Medical Receptionist

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust; Newcastle-under-Lyme; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Job Share considered

Job summary

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust is seeking an enthusiastic receptionist to join our patient-facing team in Newcastle-under-Lyme. You will manage the reception area, register patients, book appointments and handle queries with a courteous and professional approach.

A background in customer service and strong communication are essential. We offer flexible working arrangements and opportunities for training and development within a supportive NHS environment.

Qualifications

• NVQ 2 in administration or equivalent experience.
• Customer service skills are essential for the role.
• Desirable: experience within general practice environment or similar.

Responsibilities

• Manage reception duties and act as first point of contact for patients.
• Operate telephone and appointment systems to book and coordinate visits.
• Maintain communications using practice messaging systems and EMIS.
• Support team through shared workload and training as needed.

Skills

Communication skills

Keyboard skills

Education

NVQ 2 in administration or equivalent

Job description

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Duties/Responsibilities

• Reception Services to Patients:

  Ensuring the smooth and efficient running of our reception area, working as part of our reception team. Acting as a first contact with the practice and being aware that you are an ambassador for our surgery. Application of registration procedure for new patients and their induction into the practice via booking of an optional new patient assessment and distribution of the practice information leaflet. Receiving patients at the desk and directing as necessary. Application procedures for temporary residents and those requiring immediately necessary treatment. Operation of the appointments system which will include booking of arrivals and negotiating suitable appointment arrangements with patients. Ensuring clinicians are made aware of patients requiring urgent assessment. Monitoring and managing the waiting area to ensure that patients are seen in a timely manner and within a safe environment. Processing patient queries appropriately and ensuring follow up. Processing and distribution of claim forms etc. Receipt and processing of medical mail, both postal and hand delivered in accordance with the protocol for processing the daily post.

  To understand the difference between repeat and acute prescriptions and deal with appropriately. Issuing and management of repeat prescriptions in accordance with our Repeat Prescribing Policy. To deal with patient requests for non-recurrent medication and liaise with the appropriate clinician for such requests. Operation of security protocol for stocks of prescriptions. Receiving specimens, ensuring that they are correctly labelled and identifiable and ensuring their appropriate distribution in accordance with our Health & Safety policy. Direct liaison with other services such as Pharmacies, community services etc. Sign-posting to services provided both in-house and externally.

• Telephone Services:

  Providing a telephone service, answering within four rings where ever possible. Negotiation and booking of suitable appointments with patients using our appointment booking system. Addressing queries, liaising and problem-solving for patients, and other agencies such as social services, community and secondary care services. Accepting emergency requests for appointments or visits from patients and liaising with clinician on call to ensure continuity of care.

  Sign-posting to appropriate services. Booking external services such as ambulance transport. Informing patients of clinician instructions and/or administrative requests or requirements. Forwarding telephone calls on to appropriate team member.

• Communication Systems:

  Frequent inspection of and acting upon or entering: Practice Message Sheets and/or EMIS practice notes. Message book instructions White board messages EMIS alert and screen messages Emails.

  Accessing and using external specified electronic systems required for patient day to day management. INR book entries Medical Report Logbook entries Messages distributed via individual work baskets Assisting with processing of mail in accordance with practice protocol. Timely and secure sending or receiving of faxes and initiating actions accordingly. Appropriate use of Language Line. Accepting and relaying messages to team members using approved methods of communication.

• Teamwork:

  Working together and supporting each other across the practice team. Ensuring that a general broad knowledge of all tasks is in place and requesting further support and training as gaps in knowledge are identified. Liaising with and supporting practice team members for general queries and any practice systems which are in place such as recall, target achievement etc. Contributing towards any projects or pilots that the practice may take part in. Acting upon clinical team queries and/or instructions from the clinical team. Identifying issues which need further management and making the appropriate team member aware of the need to action.

  Contribution towards the setting up of appropriate protocols and adhering to them. Covering team absences to ensure a safe working environment and preservation of safe working systems.

Person specification

Qualifications

• NVQ 2 qualification in administration or equivalent experience

Experience

• Customer service skills

Desirable criteria

• Experience within general practice environment or similar

Skills

• Evidence of good communication skills, both written and verbal
• Keyboard skills

Benefits

• We offer a variety of flexible working opportunities for both full and part time staff.

Job Share applicants will be fully considered and applications are particularly welcomed from current and previous service users.

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust is an equal opportunities employer and values diversity.

All correspondence at each stage of the process (including any offer packs) will be sent to you via the email address you applied from, please ensure you check your emails regularly.

Please check your junk / spam email folders for any further communication from us (NHS Jobs).

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING POINTS

• In the event of exceptionally high levels of response, we reserve the right to close the post before the date stated above in order to prevent the number of applications received being unmanageable. You are advised to submit your completed application form as soon as possible to have the best chance of being considered.
• Priority will be given to NHS staff across the region who are at risk of redundancy, where the vacancy is at the same band or one below their current band and candidates meet the essential criteria for this post.
• All employees new to the Trust will be subject to a 6 month probationary period.
• All clinical staff bands 2-4 that are new to the Trust will be required to complete a Care Certificate.
• Canvassing of members of the Trust or of any Committee of the Trust directly or indirectly for any appointment under the Trust shall disqualify the candidate for such appointment. The Trust does not pay travel expenses for candidates attending interviews.
• ALL POSTS INVOLVING ACCESS TO PERSONS IN RECEIPT OF HEALTH SERVICES WILL BE SUBJECT TO A DISCLOSURE & BARRING SERVICE DISCLOSURE.

Please provide full contact details for all referees, especially their email addresses where possible. Failure to do may result in significant delays in your application. There may also be a requirement to provide additional referee details.