Receptionist & Admininstrative Support

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting two Receptionist/Administrator roles within the Therapy Services at Southmead Hospital. The positions are patient-facing, requiring excellent interpersonal skills, ability to manage appointments, book clinics, handle enquiries and maintain confidential records in a fast-paced NHS environment.

We value reliability, flexibility and teamwork; previous hospital or clerical experience is desirable.

Qualifications

• GCSE or equivalent educational level required.
• IT literate with data entry and patient administration system experience.
• Competent keyboard skills with accuracy and speed.
• Experience in general office administration or NHS-like environment desirable.
• Good customer care skills and ability to work in a team.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional and friendly reception service to patients and visitors.
• Manage appointments, clinic bookings and patient enquiries.
• Support administrative processes including data entry and record management.
• Liaise with clinical and administrative staff to ensure smooth service delivery.
• Adhere to Trust procedures and maintain confidentiality and safety.

Skills

GCSE or equivalent

IT literate

Keyboard skills

Customer service

Team player

Education

GCSE or equivalent

Tools

Careflow

Job description

Education/Training/Qualifications

Essential criteria

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content‑based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job Overview

The Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy teams at Southmead Hospital are looking to recruit two receptionists who will also provide administrative support to the services. This is a fast‑paced, varied and exciting environment ideally suited to individuals who are organised, efficient and have excellent interpersonal skills.

We are looking for bright and friendly individuals who are adaptable and able to manage their own workload effectively. You should be calm, well‑motivated, and demonstrate a positive and flexible approach to a challenging and varied working environment. Excellent communication skills are essential for these roles.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys delivering excellent customer service and being the first point of contact for patients attending our department.

Previous experience of working within a hospital setting or in a clerical or receptionist role is desirable. If you are looking to become part of a diverse, dynamic and committed healthcare team, this could be the opportunity for you.

Main duties of the job

As a Receptionist/Administrator Your Key Responsibilities Will Include

• Providing a professional and friendly reception service for patients and visitors.
• Managing appointments, clinic bookings and patient enquiries.
• Supporting administrative processes including data entry and record management.
• Liaising with clinical and administrative staff to ensure smooth service delivery.
• Ensuring accurate and timely use of Trust systems.

You will be expected to work flexibly and manage your workload effectively ensuring a high standard of service is maintained at all times.

Working for our organisation

You will be joining a diverse, supportive and committed team within Therapy Services at Southmead Hospital. Our teams are dedicated to delivering high‑quality patient care and continuously improving the services we provide.

We value teamwork, respect, and a positive working environment, and we are committed to supporting staff wellbeing and development.

North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award‑winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.

North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti‑discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated individuals who:

• Are organised, efficient and able to prioritise their workload
• Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Demonstrate a calm, professional, and friendly manner
• Are adaptable and able to respond to a changing work environment
• Bring a positive, flexible, and proactive approach to their work

Previous experience working in a healthcare setting or in a reception/administrative role is desirable, but not essential.

Full Job Roles And Description As Follows

• To welcome patients, carers and visitors to the department.
• To be polite and friendly, dealing with queries in an efficient and timely manner.
• To ensure patient information is kept confidential and not shared with others.
• To respond to queries from patients, carers, visitors and staff.
• To maintain a safe environment for patients and staff, raising concerns promptly.
• To keep patients informed if clinics are overrunning.
• To liaise with and alert a clinician in the event of a patient becoming unwell and requiring prompt/immediate attention.
• To oversee patients awaiting transport and liaise with the transport department in relation to patients still waiting.
• To take and action internal calls on the reception desk.
• To follow and adhere to Trust Standard Operating Procedures and Quick Reference Guides (QRGs).
• To follow procedure for patients that do not attend (DNA) their appointment and ensure the necessary actions have been carried out on the day.
• To book follow up appointments as patients leave the department.
• To ensure patient essential information is checked and updated at each visit, eg. telephone contacts, ethnicity etc.
• If required to generate a letter for patient once appointment has been scheduled.
• To carry out the administratively element of the appointment outcome in a timely manner meeting the required key performance indicators.

Admin Support

• To process patient referrals received including transferring referrals to other service providers and other departments.
• To respond promptly to short‑notice clinic cancellations ensuring all patients are promptly contacted by telephone and verbally informed of the clinic cancellation before rescheduling their appointment.
• Retrospective booking of clinics appointments to ensure all patient attendances are recorded appropriately on Careflow.
• Adding patients to a waiting list where necessary offering appointment dates within agreed timescales as per Patient Access Policy ensuring patients are managed chronologically or according to priority of referral (urgent and routine).
• To deal with enquiries from all service users in a helpful, courteous and diplomatic manner.
• Photocopying, filing and other administrative duties to ensure the efficient running of the office as well as being flexible in terms of ad‑hoc administrative tasks requirements.
• EDMS uploading as required.
• Ensure that patients are offered the first available date considering previously cancelled appointments with multiple patient cancellations being flagged to treating clinician for clinical validation.
• Notifying patents of their booked appointment date and time verbally by telephone (ie when booking into a last‑minute slot).
• Ensuring appropriate paperwork is sent to patients in a timely manner relevant to group bookings.
• To be flexible to alter shifts to support cover and duties due to annual leave/sickness where possible.
• Provide cover for colleagues across the specialty during periods of planned annual leave and sickness.
• Promptly answer telephone enquiries, taking and relaying messages in a polite and helpful manner. This may include enquiries from patients, their GPs and other departments/hospitals.
• Maintain a high quality in own work and encourage others to do so.
• To assist with the training needs of new staff starters.
• Contribute to own personal development and assist with learning and development activities.
• Be aware of the needs and concerns of patients and to provide a friendly, efficient service to patients. Use effective listening and communication skills when dealing with potentially distressed patients. Use empathetic approach to patients seeking assistance from clinical staff/senior managers as appropriate.
• To undertake additional administrative tasks and responsibilities as required by the B4 team leader and/or Specialty Manager.

Person specification

Education/Training/Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to GCSE or equivalent
• IT literate with experience of inputting data or using a patient administration system.
• Competent keyboard skills essentially accuracy and speed.

Work Experience

Essential criteria

• Experienced of general office administration and clerical duties within or outside of the NHS or similar organisation.
• Experience of working as part of a team in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Ability to demonstrate good customer care skills both face to face and over the telephone.

Desirable criteria

• Understand outpatient booking processes and/or a fundamental understanding of the NHS.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Essential criteria

• Good verbal and written communication skills with the ability to investigate queries, taking action as required.
• Able to develop good / strong working relationships amongst team, colleagues and staff.
• Able to deal with day‑to‑day duties and tasks in a calm, organised, and flexible approach to meet the needs of the service.
• The ability to work to tight deadlines in a bustling department.

Personal Qualities/Special Circumstances

Essential criteria

• Able to work with regular interruptions and multiple service users.
• Able to work independently as well as part of a wider team.
• Work with confidence and sympathy when dealing with patients, carers and visitors.
• Advanced communication skills with a professional manner.
• Excellent timekeeping and attendance record.
• Able to deal with all levels of multidisciplinary staff groups.

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

• As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e‑mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

Important

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work‑related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.