Receptionist

**Job description Job responsibilities Reception duties**: Greeting patients politely and ensuring that the appointment system is run efficiently, monitor the flow of patients to and from consulting rooms, managing queues through telephone and face to face interaction. Ensure patients are informed if a doctor is running late or called out. Ensure urgent extras are monitored with appropriate guidance. Advise patients of relevant charges for non-NHS services, accept payment and issue receipt for same.
Explain practice arrangements and requirements for new and temporary patients. Follow correct procedure to register new patients. Respond to all queries and requests for assistance from patients and other visitors to the practice as appropriate. Enter relevant information onto the EMIS clinical system.
Deal efficiently with emergency situations. Maintain a supply of relevant bags, bottles and stationery to keep consulting rooms stocked; ensure rooms have adequate supplies. Keep reception areas clean and tidy. Handle specimens as per practice protocol.
**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 Management of appointment system: Maintain working knowledge of the appointment system i.e.
times of all clinics, duration of appointments, knowledge of computer system, doctors rotas, procedures for booking routine and urgent appointments Book appointments accurately and appropriately. Monitor daily available appointments and report any overload to Practice Manager as appropriate. Ensure sufficient appointments are blocked off for urgent appointments. Management of medical records and administration: Ensure medical records are kept accurately in alphabetical order, in easily retrievable fashion and kept tidy.
**Operation of telephone system**: Receive and make calls as required. Divert calls and take messages as appropriate, recording information for Doctors to action (home visits, phone calls etc) Ensure phones are accurately transferred to and from night duty service by programming the switchboard to set procedures. Information Security: Ensure that all patient interactions are dealt with confidentially and any confidential paperwork is dealt with in accordance with practice protocol. Patient Liaison Provide non clinical patient care, dealing with requests for information, test results, requests to speak to clinical staff, ensuring confidentiality and privacy for patients.
Ensure patients have access to any relevant leaflets, support groups, carers association etc. Information technology and audit duties: Maintain working knowledge of computer/clinical system, reporting any problems to IT service desk or Practice Manager. Adhere to practice policies regarding security and confidentiality, records management roles and responsibilities and computer skills. Respond to and action notes and minutes from Practice Meetings.
**Additional**: Regular attendance at practice meetings (Overtime pay available for those who are not on duty that day). Attend all mandatory training as requested by the Practice Manager Familiarise with fire drills. Know where the fire exists and fire extinguishers are. Know details of various forms and equipment used in the practice, and know where they are kept.
Cover reception colleagues for sickness and annual leave. Person Specification Experience Essential Experience of working for the NHS Excellent customer service skills Desirable Experience of working in a GP practice Employer details Employer name The Broadway Surgery