Receptionist

NHS Jobs; Great Yarmouth; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 17,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Jobs is seeking a Receptionist to support health-service delivery in a UK general practice environment. The role focuses on accurate data handling in the clinical system, managing appointments, handling patient inquiries, and signposting to appropriate services.

The successful candidate will perform broad administrative tasks, support clinical staff, and contribute to governance, infection control, and safeguarding procedures, while maintaining standards of data privacy and security.

Responsibilities

• Accurately detail information on patients records within the clinical system
• Maintain and monitor the practice appointment system
• Process personal, telephone and e-requests for appointments
• Assist with total triage administration
• Answer incoming phone calls, transferring calls or dealing with callers requests appropriately
• Signpost patients to the correct service
• Initiate contact with and respond to requests from patients, team members and external agencies
• Photocopy documentation as required
• Enter data for new and temporary registrations and relevant patient information as required
• Input data into patients healthcare records as necessary
• Direct requests for information to the administrative team
• Manage all queries as necessary in an efficient manner
• Carry out system searches as requested
• Support all clinical staff with general administrative tasks as requested
• Undertake a broad spectrum of administrative duties commensurate with the role
• Be an integral part of the general practice team
• Act as a chaperone as required
• Be aware of duties and responsibilities under current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on safeguarding adults and children
• Support the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements
• Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes
• Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance
• Maintain a clean, tidy and effective working area at all times
• Attend a formal appraisal with the line manager at least every 12 months; progress against agreed performance and training objectives will be reviewed regularly so that new objectives can be agreed
• There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will depend on factors such as workload and staffing levels.

Job description

Primary key responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of a Receptionist in delivering health services:

• a. Accurately detail information on patients records within the clinical system
• b. Maintain and monitor the practice appointment system
• c. Process personal, telephone and e-requests for appointments
• d. Assist with total triage administration
• e. Answer incoming phone calls, transferring calls or dealing with callers requests appropriately
• f. Signpost patients to the correct service
• g. Initiate contact with and respond to requests from patients, team members and external agencies
• h. Photocopy documentation as required
• i. Enter data for new and temporary registrations and relevant patient information as required
• j. Input data into patients healthcare records as necessary
• k. Direct requests for information, including DSARs, insurance or solicitors letters and DVLA forms, to the administrative team
• l. Manage all queries as necessary in an efficient manner
• m. Carry out system searches as requested
• n. Support all clinical staff with general administrative tasks as requested
• o. Undertake a broad spectrum of administrative duties commensurate with the role
• p. Be an integral part of the general practice team
• q. Act as a chaperone as required
• r. Be aware of duties and responsibilities under current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on safeguarding adults and children
• s. Support the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements
• t. Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes
• u. Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance
• v. Maintain a clean, tidy and effective working area at all times
• w. Attend a formal appraisal with the line manager at least every 12 months; progress against agreed performance and training objectives will be reviewed regularly so that new objectives can be agreed

There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will depend on factors such as workload and staffing levels.

Wider responsibilities

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Receptionist has the following wider responsibilities:

• a. Support administrative staff, providing cover during staff absences
• b. Action incoming emails and correspondence as necessary
• c. Scan patient-related documentation and attach scanned documents to patients healthcare records
• d. Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care
• e. Support the management of repeat prescriptions, ensuring they are processed accurately and efficiently
• f. Support and participate in shared learning
• g. Welcome patients, manage arrivals, confirm demographic and contact details, and respond appropriately to reception and waiting-area enquiries
• h. Undertake care navigation using approved practice protocols, without providing clinical advice, and recognise and upscale urgent or concerning presentations promptly
• i. Respond professionally to concerns and difficult situations, use appropriate de-escalation techniques, and refer formal complaints in line with practice procedure
• j. Follow infection prevention and control guidance and practice procedures for suspected communicable diseases
• k. Understand and follow emergency, evacuation and business-continuity procedures and maintain required basic life-support training
• l. Comply with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, Caldicott principles and practice information-governance procedures, including appropriate identity verification before disclosing information
• m. Identify communication and accessibility needs, arrange interpreters where required, and support reasonable adjustments for disability, sensory loss or language barriers
• n. Support patients to use online services, including the NHS App and online access routes, and promote digital inclusion while offering appropriate alternatives
• o. Maintain accurate patient records, including contact details, preferred communication methods, consent information and reasonable-adjustment requirements
• p. Handle payments, receipts and private-service administration accurately where this forms part of practice procedures
• q. Complete opening and closing duties where rostered, ensuring reception areas, equipment, records and premises are appropriately secured
• r. Support vaccination clinics, recall programmes, screening activity and public-health campaigns as required
• s. Report significant events, near misses, safeguarding concerns, information breaches and other incidents promptly using practice procedures
• t. Follow lone-working and personal-safety procedures where applicable