Receptionist / Care Co-Ordinator

Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way. Provide general assistance to the Practice team and project a professional, positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person, via the telephone or via other communication routes. To provide helpful, informative and supportive reception and administration services to patients and members of the primary health care team. To provide cover for staff absences/annual leave as required. To support the Practice Manager as and when necessary with regards to targets for QOF, IIF, PCN DES, Prescribing Incentive Scheme and other targets set by various organisations. This is a developing role and further admin support and training will be provided as and when necessary.

Main duties:

1) To assist with the co-ordination of all patient activity for all clinics.

2) Deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments.

3) Deal with patients requesting an urgent appointment.

4) Explain Practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed.

5) Receive and make telephone calls as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.

6) Enter requests for home visits onto the system and refer to community matron where appropriate, ensuring careful recording of all relevant details and where necessary refer to Duty Doctor.

7) Action repeat prescription requests and ensure that they are sent electronically where possible or ready for collection by the patient within 48 hours, in line with Practice protocol.

8) Take act on clinicians' requests for further information/patient contact information etc. (including computerised Practice notes), ensuring completion of all associated paperwork.

9) Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non-General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same.

10) Enter patient information on to the computer as required, remembering to redact sensitive and third-party information from online visibility where appropriate.

11) Prepare clinical rooms for surgeries, check supply of A4 paper and prescription forms ensure adequate supplies of consumables (including bottles, couch rolls, test request forms etc). Supply of consumables normally done by GPA but reception need to know where they are in case you are required to stock the rooms.

12) To provide cover for staff holiday and sickness absences when required as requested by the Reception/Administration Supervisor

13) Process incoming and outgoing mail accordingly

14) Record actions taken in patient records where appropriate.

15) Complete other daily/ weekly and monthly core tasks to support to smooth running of the business.

17) Any other duties as necessitated by the needs of the Practice.

18) Direct patients to alternative services both within and outside of the PCN where appropriate.

Premises:

1) Open up premises at the start of the day (as per instructions) when first to arrive, de-activate alarm and make all necessary preparations to receive patients as per open up procedure.

2)When last to leave at the end of the day, ensure that the building is totally secured, internal lights are off and the alarm activated as per end of day procedure.

3)Ensure that all new patients are registered onto the computer system promptly and accurately.

4) Make and serve refreshments for meetings if requested, ensure the kitchen is kept clean and tidy and tidy the waiting room in turn with other staff.

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.

Data protection is a top priority for the Company. The Data Protection Act places obligations on the Practice to ensure that data is processed lawfully and stored according to its strict provisions. You are required to uphold the Company's data protection policies when dealing with information about patients, carers colleagues and other healthcare workers. Our work is of highly confidential nature and information gained must not be communicated to other persons except in the recognised course of duty. Unauthorised disclosure of confidential information will result in disciplinary action and may lead to your dismissal.

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 special category data.

Health & Safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others' health, safety and security as defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according 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 and safe way and free from hazards


• Reporting potential risks identified.


Equality & Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with the Practice policies and procedures, and current legislation.


• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.


• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights.


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 individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of their own personal and/or professional development.


• Taking responsibility for their own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.


• Attend all relevant annual updates.


• Inform the reception supervisor or practice manager of any concerns regarding the reception / care co-ordinator role and any professional development needed.


• Be aware of your own professional boundaries and what to do when you have reached them.


• Attend PLT sessions, staff meetings and undertake mandatory training.


Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.


• Work to practice protocols


• 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 team's performance.


• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet customers' 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.


• Be familiar in all mediums of communications such as emails, tasks, telephone, docman etc.


• Recognise peoples' needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.


• Communicate effectively with outside agencies.


• Communicate clearly with their lead GP.


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.


The above list serves to illustrate the scope and responsibilities of the post and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties. You will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by the development of this role as the practice develops, and the overall business objectives of the practice change.