Patient Advisor

NHS; Morecambe; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

An NHS practice in Morecambe is seeking Patient Advisors to provide top-notch customer service while managing administrative duties across multiple sites. This role offers full and part-time opportunities, with a focus on teamwork and outstanding communication. With comprehensive training and a supportive environment, this position is ideal for those looking to make a meaningful contribution to patient care and outcomes.

Benefits

25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days

Occupational Sick Pay scheme after one year

Access to NHS Pension, Discount and Cycle to Work schemes

Regular wellbeing events such as away days and social outings

Qualifications

• Minimum GCSE in English and Maths required.
• Willingness to undertake NVQ in Customer Service.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Act as the first point of contact for patients and visitors.
• Handle administrative and reception duties in line with NHS procedures.
• Work flexibly across multiple sites as required.

Skills

Customer Service

Communication

IT Skills

Organisational Skills

Education

GCSE English and Maths

NVQ in Customer Service

Tools

Microsoft Office

EMIS System

Job description

We are currently looking for enthusiastic, customer focused Patient Advisors to join our friendly team working on reception and in our phone room. This is a vital role and requires strong customer service skills. Previous NHS experience is not necessary, but you should have a real interest in being part of team working to improve patient outcomes.

This vacancy is to recruit a number of Patient Advisors. Both full time and part time positions are available. The working hours for these roles will be between 7.30am 8pm Monday Thursday and 7.30am6.30pm Fridays on a rota system. We operate out of 5 sites across Morecambe and as a Patient Advisor whilst you will have one site identified as your main site, you may be asked to work in any of these. You will also be rota'd to work some of your shifts in the phone room at West End.

We are keen to hear from you if you enjoy providing outstanding customer service, and have excellent communication and IT skills. We are looking for a flexible approach and good team work.

We offer an excellent in depth training plan over a number of weeks.

Interview date week commencing 28th July 2025.

Main duties of the job

Act as an ambassador for the Practice, presenting apositive and welcoming image to patients, visitors.

Be the first point of contact for allpatients/visitors attending or contacting the Practice via telephone andonline.

Work as part of the Practice team and provide a keypoint of contact for communication between all patients, members of the primaryhealth care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare professionals,voluntary services, and outside agencies.

Work in line with our established processes, policies, and procedures toprovide a comprehensive high-quality service.

Responsible for the general administrative duties and reception dutieswithin the Practice.

About us

Bay Medical Group is proud to be the general practice serving the population of Morecambe and Heysham. We operate out of 5 sites and deliver general medical services to c54,000 patients.

We are fortunate to be a single at scale provider in a distinct geographical area and as such have an establish Primary Care Network (PCN) for Morecambe and Heysham, with Bay Medical Group as the only Practice in the PCN,

Employees at BMG benefit from:

• A comprehensive induction which introduces you to Bay Medical Group, how we work and our wonderful staff.
• The opportunity to develop within the Practice.
• 25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days (exclusive of public holidays)
• Occupational Sick Pay scheme after one year.
• Access to NHS Pension, Discount and Cycle to Work schemes.
• Regular wellbeing events such as away days and social outings.

For further information about the benefits of working for us visit https://www.baymedicalgroup.co.uk/benefits

Bay Medical Group - for happier, healthier people

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

Job responsibilities

Act as an ambassador for the Practice, presenting a positive and welcoming image to patients, visitors.

Be the first point of contact for all patients/visitors attending or contacting the Practice via telephone and online.

Work as part of the Practice team and provide a key point of contact for communication between all patients, members of the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare professionals, voluntary services, and outside agencies.

Work in line with our established processes, policies, and procedures to provide a comprehensive high-quality service.

Responsible for the general administrative duties and reception duties within the Practice.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST

The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the Patient Advisor Team may include any or all the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the Practice Operations Manager, dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels:

• Acknowledge all patients on arrival in a friendly and welcoming manner, signpost to appropriate services and support with access to appointments within general practice/other service providers.
• Clear, concise, and effective communication with patients/carers, recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background, and preferred ways of communicating.
• Respond to all contact, queries, and requests from patients/visitors either via reception desk, telephone, or online in a timely, courteous, and professional manner. Ensure confidentiality is always upheld, information provided to the patient as advised by the clinician.
• Be available, logged on and ready at the beginning of each shift desk/phone room.
• Action daily checklists/procedures, including safe removal of clinical waste from rooms, restocking rooms/reception area.
• Knowledge of infection prevention control safe cleaning of spills/accidents, which may include bodily fluids.
• Act as a chaperone at the request of the clinician and/or patient.
• Be aware of clinics on site cancel clinics/rearrange appointments, monitor clinics running late and inform patients.
• Knowledge of private services offered and take payments for these.
• Task workload complete Practice urgent/routine tasks, and own tasks.
• Deal with medication queries including processing prescription requests, liaising with medicines management team with script queries, sign out paper prescriptions to patient/chemist collections, ensure patient Electronic Prescribing Service (EPS) nominations are up to date.
• Liaise with different service providers around patient care ambulance service in emergency situations, District Nurses, Health Visitors, Maternity, and various other service providers.
• Move sites where staffing levels require this.
• Ability to work under pressure and react effectively to emergency situations.
• Report incidents using the Practices Incident reporting System.

IT

• Good working knowledge of Microsoft office, Outlook, and Teams.
• Process/record data on Practice IT systems in accordance with Practice procedures, in line with confidentiality policies.
• Read and action Outlook emails/MS Teams communications daily including weekly briefs and daily updates.
• Report any problems with phone/IT systems to Line Manager/IT Department/Service Desk.

Appointment Booking

• Total familiarity with the Practices various appointment booking systems, follow appointment booking protocols.
• Liaise with various teams in booking specialist appointments e.g. steroid injections, long term conditions, medicals, minor surgery.
• Assist in assigning and actioning AccuRx medical/admin inboxes, booking patient appointments as directed by the Clinical Assessment Team (CAT).
• Ensure Urgent Care Protocols are referred to as required by management/CAT Team; liaise with UC or Site Manager/CAT Team if unsure.
• Communicate effectively with team members.
• Understand own role and scope and identify how this may develop over time.
• Provide detailed handover to colleagues taking over your shift.
• Provide training and support to new Patient Advisor colleagues joining the team.
• Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working.
• Participate in and support local projects as agreed with the practice management team.
• Participate in team activities/learning events to improve skills and knowledge, and patient care.

Building Security

• Ensure all doors to the building, all windows and our rooms are closed and locked at the end of each working day. Report building issues to the Site Manager.
• Alarm to be set when you are the last members of the Practice to leave the building.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Good level of education
• GCSE English and Maths
• NVQ in Customer Service or prepared to undertake NVQ

Skills

• Confident working with people face to face and over the telephone
• Keyboard skills for regular use of computer systems
• Organisational skills
• Accuracy
• Mentally and emotionally able to deal with the demands of the role e.g. distressed patients/ pressurised environment
• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Use of EMIS system

Characteristics

• Focussed on delivering a quality service
• Understanding of confidentiality.
• Confident with delegated responsibility.
• Physically able to undertake responsibilities of the role
• Presentable and tidy appearance

Experience

• Proficient in use of Microsoft Word, Outlook
• Operating as part of a team
• Working in a Primary Care setting.
• Customer Service

Other

• Reliable transport
• Flexible to work across sites and early mornings/ evenings in line with business needs

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.

£24,070 to £24,539 a yearsalary shown is pro rata based on 37.5 hours per week.