Emergency Department Receptionist | Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust; Truro; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust in Truro is seeking an Emergency Department Receptionist to deliver a welcoming, compassionate experience for patients and visitors in a fast-paced ED.

You will register patients, liaise with clinical teams, and provide essential administrative support to keep the department running smoothly; prior customer-facing healthcare experience is desirable.

Qualifications

• Experience in customer-facing roles is essential.
• Experience in healthcare settings and using healthcare IT systems desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide efficient reception service to ED patients and visitors.
• Register patients accurately using RCHT systems.
• Act as intermediary between patients, relatives, nursing and medical staff in ED.
• Provide administrative support to ensure smooth running of the ED team.
• Work as part of a team or under own initiative in a high-pressure environment.

Skills

Customer-focused environment

Tools

Healthcare IT systems

Job description

Emergency Department Receptionist | Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust

The Royal Cornwall Hospital's busy Emergency Department has a vacancy for a Receptionist to provide an exceptional patient experience by ensuring a welcoming, helpful and supportive reception service. The role is integral to the patient journey and the ideal candidate will demonstrate care and compassion while maintaining a sense of calm while working under pressure. This role differs to a 'traditional' role in that, firstly, the successful applicant will be required to work what some might consider to be abnormal hours (this is offset by the opportunity to accrue enhanced payments) and, secondly, the successful applicant will be required to develop a certain resilience in response to certain stresses of the role.

Successful candidates will also have the ability to exercise sound judgement and decision making skills whilst working as part of a team or under own initiative.

This role has been approved for advertising; however, it is also being assessed as a suitable alternative employment opportunity. As a result, the vacancy may be withdrawn or there may be a delay before shortlisting can begin.

This role is open to all applicants. However, in line with Cornwall First recruitment principles, initial shortlisting will prioritise applicants from Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and the Integrated Care Board for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

To provide an efficient reception service to a variety of patients (who potentially could be vulnerable/challenging due to the nature of their presentation) and all visitors arriving at the Emergency Department, Royal Cornwall, Hospital.

Be a role model demonstrating good communication and ensuring robust and open contact with all emergency department (ED) service users.

To register patients accurately, using the appropriate RCHT systems.

To act as an intermediary between patients, relatives, nursing and medical staff in ED.

Provision of a comprehensive and effective administrative service to support the smooth and efficient running of the ED team which is part of the high quality service delivered by the Emergency Directorate.

Previous experience of working in a customer focused environment is essential.

Previous experience of working within a healthcare environment / clinical setting, and previous experience of using healthcare IT systems would also be desirable.

Ability to organise and prioritise own workload to meet all relevant deadlines is essential.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is at the heart of acute and specialist care for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We care for a population of around 470,000 people, a number that rises significantly during peak visitor seasons. We employ around 6,700 staff, united by a shared commitment to deliver safe, high‑quality care. We provide services across three main hospital sites, with around 780 inpatient beds:

• Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro
• West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance

As a teaching hospital, we are proud to work in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, the University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School, supporting the next generation of health professionals while continually strengthening our own services.

Education and lifelong learning are central to who we are. The Knowledge Spa, located on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site, is a vibrant hub for medical, nursing and professional education across clinical and non‑clinical roles. It plays a vital role in attracting, developing and retaining highly skilled teams who support the care of more than half a million people every year.

We are driven by one clear ambition - Outstanding Care for One and All - care that’s safe, kind and high-quality, for every patient and every staff member. We are RCHT.

To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following:

• Identity Checks
• Professional registration and qualification checks
• Employment history and reference checks
• Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check
• Right to work in the UK

For further information please visit:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/topics-networks/employment-standards-and-regulation

We reserve the right to close this advert early.

We may be able to offer flexible working. Please discuss at interview.

This advert closes on Thursday 29 Oct 2026