Operations Manager

NHS Jobs; Dorchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Jobs is recruiting a Practice Manager to oversee day-to-day operations at a busy GP practice in Dorchester. You will be the first point of contact for operational issues, plan rotas, run daily huddles and ensure the practice opens safely each day.

You will lead the reception team, develop service standards, manage access targets, and handle complaints and patient experience. The role also covers compliance, health and safety, infection control, and driving continuous improvement in

Qualifications

• Be the first point of contact for operational issues from staff, clinicians and patients, resolving them or escalating to the right person.
• Plan rotas and cover for reception and admin to match demand, within the agreed staffing budget, approving overtime and cover.
• Run a short daily huddle and a weekly operations meeting.
• Ensure the practice opens and runs safely each day, including business continuity during telephone or clinical system outages.
• Proactively identify and act upon areas for operational improvement, in partnership with the wider practice team.

Responsibilities

• Be the first point of contact for operational issues from staff, clinicians and patients, resolving them or escalating as needed.
• Plan rotas and cover for reception and admin to match demand within budget.
• Run daily huddle and weekly operations meetings.
• Lead recruitment and induction for reception and admin posts.
• Maintain reception protocols and care-navigation guidance.
• Support infection prevention, health and safety, and regulatory compliance.

Job description

Day-to-day operations

• Be the first point of contact for operational issues from staff, clinicians and patients, resolving them or escalating to the right person
• Plan rotas and cover for reception and admin to match demand, within the agreed staffing budget, approving overtime and cover
• Run a short daily huddle and a weekly operations meeting
• Ensure the practice opens and runs safely each day, including business continuity during telephone or clinical system outages
• Proactively identify and act upon areas for operational improvement, in partnership with the wider practice team

Reception and patient access

• Lead, coach and develop the reception team, setting clear standards for care navigation, telephone and front-desk service
• Ensure the practice meets the 2026/27 GP contract access requirements, including:
  • No patient asked to call back on another day
  • Non-urgent requests answered by the end of the next working day
  • Clinically urgent requests answered the same day
  • Opening times displayed for every access route
• Use call, online request and appointment data to manage service levels and staffing
• Maintain reception protocols, scripts and care-navigation guidance agreed with the partners

People management

• Line manage reception and admin staff through one-to-ones, annual appraisals, objectives and development plans
• Manage sickness absence and attendance, including return-to-work meetings, absence triggers and occupational health referrals
• Manage performance and conduct through informal and first formal stages, including investigations, escalating final stages to the Practice Business Manager and partners
• Lead recruitment and induction for reception and admin posts
• Promote staff wellbeing and team culture, including acting on General Practice Staff Survey results

Complaints and patient experience

• Act as Complaints Manager under the NHS complaints regulations, ensuring complaints are acknowledged within three working days, investigated and responded to
• Share learning from complaints and feedback with the team and report themes quarterly
• Lead the Friends and Family Test, the GP Patient Survey action plan and the Patient Participation Group
• Manage escalated patient situations, including the unacceptable behaviour process

Compliance, health and safety and CQC

• Keep evidence for the Safe, Caring and Responsive key questions in an inspection-ready library, so the practice is ready at five working days notice
• Run the health and safety and fire programme: routine checks, fire drills, workplace and COSHH risk assessments, first aiders and fire marshals
• Log and investigate non-clinical significant events and incidents, sharing learning
• Keep operational, HR and health and safety policies current
• Support the Lead Nurse with infection prevention and control actions in non-clinical areas, including cleaning standards
• Keep staff compliance records current, including DBS checks, training, immunisation status and professional registration checks

Systems and improvement

• Provide first-line IT support with the Practice Administrator, train staff in the clinical system, telephony and online tools, and elevate only what first line cannot resolve
• Actively encourage and promote the use of patient online services and the NHS App
• Lead operational improvement projects agreed each year with the Practice Business Manager and partners

General

• Be aware of duties and responsibilities regarding current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children
• Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes
• Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times
• Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance
• Attend a formal appraisal with their manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed