Receptionist - ED/UCC/Minor Injuries

EAST LANCASHIRE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare organization in the United Kingdom is seeking a Receptionist to provide a customer-oriented service in the emergency department. The role involves managing patient records, liaising with healthcare professionals, and assisting patients with compassion. Ideal candidates will have good customer care experience, a solid understanding of medical terminology, and the ability to handle confidential information. This full-time position offers opportunities for growth within a supportive team environment.

Benefits

Training and development opportunities

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Experience of using Microsoft Office for 2 years.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Experience in liaising with healthcare professionals.

Responsibilities

• Navigate and streamline patients presenting with illness or injury.
• Create and maintain patient records and ensure accurate data entry.
• Liaise with triage nurses and healthcare staff regarding patient concerns.

Skills

Customer/patient care experience

Ability to work as part of a team

Good understanding of medical terminology

Education

GCSE Grade C or equivalent in English Language

NVQ 3 or equivalent knowledge

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Summary

The post holder will work as a member of a team of Receptionists providing a customer‑oriented reception service to the public and an administrative service to the clinical team in a busy, fast‑paced emergency department environment.

Responsibilities

1. Navigate and streamline patients presenting with illness or injury to the appropriate service.
2. Create and maintain highly sensitive and confidential UCC/ED/MIU Record Cards for all patients, retrieve cards and oversee the efficient operation of the unit’s filing system.
3. Ensure accurate recording of patient demographics and personal details onto Cerner in accordance with departmental procedures and print record cards to relevant stations for nursing staff.
4. Print wristbands when booking patients into the department.
5. Photocopy patient records for other health care professionals as per child protection guidelines.
6. Scan/email confidential patient records to various departments.
7. Implement manual procedures if there is a system failure and report any faults to the IT department.
8. Schedule, prepare and notify appointments for clinics, including daily dressing clinics, fracture clinics, ENT, eye, TIA, urology and acute medicine clinics, and prepare patient records for relevant clinics.
9. Register and arrive patients on the Cerner system when they arrive for daily dressing clinics.
10. Cancel and rebook appointments liaison with patients.
11. Liaise with triage nurses and nursing staff when appropriate, informing them of any patient giving them cause for concern.
12. Maintain a good understanding of medical terminology.
13. Liaise with other health care professionals on site and at other hospitals to arrange appropriate patient appointments.
14. Complete relevant paperwork, obtain x‑rays if necessary, and other appropriate documentation.
15. Record, collate and calculate daily, weekly, monthly statistics and fax/photocopy to relevant departments.
16. Copy and prepare patient records for solicitors, retrieve and photocopy relevant information and complete necessary paperwork.
17. Enter patient episodes onto the Datix system.
18. Responsible for the out‑of‑hours crash bleep to open the emergency doors upon instruction from the switchboard.
19. Responsible for monitoring and admitting ambulance crews upon arrival with patients.
20. Maintain a manual register for patient tracking.
21. Check the national CPIS system (Child Protection Information Sharing System) for every child up to the age of 18 who attends the department and inform nursing staff of any alerts.
22. Prep and scan every ECG upon discharge to the windip system and retrieve notes when requested by clinicians.
23. Deal with general enquiries in a sensitive, emphatic manner.
24. Communicate with the general public where there may be barriers, e.g., hard of hearing, elderly, people with learning disabilities and those whose first language is not English.
25. Communicate with tact and diplomacy in situations where people may be upset, angry or injured.
26. Diffuse conflict or confrontational/stressful situations and adhere to the complaints procedure.
27. Arrange when necessary an interpreter/translator for patients who require communication assistance.
28. Direct the general public and patients to appropriate departments.
29. Deal with general telephone enquiries from staff, patients and the general public.
30. Supply general information to the public and patients relating to various departments and agencies.

Essential Qualifications

• GCSE Grade C or equivalent level of skills in English Language
• ECDL or experience of using Microsoft Office, usually 2 years
• NVQ 3 or equivalent knowledge
• Good understanding of medical terminology
• Customer/patient care experience
• Ability to work as part of a team

Desirable Qualifications

• Customer Service/Care, extensive clerical experience
• Preferably NHS experience or customer care
• Experience using patient admin systems
• Experience using systems to track and trace patients, excellent keyboard/computer skills
• Proven communication and high standards of neat and accurate documentation
• Ability to understand, absorb and comply with detailed procedures
• Ability to keep calm in difficult situations
• Ability to prioritise workload and work towards deadlines
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to work without supervision
• Ability to work with people at all levels within the organisation/professions
• Awareness of diverse cultural needs
• Understanding of confidentiality issues
• Ability to deal sympathetically and sensitively with people
• Knowledge about national and local A&E targets
• Actively seeks to develop own knowledge, skills and abilities, passionate and motivated
• Flexibility in approach to work and the changing needs of the department
• Willingness to undergo further training
• Ability to provide reasonable cover and flexibility in relation to cross‑site working and hours worked
• Car user

Application Details

• Please note that the salary advertised is for full‑time hours. If this post is less than 37.5 hours per week, the salary will be pro‑rata.
• This vacancy may close before the closing date if the recruiting manager deems sufficient applications have been received. Therefore it is advised to complete your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
• Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply regularly, as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.
• Please note that short‑listing is completed anonymously with candidates being assessed against the essential criteria for the post. Therefore only applicants who can clearly demonstrate how they meet our person specification criteria in their application will be short‑listed.
• Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS): if the role you are applying for is identified as controlled or regulated activity as defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006), any offer of employment is provisional upon a satisfactory DBS check being obtained. The healthcare sector is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. In line with other NHS organisations in the North West Region, the Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Candidates can choose whether to pay this over 1–3 months as a deduction from the monthly salary. However, if you are applying for a post as a BANK worker, the payment must be made in full at the time of employment checks. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed. The cost of an Enhanced Disclosure will be £55.38 and for a Standard Disclosure will be £27.38.

Equal Opportunities Statement

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to improving the working lives of our staff and operates a ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background. We especially welcome applications from members of our BAME communities, as we have identified that ELHT has an under‑representation of BAME employees. Appointments will be made on merit.

Trust Information

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.

Benefits

We offer a supportive, enthusiastic and motivated team environment, with opportunities for training and development, a 24‑hour operating service, and coverage for sickness/absence and bank holidays as required.