Receptionist / Care Navigator

NHS; Colchester; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

A healthcare provider is seeking a part-time receptionist in Colchester to ensure smooth daily practice operations. The role involves managing phone inquiries, booking patient appointments, and liaising with clinical staff. Candidates should have a strong customer service background and excellent communication skills. Flexibility in hours is required, and experience with EMIS is a plus. Benefits include generous leave and support during challenging times.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Flexible and family-friendly working

Support during difficult times

Qualifications

• Experience providing customer service is essential.
• Strong IT skills are necessary for computer systems.
• Good communication skills in writing and speech are required.

Responsibilities

• Answer the telephone in a polite and professional manner.
• Book appointments and manage the appointment system.
• Liaise professionally with clinical and admin staff.

Skills

Customer service experience

Strong IT skills

Excellent communication skills

Friendly and positive approach

Experience with EMIS (desirable)

Education

Good standard of education including Maths and English

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and pro-active part-time receptionist to join the team based at Mersea Island Medical Practice. Our GPs, nurses and clinical teams don't exist in isolation. For effective patient care we need a strong and supportive administration team, who keep each branch operating at its best and most efficient.

The role of a receptionist is critical to the smooth day to day running of the practice, and the focus is on supporting patients to access the appointment most suited to their needs and responding to all queries in a timely manner.

Main duties of the job

• Answer the telephone in a polite and professional manner.
• Receive and make calls as required. Take messages as appropriate.
• Efficient use of the appointment system, booking appropriate clinicians including Extended Access (EA) appointments.
• Record sufficient and accurate information.
• Liaise professionally between clinical, admin staff, patients, and other agencies to carry out appropriate tasks.
• Completing tasks in a timely manner, accurately and ensuring actions are communicated between patients and other agencies.
• Action prescription requests accurately, timely and in line with current policy
• Provide results to patients on request of Clinicians as indicated on tasks and email, giving basic information with no elaboration.
• Ensure that new Registrations are dealt with in a timely manner and that all information entered onto the Clinical system is accurate.
• Liaise with the Advance Nurse Practitioner (ANP) and care homes regarding ward rounds.
• Respond to all queries and requests for assistance escalating to senior team members to reduce the risk of incidents and complaints
• Enter requests for home visits and late calls onto the computer including all relevant information and where necessary refer to the duty Doctor
• Ensure reception and waiting areas are kept tidy and free of debris. Reporting all health and safety issues to an appropriate member of staff.

This list is not exhaustive and may be subject to change at request of the Operations Manager and GP Partners.

About us

The Colte Partnership is a GP super-partnership, formed in June 2017. It brought together 8 local GP surgeries across Colchester and Tendring, serving approx. 80,000 patients. With the combined workforce, skills and knowledge, we are in a unique position to assist our patients across the county. We pride ourselves on working to be at the forefront of Primary Care in our region and have many exciting ventures on the horizon.

Each of our branches has its own character, and family friendly ethos, which is why our patients love coming to us (and tell us so in our regular patient surveys). However, being a large partnership means we can offer so much more than a local branch can by itself with specialist clinics, social prescribing and innovative support such as regular dementia cafes.

We strive to look after our employees as well, with generous annual leave, flexible and family friendly working, and support during difficult times such as free counselling.

Job responsibilities

Ifyou would like to find out more information about this role, please do nothesitate to get in contact with us.

Person Specification

Experience

• A good standard of education including Maths and English
• Have experience of working and providing customer services
• Strong IT skills and be able to use computer based systems
• Excellent communication skills both written and orally, and have good social skills
• Have a friendly and positive approach towards patients and other visitors either in person or over the telephone
• Some flexibility is required, as you will sometimes need to work additional or alternative hours to cover for colleagues.
• Experience of EMIS would be desirable, however full training will be given to a suitable candidate
• Ideally you will have reception experience and it would be beneficial if you have experience working within primary care, however this is not essential

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.