Medical Receptionist/Administrator

at  Skerne Medical Group

POST: Receptionist / Administrator RESPONSIBLE TO: The Branch Supervisor JOB SUMMARY You will provide general assistance to the practice team, projecting a positive and friendly image to patients, staff and visitors to the practice, either in person or via the telephone. You will assist in the smooth running of the reception area providing a high-quality level of service to patients, practice staff and other visiting staff within a safe, efficient working environment by providing effective support to clinicians and staff. Your role requires you to have a thorough knowledge of the practice procedures / protocols and to work in accordance with these. Your work will be undertaken within all branches; Sedgefield, Fishburn and Trimdon Colliery.
The role is varied, fast paced but rewarding. Working in collaboration as part of a supportive team you will be confident in managing and prioritising your own workload. CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Opening / closing practice premises and maintaining security in accordance with practice protocols. Preparing and organising rooms, ensuring an adequate supply of stationery is at hand for clinicians.
Processing personal and telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultations, ensuring callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional through the use of care navigation templates provided. Assist patients without appointments but who need urgent consultation are seen within an appropriate manner liaising with the duty doctor where necessary. Greeting of patients on arrival and checking patients into their appointments. Maintaining and monitoring the practice appointments system and flow of patients, informing patients of any delays.
Chaperoning patients at the request of patient / other clinical team members. Dealing with home visit requests in line with practice protocol. Making ambulance transport booking requests (emergency / routine) when required. Receiving specimen samples from patients and taking to collection point ready for clinical staff to process accordingly.
Providing patients with test results in accordance with GP instructions. Book appointments and reviews ensuring sufficient information is recorded to allow clinicians to retrieve the correct patient record. Ensure tasks for reception/admin are actioned daily and any queries at the end of the day are handed over as necessary. Deal with general enquiries and complaints.
Processing incoming and outgoing mail, ensuring all relevant correspondence is coded and filed within the patient’s electronic record in a timely manner. Filing and retrieving paperwork, ensuring correspondence, reports, results etc. are filed correctly into the electronic patient record. Registering new patients and those seeking temporary residency cover, ensuring procedures are completed in line with practice guidelines.
Advise patients of any relevant charges for non-NHS services and accept / process payments. Processing of prescription requests in line with practice protocol. To ensure repeat medication is issued in line with protocols in place and ensure any queries raised are dealt with quickly and correctly. To ensure patient queries relating to medication are highlighted to the duty doctor by raising a task.
To liaise with chemists / patients regarding any prescription queries or requests. Summarisation of patient’s medical records on the medical system (SystmOne). Keeping all data on the medical system up to date. Support and liaise with the Assistant Practice Manager in the control of day-to-day electronic systems operations; safeguarding the data; investigating problems and coordinating with external agencies to maximise the benefits of the computer system in the running of the practice.
Assist with the coordination of the practice recall programmes. To assist with target led areas such as Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF), Direct Enhanced Service (DES) etc. Utilise other clinical IT systems such as AccuRx, e-Consult and Choose and Book where appropriate. Deal with incoming emails to the practice generic inbox and action appropriately.
Adhere to practice IT security policies and procedures at all times. Recognise the importance of effective communication within the team, and with patients/carers, adapting alternative methods of communication according to individual needs. This job description is intended to provide an outline of the key tasks and responsibilities, there may be other delegated duties appropriate to the post. All members of staff are required to take on additional duties or relinquish existing duties in order to maintain the efficient running of the practice.
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, you may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. You 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 confidential. Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons, in accordance with practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data Health and Safety As a member of the team you will assist in promoting and maintain your 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 (but will not be limited to): Using personal security systems within the practice in accordance 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, clean and safe way, free from hazards. Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management. Undertake periodic infection control training.
Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised. Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults and children. Quality You will always endeavor to maintain quality within the practice, and will: Alert others of any issues of quality or risk. Assess own performance and take accountability for your own actions, either directly or by means of supervision.
Contribute to the overall effectiveness of the whole team, reflecting on own and team actions and suggesting ways to enhance or improve team performance. Effectively work with other agencies, such as District Nurses, Care Co-ordinators, to meet patient needs. Manage own time, workload and resources. Apply practice polices, standards and guidance.
Discuss with other team members how these will affect own work. Undertake or help to support audits when appropriate. Understand the importance of Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) and the impact to both patient care and practice performance. Ensure clinical and non-clinical incidents are reported in accordance with practice policy, and where appropriate agree actions in response.
Personal Professional Development You will participate in an annual appraisal whereby you will take responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and or professional development. You will partake in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of your employment. Take responsibility for your own development, learning and performance and share skills with others where appropriate. Maintain own mandatory and statutory training requirements through e-learning or face to face.
Equality and Diversity You will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues by: Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights

Please refer the Job description for details