Care Navigator

Integrated Care System; South Shields; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading GP practice in South Shields is looking for a Care Navigator to join their busy team. The successful candidate will manage patient inquiries, assist with healthcare access, and ensure a welcoming environment for patients, contributing positively to the effective running of the surgery.

Benefits

Employee of the month recognition

Long service awards

Birthday day off

Annual social events

Qualifications

• Experience of working with the general public.
• Must be flexible and able to use own initiative.
• Experience in a healthcare setting, ideally in a GP Practice.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients in accessing the right healthcare professional.
• Answer incoming calls and manage requests efficiently.
• Process electronic consultation requests and data entry.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

IT skills

Education

GCSE Grade C or above in English and Maths

Job description

A vacancy has arisen in our Care Navigating team and we are looking for the right person to join this busy team. The Care Navigators are the first point of contact for patients who contact the surgery and they will help to direct patients to the right service to meet their needs. The role is demanding and busy but equally rewarding. No 2 days will be the same, and we can guarantee that your days will go quickly! Our Care Navigators are crucial to the effective running of the surgery.

Whilst full training will be given, we are keen to recruit someone who has experience of working with the general public in a fast paced environment, preferably in a GP Practice. There are opportunities to develop within the practice into exciting roles.

Main duties of the job

The main duties of this role are to work as part of a busy team to assist patients to access the correct healthcare professional that meets their needs, which may be signposting to both internal and external teams.

The majority of this role is telephone based, therefore excellent telephone manner and customer service skills are essential.

Manage reception area, greeting patients and visitors in a professional and courteous manner.

Deal with external agencies, taking messages and assisting colleagues.

Using IT Systems to book appointments, refer patients and access the practice intranet.

About us

Farnham Medical Centre is a large GP practice in South Shields with over 17k patients. We are a busy practice, with teams of Doctors, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Minor Illness Nurse, Practice Nurses and Health Care Assistants, who are supported to provide excellent patient care by a team of Managers, Care Navigators, Administration Staff, GP Assistants, and Secretaries.

We are a busy, friendly and supportive practice, with an open and honest culture. We value staff feedback and strive to provide a welcoming and positive environment.

We pride ourselves on providing excellent services to our patients, and receive positive patient feedback.

We have monthly employee of the month recognition, long service awards, birthday day off, annual quiz, social events and other well being initiatives.

Job responsibilities

• Welcome patients who attend the surgery in afriendly and helpful manner
• Process and effectively signpost patients to theappropriate healthcare professional depending on the presenting condition , whichmay be healthcare professionals external to the practice
• Answer incoming phone calls, transferring callsor dealing with the callers requests appropriately
• Ensuring that urgent requests for medical assistanceare dealt using practice protocols
• Using IT systems, deal with patients electronic consultationrequests
• Data entry of new and temporary registrationsand relevant patient information as required
• Input data into the patients healthcare recordsas necessary
• Manage all queries as necessary in an efficientmanner
• Monitor and maintain the reception area andnoticeboards
• Support all clinical staff with general tasks asrequested
• Undertake all mandatory training and inductionprogrammes
• Contribute to public health campaigns (e.g., fluclinics) through advice or direct care
• Complete opening and closing procedures inaccordance with the duty rota
• Liaise with other teams internally when required
• Liaise with external professionals adhering to patientconfidentiality at all times
• Use the practice internet system, NHS Mail andother IT systems as required
• Abide by practice policies and protocols

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GCSE Grade C or above (or equivalent) in English and maths

Experience

• Experience of working with the general public
• Experience of working in a fast paced environment
• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal)
• Excellent IT skills, including use of outlook, office and email
• Good interpersonal skills
• Must be flexible
• Must be able to use own initiative
• Experience of working as part of a busy team
• Must be able to remain calm under pressure
• Empathetic and caring
• Experience in a healthcare setting, ideally in a GP Practice
• Experience in using EMIS
• Experience in liaising with external healthcare professionals, eg for -referrals to district nurses, etc.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.