Medical Receptionist

Job summary

Looking for something different from traditional general practice?

Would you like to become a member of our Primary Care Services reception team providing innovative care to our patient population as part of an outstanding CQC Organisation?

We are looking to appoint a highly motivated and committed Medical Receptionist to join our team at Holmcroft Surgery.

We are a friendly and well organised team with a forward-thinking approach.

Holmcroft Surgery forms part of North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust's integrated Primary Care Directorate Services and operates from three sites across Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire.

We are a high achieving, patient centred practice and have implemented an exciting new care model to improve patient experience.

Main duties of the job

To offer patients, clinical staff, attached and external agencies an efficient, reliable and courteous reception service and to provide administrative support to the practice in order that it may function effectively, and in accordance with practice policy on confidentiality. Customer service and communication forming an essential element of the role.

To provide excellent team working skills to ensure a quality and efficient service is provided to patients and wider stakeholders.

To work within the processes and protocols which allow the organisation to comply with CQC and clinical and information governance requirements.

Please refer to job description for full details.

About us

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust is a leading provider of mental health, social care, learning disability and substance misuse services in the West Midlands.

We are a forward-thinking Trust and are extremely proud to have attained the highest possible rating of "Outstanding" from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), one of only two specialist Mental Health Trusts in England to be awarded this.

Our vision is 'To be Outstanding in all we do and how we do it' and the way we do inclusion is no exception. As a 'Disability Confident Employer', we very much believe that inclusion is something that you feel when you work at the Trust and we are continuously developing our culture of inclusion. Our teams pride themselves on compassion, teamwork and resilience.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Duties/Responsibilities

Reception Services to Patients:

Ensuring the smooth and efficient running of our reception area, working as part of our reception team. Acting as a first contact with the practice and being aware that you are an ambassador for our surgery. Application of registration procedure for new patients and their induction into the practice via booking of an optional new patient assessment and distribution of the practice information leaflet. Receiving patients at the desk and directing as necessary. Application procedures for temporary residents and those requiring immediately necessary treatment. Operation of the appointments system which will include booking of arrivals and negotiating suitable appointment arrangements with patients. Ensuring clinicians are made aware of patients requiring urgent assessment. Monitoring and managing the waiting area to ensure that patients are seen in a timely manner and within a safe environment. Processing patient queries appropriately and ensuring follow up. Processing and distribution of claim forms etc. Receipt and processing of medical mail, both postal and hand delivered in accordance with the protocol for processing the daily post.

To understand the difference between repeat and acute prescriptions and deal with appropriately. Issuing and management of repeat prescriptions in accordance with our Repeat Prescribing Policy. To deal with patient requests for non-recurrent medication and liaise with the appropriate clinician for such requests. Operation of security protocol for stocks of prescriptions. Receiving specimens, ensuring that they are correctly labelled and identifiable and ensuring their appropriate distribution in accordance with our Health & Safety policy. Direct liaison with other services such as Pharmacies, community services etc. Sign-posting to services provided both in-house and externally.

Telephone Services:

Providing a telephone service, answering within four rings where ever possible. Negotiation and booking of suitable appointments with patients using our appointment booking system. Addressing queries, liaising and problem-solving for patients, and other agencies such as social services, community and secondary care services. Accepting emergency requests for appointments or visits from patients and liaising with clinician on call to ensure continuity of to appropriate services. Booking external services such as ambulance transport. Informing patients of clinician instructions and/or administrative requests or requirements. Forwarding telephone calls on to appropriate team member.

Communication Systems:

Frequent inspection of and acting upon or entering: Practice Message Sheets and/or EMIS practice notes. Message book instructions White board messages EMIS alert and screen messages EmailsAccessing and using external specified electronic systems required for patient day to day management. INR book entries Medical Report Logbook entries Messages distributed via individual work baskets Assisting with processing of mail in accordance with practice protocol. Timely and secure sending or receiving of faxes and initiating actions accordingly. Appropriate use of Language Line. Accepting and relaying messages to team members using approved methods of communication.

Teamwork:

Working together and supporting each other across the practice team. Ensuring that a general broad knowledge of all tasks is in place and requesting further support and training as gaps in knowledge are identified. Liaising with and supporting practice team members for general queries and any practice systems which are in place such as recall, target achievement etc. Contributing towards any projects or pilots that the practice may take part in. Acting upon clinical team queries and/or instructions from the clinical team. Identifying issues which need further management and making the appropriate team member aware of the need to action. Contribution towards the setting up of appropriate protocols and adhering to them Covering team absences to ensure a safe working environment and preservation of safe working systems.

Organisation and Preparation of Clinics:

Setting up of appointment systems and sessions Setting up and organisation of specialist clinical sessions such as minor operations/chronic disease etc. Preparation and working up of clinics which may include advance blood tests, preparation of stationery, forms, room allocation and preparation of repeat prescriptions. Instructing patients to attend for specific clinics or appointments. Entering information onto specific templates such as diary follow up dates etc.

Information Technology Within the Practice:

Accurate and appropriate input of data onto the clinical system in accordance with our security policy for information systems within the practice. Appropriate use of IT equipment in accordance with Health & Safety Policy. Validation and matching of correct patient with correct information. Application of computerised appointments, prescription and word processing systems. Use of Docman software for the management of clinical mail.

Use of Ordercoms and Medisec systems. Use of computerised searches to identify specific data requirements. Application of computerised links and actioning appropriate action according to practice protocols which may include registration and pathology. To contribute towards new IT systems and tasks as they become available such as electronic booking of hospital appointments etc.

Processing of Information for Permanent and Temporary Patients:

Preparation of new and existing medical records for summarising onto the EPR. Identification of disease and the validation and entering of patient details onto appropriate disease maintenance and recall systems. The printing of EPR'S and attachments for patients leaving the practice. Filing of paper information which is not scannable and inclusion of reference to paper information within the EPR as per scanning protocol. Record filing and good house-keeping of notes. Following up queries and ensuring that a satisfactory conclusion is reached for such queries. Follow-up and resolution of queries with parallel services. Preparing notes for surgeries and providing accurate computer and hard copy listings. Scanning of all medical information into the patient electronic medical record. Retrieval of medical information from the patient electronic medical records and the provision of either hard copy or disc for patients leaving the practice. Appropriate distribution of approved release of reports etc via post, fax etc. Accepting home visits and preparing visiting lists. Assist responsible administrative officers in the processing of forms and administrative requirements. Preparation of new patient records for summarising.

Person Specification

NVQ 2 qualification in administration or equivalent experience

Essential

Qualification & experience

Customer service skills

Essential

Customer service skills

Experience within general practice environment or similar

Essential

Transferable experience

Communication and keyboard skills

Essential

Evidence of experience or qualification

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