Receptionist

South Reading and Shinfield Group Medical Practice; Reading; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-established NHS GP surgery in Reading is seeking a Receptionist to join their team. The successful candidate will manage appointments, handle patient inquiries, and ensure smooth operations during opening hours. Excellent customer service skills and a friendly demeanor are essential. While NHS GP experience is desirable, training for systems like EmisWeb will be provided. This role offers a flexible work schedule within opening hours, making it ideal for candidates who enjoy a dynamic work environment.

Qualifications

• Previous NHS GP Practice experience is desirable but not essential.
• Ability to cope with and manage change.
• Experience working in a busy environment.

Responsibilities

• Opening and locking up practice premises while maintaining security.
• Maintaining and monitoring the practice appointments system.
• Processing appointment requests by phone, email, and in person.

Skills

Good customer service skills

Friendly and approachable manner

Experience of working in a team

Good telephone manner

Computer literate

Adept at using own initiative

Tools

EmisWeb

Job description

Go back South Reading and Shinfield Group Medical Practice

Receptionist

The closing date is 02 January 2026

The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the practice reception team may include any or all of the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the senior receptionist/practice manager, dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels:

Opening up/locking-up of practice premises and maintaining security in accordance with Practice protocols

Maintaining and monitoring the practice appointments system

Processing personal, online and telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultations and ensuring callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional

Processing and distributing incoming (and outgoing) mail

This is a 37.5 hours position (Flexible pattern), and will be during our opening hours 07:45-18:30 Monday to Friday. We also offer extended hours on a Saturday 08:00-12:00.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will have and be able to demonstrate:

• Good customer service skills. Previous NHS GP Practice experience is desirable but not essential;
• Friendly and approachable manner;
• Experience of working in a team;
• Good telephone manner;
• Adept in using own initiative when working alone;
• Experience working in a busy environment;
• The ability to multitask and prioritise effectively whilst staying calm under pressure;
• Has a good understanding of confidentiality;
• Flexibility in working pattern and duties;
• Ability to cope with and manage change;
• Computer literate. EmisWeb familiarity is desirable but training will be provided.

About us

South Reading and Shinfield Group Medical Practice is a well-established NHS GP surgery in Reading, split across two sites, with approximately 12, 000 registered patients. We are a friendly, supportive, practice that has as a committed multi‑professional team. We currently use the Emis Web clinical system.

Job responsibilities

Administration

• To have a thorough knowledge of all practice procedures
• To work in accordance of written protocols
• Pulling/filing notes for surgeries and updating as necessary
• Filing post in medical records
• Email and photocopy as requested

Reception

• Receiving patients, consulting with members of practice team
• Handing completed repeat prescriptions to patient and checking names and address.
• Be able to cover all reception position as necessary

Appointments

• Process appointment requests for today/future appointments from patients by telephone, email and in person.
• Deal with visits/requests

Computer

• Process patients changes of address computer data and medical records (have knowledge of practice area)
• Process repeat prescription requests in accordance with practice guidelines

Telephone

• Have working knowledge of telephone system, during and after hours

Other Tasks

• Ensure building security have thorough knowledge of doors/windows/alarm
• Any other tasks allocated by managers

Confidentiality

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & Safety

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice health & safety policy, the practice health & safety manual, and the practice infection control policy and published procedures. This will include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
• Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general/patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the post holder's role
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Person Specification

— (No additional details provided)

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.

Employer name

South Reading and Shinfield Group Medical Practice