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NHS Jobs; Hetton-le-Hole; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Jobs is seeking an Office Manager to support the Practice Manager and GP Partners with the day-to-day operation of the medical practice. You will lead the reception and administration teams, manage patient services and complaints, and coordinate vaccination programmes to ensure a high-quality, patient-centred service.

You will oversee governance, information security, and staffing, while collaborating with clinicians and external partners to meet contractual objectives and ensure continuity

Qualifications

• Experience leading reception and administrative teams in a healthcare setting.
• Strong patient service skills, with formal complaint handling experience.
• Knowledge of NHS information governance and data protection requirements.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day reception and admin operations to ensure smooth running.
• Lead on patient complaints, feedback, and service improvements per NHS guidance.
• Manage medical records administration and information governance processes.
• Line manage reception staff; coordinate staffing, leave and rotas.
• Support vaccination programmes and seasonal immunisation activities.
• Coordinate governance activities and quality improvement projects.
• Maintain effective communications with clinicians, staff, and external partners.
• Deputise for the Practice Manager when required.

Skills

People management

Reception management

Customer service

Governance & compliance

Data protection

Job description

RESPONSIBLE TO: Practice Manager and GP Partners JOB PURPOSE: To support the Practice Manager and GP Partners in the effective operational management of the practice, ensuring efficient communication between staff, patients, and all members of the Primary Care Team. The Office Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management of reception and administrative services, ensuring the practice delivers a professional, efficient, responsive, and patient-centred service. The post holder will provide leadership to the reception and administration teams, oversee patient services, manage complaints, coordinate vaccination programmes, and support the practice in achieving its strategic and contractual objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Post

1. Reception and Administration Management

• Oversee the day-to-day operation of the reception and administration functions to ensure the smooth running of the practice.
• Ensure patient enquiries, requests, concerns, and complaints are handled efficiently, professionally, and courteously.
• Monitor and support reception staff in providing excellent customer service.
• Ensure filing, scanning, record keeping, workflow management, and document distribution are undertaken promptly and accurately.
• Ensure reception and office areas are maintained to a high standard and remain clean, organised, and professional.
• Respond to queries and requests for assistance from patients, visitors, and external agencies.
• Support reception operations during periods of high demand where required.
• Oversee the practice telephone systems to ensure a prompt and efficient service is provided to patients
• Ensure appropriate out-of-hours answering messages are maintained and updated when required.
• Oversee the processing and distribution of correspondence, prescriptions, and clinical documentation.
• Update patient medication records following hospital correspondence where appropriate.
• Monitor administrative processes including referrals, hospital appointments, laboratory specimens, and document management.
• Maintain inventories and oversee ordering of office and reception supplies.
• Manage appointment systems and support effective utilisation of clinical capacity.
• Liaise closely with clinicians and management to ensure the smooth operational delivery of services.
• Coordinate the planning and delivery of seasonal vaccination campaigns and national immunisation programmes, including patient call and recall processes, clinic scheduling, staffing arrangements, room allocation, vaccine stock monitoring, uptake reporting, and liaison with the Primary Care Network and external stakeholders.
• Provide operational support to the reception team and undertake reception duties where required to maintain service delivery during periods of annual leave, sickness absence, high demand, or unforeseen staffing pressures.
• Maintain competency in all reception processes and systems to enable effective support and business continuity.
• Act as a role model for reception staff, demonstrating high standards of customer service, professionalism, and patient care.

2. Patient Services and Complaints Management

• Lead on the management and resolution of patient complaints, concerns, feedback, and compliments in accordance with NHS guidance and practice procedures.
• Monitor complaint trends and patient feedback, implementing actions and service improvements where required.
• Maintain accurate complaint records and provide reports to the Practice Manager and GP Partners.
• Support patient engagement initiatives, including the Patient Participation Group (PPG), and promote a culture of openness, learning, and continuous improvement.
• Liaise with external agencies, NHS organisations, and advocacy services where appropriate

3. Medical Records and Information Governance

• Ensure the effective administration and management of patient medical records.
• Oversee the timely registration and deduction of patients through relevant NHS systems.
• Ensure all incoming and outgoing correspondence is processed appropriately.
• Manage the receipt, distribution, and secure handling of confidential information
• Ensure compliance with Data Protection legislation, Information Governance requirements, and practice policies.
• Support the practice Caldicott Guardian function where delegated.
• Promote confidentiality and information security throughout the practice.

4. Human Resources and Workforce Management

• Line manage reception and administrative staff.
• Ensure adequate staffing levels and effective rota management at all times.
• Manage annual leave requests, sickness absence, welfare reviews, and return-to-work meetings.
• Undertake workload analysis and workforce planning to ensure effective utilisation of staff resources.
• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings and annual appraisals.
• Identify training, development, and succession planning opportunities.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, induction, and retention of staff.
• Facilitate training opportunities and promote staff wellbeing and professional development.
• Support disciplinary, capability, and grievance processes in conjunction with the Practice Manager.

5. Governance, Compliance and Quality Improvement

• Lead and support Clinical Governance activities within the practice.
• Support compliance with CQC requirements and quality standards.
• Coordinate the review and implementation of practice policies and procedures.
• Lead and advise on safeguarding and child protection processes within the practice.
• Support audits, quality improvement projects, and service reviews.
• Ensure actions arising from meetings, inspections, audits, and governance reviews are completed.
• Monitor compliance with mandatory training requirements and support systems that improve patient safety and service quality

6. Health and Safety

• Work with the Practice Manager to ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation.
• Coordinate and review risk assessments.
• Support infection prevention and control processes.
• Ensure staff are aware of their Health and Safety responsibilities.
• Promote a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors.

7. Communication and Partnership Working

• Attend and actively participate in management and practice meetings.
• Prepare reports and operational updates as required.
• Liaise with NHS organisations, the ICB, PCN, Sunderland LMC, secondary care providers, and external agencies as appropriate.
• Support practice communications including newsletters, patient information, website updates, and service announcements.
• Maintain effective working relationships with all members of the Primary Care Team.

8. Other Responsibilities

• Deputise for the Practice Manager when neccessary
• Support the delivery of practice objectives, service developments, and business planning activities.
• Undertake delegated management responsibilities as required.
• Complete actions arising from practice, locality, and multidisciplinary meetings.

Confidentiality

In the course of your work, you will have access to confidential information relating to patients, staff, and the business of the practice. All such information must be treated in the strictest confidence and must not be disclosed to any unauthorised person. Failure to maintain confidentiality or misuse of personal information will be treated as a serious disciplinary matter and may result in dismissal.

Other Duties

The duties and responsibilities outlined above are not intended to be exhaustive. The post holder may be required to undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade and nature of the post as reasonably requested by the Practice Manager or GP Partners.