received and including all relevant information and if necessary refer to on call doctor. Undertaking tasks and workflow actions. Ordering of relevant documents/stationery, e.g., prescriptions, sick notes, etc.

Booking appointments and ensuring efficiency of appointment system and monitoring flow of patients. Ensuring that patients without appointments, but who need urgent consultation, are seen in a polite, logical, professional and non-disruptive manner. Ensuring routine appointments are seen normally within 2 working days. Ensuring urgent appointments are seen on the same day.

Ensuring patients are aware of times when GPs and nurses are available to give advice on the phone. Ensuring that patients are aware that they can request longer consultations with GPs, if required. Explaining practice arrangement and formal requirements to new patients and temporary residents and ensure procedures are completed, i.e., filling in the correct forms. Accepting payment from patients for private patients and issue receipts.

Following-up path lab reports and contact patients if necessary. Responding to all queries and requests from patients and visitors. Actioning requests for ambulance transportation and enter in diary. Ensuring reception and waiting areas are kept neat and tidy.

Ensuring patients are treated as individuals and extend courtesy, respect, privacy and confidentiality at all times, whilst listening to them, recognising their needs and responding to them. Administration: Updating waiting lists Create, update and action tasks as appropriate. Provide administrative support for designed QOF area which includes telephoning patients, sending appointments. Choose & Book print out appointment information if requested by patient Managing the patient recall system, inviting patients to attend for their LTC review.

**Management of Appointment System**: Ensuring total confidentiality. Ensuring patient files are updated. Ensuring total familiarity with all appointment systems in effect including regular and incidental variations. Booking appointments for patients.

Providing back-up relief for reception duties as and when required at branch surgeries. Management of Medical Records: Retrieving and re-filing records as required, ensuring that strict alphabetical order is adhered to and in adherence to practice protocols. Ensuring all correspondence, reports, results, etc are filed in the correct records and in keeping with practice protocols. Ensuring all records are kept neat and tidy and in good repair with all the necessary information recorded on the outer cover and brought in line with practice policy.

**Preparation of Consulting Room**: Ensuring GP consulting rooms are prepared in advance in readiness for each consulting session, checking full range of forms and requirements of re-stocking including computer prescriptions as required by GPs and locums. Ensuring all consulting rooms are checked at the end of each session when the GP has left and ensure the room is left tidy and secure. Operation of the Telephone System: Receiving and making calls as required. Diverting calls and take messages as required Ensuring the system is operational at the beginning of each day and switched over to night service at the end of ea