General Practice Assistant

The Pearson Whiffin Recruitment Group; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Permanent position

Career development opportunities

Supportive team environment

Job summary

The Pearson Whiffin Recruitment Group is recruiting for an experienced General Practice Assistant to join a busy Mid Kent GP practice in Maidstone. You will support patient services, triage enquiries and coordinate appointments within a fast-paced clinical environment.

Experience in primary care or healthcare administration and familiarity with EMIS, Anima or iPlato is highly desirable. This role offers a permanent full-time position with ongoing development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience in a GP surgery, primary care setting or healthcare administration.
• Ability to manage patient enquiries and provide efficient administration.
• Familiarity with healthcare systems such as EMIS, Anima or iPlato.

Responsibilities

• Manage and triage patient requests through online systems and triage protocols.
• Book appointments with appropriate healthcare professionals.
• Signpost patients to relevant services and maintain confidential records.
• Coordinate and rearrange appointments as needed and handle enquiries via multiple channels.

Skills

Communication

Organisation

Patient care

Prioritisation

Teamwork

Tools

EMIS

Anima

iPlato

Job description

General Practice Assistant (GPA) – Mid Kent

Location: Maidstone

Salary:£23,793.12

Full-Time | Permanent

Pearson Whiffin Recruitment are currently recruiting for an experienced and organised General Practice Assistant (GPA) to join a busy and well-established healthcare practice based in Mid Kent.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a background in primary care, healthcare administration or GP practice support who is passionate about delivering excellent patient care and enjoys working in a fast-paced medical environment.

Working closely with the wider clinical and administrative teams, you'll play a key role in managing patient enquiries, coordinating appointments, supporting clinical services and ensuring patients receive the most appropriate care within the required timeframes.

This role would suit someone who is confident communicating with patients, highly organised and comfortable using healthcare systems, with a genuine interest in developing their clinical and administrative skills.

The Role

Working as part of a busy primary care team, you'll be responsible for supporting the smooth running of patient services, ensuring appointments are managed efficiently and patients receive appropriate guidance and support.

Responsibilities will include:

• Managing and triaging patient requests through online consultation systems, including urgent and routine enquiries.
• Assessing and prioritising appointment requests in accordance with established clinical triage protocols.
• Booking patients with the most appropriate healthcare professional based on their requirements.
• Signposting patients to relevant healthcare services, including pharmacies, urgent treatment centres and community services.
• Handling patient enquiries via telephone, email, text and face-to-face communication.
• Maintaining accurate and confidential patient records, ensuring all advice, actions and referrals are documented appropriately.
• Coordinating and rearranging appointments due to staff absence or changes in clinical availability.
• Processing internal appointment requests, including GP follow-ups and blood tests.
• Using healthcare systems such as EMIS, Anima and iPlato to manage patient information and appointments.
• Supporting clinical activities, including phlebotomy, ECGs and other procedures, following appropriate training and competency assessments.
• Liaising with GPs, nurses and other healthcare professionals to ensure effective patient care.
• Supporting safeguarding procedures, infection control and health & safety requirements.
• Assisting with administrative processes and identifying opportunities to improve patient services.
• Maintaining high standards of confidentiality, professionalism and patient care at all times.

The Ideal Candidate

We're looking for a compassionate, organised and proactive individual who can confidently manage patient enquiries while maintaining excellent attention to detail.

You will ideally have:

• Previous experience within a GP surgery, primary care setting or healthcare administration role.
• Experience managing patient appointments, enquiries or clinical administration.
• Knowledge of EMIS, Anima, iPlato or similar healthcare systems.
• Excellent communication skills with a professional and empathetic telephone manner.
• Strong IT and administrative skills with excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to prioritise urgent and routine requests effectively.
• A good understanding of patient confidentiality, GDPR and safeguarding requirements.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a busy workload.
• Confidence working independently and as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
• A calm, professional approach when dealing with sensitive or challenging situations.
• A willingness to undertake additional training and develop clinical competencies.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience working as a General Practice Assistant or GP Receptionist.
• Experience using online consultation or patient triage systems.
• Knowledge of NHS primary care procedures and patient pathways.
• Phlebotomy or ECG experience.
• Completion of a Care Certificate or relevant healthcare training.
• Experience supporting clinical teams with patient care and administrative duties.

What's on Offer?

• Permanent position within an established healthcare environment.
• Opportunity to work alongside experienced healthcare professionals.
• A varied role combining patient administration and clinical support.
• Opportunities to develop clinical skills through additional training.
• The chance to make a positive difference to patients and their healthcare experience.
• A supportive and collaborative team environment.
• Opportunities for ongoing professional development.

Interested?

If you're an experienced healthcare administrator or General Practice Assistant looking for your next opportunity within primary care, we'd love to hear from you!

Apply today or contact Louisa at Pearson Whiffin Recruitment for more information.

Pearson Whiffin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.