Receptionist Hereford Road Surgery

GP Practice in Wales; Abergavenny; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hereford Road Surgery in Abergavenny, Wales, is seeking an administrative/ reception assistant to support day-to-day operations. You will greet patients, handle telephone inquiries, process registrations and appointments, and assist clinical staff as needed.

Key duties include data entry, filing, mail distribution, and maintaining a tidy reception area. The role emphasizes patient confidentiality, teamwork, and a customer-focused approach within a GP practice setting.

Qualifications

• Experience in a customer facing or public service role with strong interpersonal skills.
• Previous experience working in a GP practice, NHS setting, or healthcare environment.
• Familiarity with GP clinical IT systems such as EMIS Web or SystmOne.
• Experience processing repeat prescriptions, patient registrations, or clinical coding.

Responsibilities

• Offer general assistance to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone.
• Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way.
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the practice including the provision of clerical support to clinical staff and other members of the practice team.
• Facilitate effective communication between patients, members the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Customer facing

Communication

Teamwork

IT literacy

Education

GCSEs English and Maths

NVQ/Diploma Level 2 in Customer Service, Administration, or Health & Social Care

Care Navigation or triage training certification

Tools

EMIS Web

SystmOne

Job description

Offer general assistance to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone

Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way

Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the practice including the provision of clerical support to clinical staff and other members of the practice team

Facilitate effective communication between patients, members the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies

Main duties of the job

The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the practice administration team may include any or all the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the lead 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

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

Processing patient registrations

Processing and distributing incoming (and outgoing) mail

Taking messages and passing on information

Filing and retrieving paperwork

Computer data entry, data allocation and collation; processing and recording information in accordance with practice procedures

Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team member and associated healthcare agencies and providers

Preparing and clearing clinical rooms

Providing clerical assistance to practice staff as required from time to time, including word/data processing, filing, photocopying, scanning and summarising

About us

The Surgery is situated conveniently near the centre of Abergavenny, adjacent to the market. There is adequate parking for twenty cars around the building including an accessible parking bay. There are currently six GPs, supported by a team of nurses and health care assistants. The Surgery offers a full general practice service and runs specialist clinics for children and pregnant women, diabetes and asthma sufferers and for patients needing minor surgery. We also offer an on-site dispensing service. At Hereford Road Surgery we aim to treat all our patients promptly, courteously and in complete confidence. The Surgery is staffed by a full complement of receptionists, dispensary and administrative personnel whose aim is to provide the best possible service in a friendly and efficient manner.

Please visit Practice website

Job responsibilities

The purpose of the role is to

Offer general assistance to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone

Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way

Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the practice including the provision of clerical support to clinical staff and other members of the practice team

Facilitate effective communication between patients, members the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies

Duties and responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the practice administration team may include any or all the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the lead 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

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

Processing patient registrations

Processing and distributing incoming (and outgoing) mail

Taking messages and passing on information

Filing and retrieving paperwork

Computer data entry/data allocation and collation; processing and recording information in accordance with practice procedures

Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team member and associated healthcare agencies and providers

Preparing and clearing clinical rooms

Providing clerical assistance to practice staff as required from time to time, including word/data processing, filing, photocopying, scanning and summarising

Keeping the reception area, noticeboards and leaflet dispensers tidy and free from obstructions and clutter

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 job holders role

Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)

Equality and diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation

Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues

Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development

Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk

Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision

Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance

Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs

Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

Communicate effectively with other team members

Communicate effectively with patients and carers

Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the implementation of services

The post-holder will

Apply practice policies, standards and guidance

Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work

Participate in audit where appropriate

Experience

• Experience in a customer facing or public service role with strong interpersonal skills.
• Previous experience working in a GP practice, NHS setting, or healthcare environment.
• Familiarity with GP clinical IT systems such as EMIS Web or SystmOne.
• Experience processing repeat prescriptions, patient registrations, or clinical coding.

ADDITIONAL CRITERIA

• Communication Clear, articulate speech, active listening, and the ability to deal with patients empathetically including distressed, anxious, or angry callers.
• Confidentiality & Data Protection Strict understanding and respect for patient confidentiality, GDPR, and medical data security.
• Teamwork & Independence:Ability to work well autonomously (e.g., front desk/opening duties) as well as part of a multi-disciplinary primary care team.
• IT & Numeracy Accurate data entry, ability to navigate multi tasking software, and basic numerical skills.
• Organisation Ability to prioritise a heavy workload, manage competing demands, and work under pressure in a fast paced environment.

Qualifications

• GCSEs or equivalent in English and Mathematics at Grade C - 4 or above.
• Basic IT literacy and confidence using computers and office software.
• NVQ/Diploma Level 2 in Customer Service, Administration, or Health & Social Care.
• Care Navigation or triage training certification.

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.