GP Receptionist

JOB TITLEReceptionist MAIN PURPOSE OF POST Toprovide a point of contact for patients and Act as a focal point of communication between patients, doctors and other clinical staff RESPONSIBLE TOReception Lead/Practice Manager MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST Reception duties Ensure efficiency of appointment system. Monitor flow of patients into consulting and treatment rooms. Inform clinicians when booked patients arrive late. Patients may have to book another appointment. Inform waiting patients if the clinician is running late. Ensure that any patients without an appointment, are signposted effectively and safely when our capacity has been met. Adivse/assist patients to use the online triage forms for those patients requesting medical advice or same day appointment. Explain practice procedures and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover, ensure all procedures are completed fully. Advise patients of relevant charges for private services, accept payment and issue receipts, and add to patients journal that a fee has been paid and what for. All receptionist must be able to access the admin email account, which needs to be monitored from when admin staff have left for the day. Respond to all queries and requests for assistance from patients and other visitors. All visitors to the practice must sign in and out. (not patients) Any gifts must be reported to senior management with the patients name and item received, as these need to be logged. No money must be accepted under any circumstances. If the patient wishes to make a donation, please ask them to contact the practice manager. Ambulance transportation is responsibility for patient to arrange. However, emergency ambulance transportation is arranged by reception, at GP request. Enter details on patient electronic record including reference number given. Print a medical summary of notes and hand to GP to give to ambulance service. Ensure reception, clinical rooms and waiting areas are kept neat and tidy. Ensure that there is no patient identifiable data left lying around in the reception area and in clinical rooms. Management of appointment systems Ensure you are familiar with all appointment/clinical/IT systems. Book appointments and recalls ensuring sufficient information is recorded to retrieve medical record. Monitoring DNAs and sending DNA SMS Text message as per practice policy. Monitor effectiveness of the system and report any problems or variations required. 3. Preparation of consulting rooms Ensure all clinical rooms are unlocked at the start of each day and prescription paper placed back into the printer. Ensure that the consulting rooms are prepared in readiness for each consulting session, checking full range of forms/prescriptions/paper and are re-stocked as required. Ensure that the consulting rooms are checked at the end of each consulting session and left tidy and secure, Prescription paper must be removed, logged, placed into individual wallets with room number and locked away for the night. Operation of telephone system Receive and make calls as required. Divert calls and take messages as appropriate. Ensure that system is operational at the beginning of each day and switched over to answer phone at the end of each day. Start and end of day procedures Open up premises at the start of day, make all necessary preparation to receive patients. Secure premises at end of day, ensure the building is totally secured, internal lights off and alarm activated, if you are the last person to leave. Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post Confidentiality 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. Quality The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will: Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision. Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance. Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patient needs. Effectively manage own time, workload and resources. Communication The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to: Communicate effectively with other team members Communicate effectively with patients and carers Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly Contribution to the Implementation of Services The post-holder will Apply practice policies, standards and guidance Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work Participate in audit where appropriate Personal/Professional Development The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include: Participation in an Annual Appraisal, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development. Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE POST Keyboard skills essential, computer literacy preferred. Proven accuracy in transcribing information from request to issue to prescription. Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities. An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality. Excellent communication skills.