Oncology Receptionist

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Bedford; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Bedfordshire is looking for an Oncology Receptionist to manage the reception area and provide administrative support. The role entails booking patients, maintaining records, and liaising with healthcare staff. Candidates must demonstrate strong communication skills and prior reception experience. This position is essential for ensuring a welcoming environment for patients, with an emphasis on confidentiality and professionalism. The Trust is committed to staff training and promoting a positive workplace culture.

Benefits

Access to training and development

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Good standard of general education.
• GCSE Maths & English (or equivalent).
• Previous reception work.
• Customer Care experience.
• Ability to use Microsoft Word Package.
• Excellent communication skills – written and verbal.
• NHS IT systems experience.
• Previous NHS experience.

Responsibilities

• Welcome patients, relatives, and visitors to the department.
• Deal with telephone enquiries from patients and relatives.
• Make follow-up appointments for outpatient clinics.
• Update patient records accurately using PiMS.
• Provide training to new reception staff.
• Manage daily internal and external post.

Job description

Oncology Receptionist

The closing date is 04 January 2026

The Receptionist is responsible for the reception area within the Unit and will work as part of a team providing front‑line administrative and clerical services to the Department. The role primarily involves booking patients in and out using the hospital PiMS system, answering telephone calls, sending appointment notifications to patients, and booking patient transport.

Job responsibilities

• Patient and Public Contact

  • Welcome patients, relatives and visitors to the department, providing appropriate advice, guidance, information and assistance.
  • Deal with telephone enquiries from patients and relatives in a polite, professional manner, ensuring information provided is accurate and compliant with patient confidentiality and data protection policies.
  • Use effective communication skills to overcome barriers such as language differences or disability.
  • Remain calm, composed and professional when dealing with individuals displaying aggressive or challenging behaviour.
  • Demonstrate empathy when supporting members of the public who may be emotionally distressed or have received sensitive or distressing news, recognising that this may be a daily occurrence.
  • Inform nursing staff promptly if any patient or visitor becomes unwell while in the Unit.
  • Receive information from departmental managers and relay relevant updates to patients and visitors as appropriate.
  • Treat all individuals with dignity and respect, in a non‑judgemental manner, regardless of race, creed, gender, age, religion, personal appearance, lifestyle or behaviour.
  • Maintain concentration while working in a busy, potentially noisy public area with frequent interruptions and competing demands.
  • Keep patients informed when clinics are running late, providing updates at least every 30 minutes.

• Outpatient Clinics

  • Make follow‑up appointments for patients attending outpatient clinics within the department.
  • Ensure appointment details are clearly communicated to patients either by completing an appointment card at the time of booking or by arranging for an appointment letter to be sent by post.
  • Arrange patient transport for clinic appointments where required.
  • Ensure patient information is accurately maintained on Flow Manager / PiMS, including marking patients as attended and recording follow‑up appointments.
  • Ensure clinics are appropriately cashed up at the end of each clinic session, within one working day.

• Use of PiMS (Patient Information Management System)

  • Update patient records accurately, ensuring comprehensive data entry including contact details such as mobile telephone numbers where available.
  • Use communication skills to obtain relevant and accurate patient information from patients and relatives, including demographic data such as ethnic origin.
  • Book follow‑up appointments for patients following treatment at Addenbrookes Hospital.
  • Notify the Bookings Team of patients seen on the wards, ensuring these are recorded correctly as new patient episodes.
  • Report faults with PiMS and other IT systems to the IM&T Department.
  • Report any other equipment faults to the appropriate department or individual.

• Training

  • Provide training and support to new and temporary reception staff as required, ensuring continuity and consistency of service delivery.

• Other Duties

  • Undertake photocopying as required.
  • Manage daily internal and external post, distributing items as appropriate.
  • Ensure the reception and clinic areas are well maintained at all times, liaising with Domestic and Estates departments when necessary.
  • Receive and redirect telephone calls to the appropriate person or department.
  • Assist in covering absences of other reception staff as required, which may involve working additional hours.
  • Liaise with consultants, unit managers and medical secretaries regarding clinic arrangements when necessary.
  • Manage a varied and demanding workload, prioritising tasks effectively within available resources.
  • Ensure prior treatment activity requirements are met, including booking blood tests and clinical reviews.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Good standard of general education.
• General administration.
• GCSE Maths & English (or equivalent).

Experience

• Previous reception work.
• Customer Care – the ability to remain calm and professional at all times.
• Ability to use Microsoft Word Package.
• Experience working in a multi‑disciplinary team.
• Excellent communication skills – written and verbal.
• Methodical, organised approach to work, with good attention to detail.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to prioritise own workload.
• NHS IT systems experience.
• Previous NHS experience.

Skills/Knowledge

• Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing routine information.
• Keyboard skills.
• Organisational skills.
• Demonstrates knowledge of confidentiality issues and ability to work within requirements of Data Protection.
• Ability to adapt to change within working situation.

Personal Skills

• Open, reflective, warm.
• Enthusiastic and self‑aware.
• Creative and flexible.
• Team focussed.
• Reliable, adaptable and dependable.

About us

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics‑led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

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.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust