Receptionist Ophthalmology, KTC

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust; Kidderminster; On-site; GBP 24,000; Full time

Job description

Job Summary

This is a front line role within the heart of the Ophthalmology Unit at Kidderminster Treatment Centre. You will have direct contact with our patients, so if you have great communication skills, we would love for you to join our wonderful team.

Main duties of the job

You will meet and greet all patients arriving for their appointments, and administer their details on the bespoke hospital computer systems. The role will involve daily support to both admin and nursing teams, within Ophthalmology. You will be expected to manage outpatient waiting lists, book outpatient appointments, and manage patient telephone enquiries. Your duties will require communication with the public, and hospital staff at all levels.

About Us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester.

Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our Objectives Are Simple:

1. Best services for local people
2. Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients
3. Best use of resources
4. Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Date posted: 17 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 2

Salary: £23,615 a year

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 9 months

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: C9365-25-0354

Job locations:

Kidderminster General Hospital
Bewdley Road
Kidderminster
Worcestershire
DY116RJ

Job Description

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

The post holder will assist in the day to day running of the Ophthalmology Department. Their responsibilities will be varied but will include reception duties, completion of appointment outcomes, preparation of patient casenote packs for emergency and waiting list initiative clinics, adding patients to appropriate follow up waiting lists, data validation of follow up waiting lists, booking outpatient follow up appointments in line with clinical instruction, answering the telephone and other clerical duties as required.

Key and General Duties

1. To use the Patient Administration System Allscripts PAS.
2. To check and update patient demographics and book patients into an outpatient clinic on arrival and to input outcomes accurately.
3. Make follow up outpatient appointment or discharge patients on departure.
4. To be responsible for monitoring outpatient waiting lists.
5. Housekeeping of outpatient waiting lists.
6. Booking timely follow up appointments from waiting lists ensuring escalation to manager if booking issues occur due to capacity.
7. To respond to patient telephone or face to face complaints in the first instance seeking support and advice from the team leaders or nurses as appropriate.
8. To ensure that the nursing staff are aware of arrivals for clinics either by telephone, PAS system and CLIP or OpenEyes.
9. Ensure patient casenote packs are available for each patient as appropriate.
10. Using the information on the clinic outcome form or agreed protocols ensure that the outcome of the clinic attendance is recorded accurately and immediately on PAS.
11. To ensure that routine enquiries from patients about their appointments including those responses to SMS service such as postponing, cancelling or rearranging are all dealt with professionally and are actioned promptly in line with booking rules.
12. To ensure that Ambulance control and the porters are informed of any passengers awaiting transport or transfer and advise patients of how to book transport for their next visit.
13. To ensure that any unregistered new patients are correctly registered on the PAS system.
14. To ensure that an up to date clinic list is available for the clinical staff if required.
15. Liaise with clinical staff in outpatient clinics to ensure that a quality service is provided to patients and to ensure that nurses are kept fully informed of any general messages or issues regarding patient notes, appointments or patient concerns.
16. In exceptional circumstances where clinical staff are unable to arrive for the clinic support the appointments team and nurses with cancelling patients by telephone.
17. Ensure any walk in emergency patients that do not appear on your reception list are recorded immediately in PAS.
18. Ensure computer printer equipment and stationery is available and working effectively reporting any faults or problems to the supervisor and or IT.
19. Work flexibly within normal clinic hours to ensure that the clinic is covered at all times and never left unattended.
20. Notify the supervisor or line manager of any foreseen or unforeseen problems that will affect the smooth running of the department.
21. To train new staff how to carry out reception duties and the processes specifically required for the named reception area.
22. To undertake training to become familiar with and competent in current health records and departmental procedures and practices.
23. To provide an effective efficient courteous high quality patient access service. This will include recording data and maintaining data quality on manual and computerised systems in accordance with agreed policies and procedures.
24. To ensure all electronic paperwork is selected and prepared correctly and sent for scanning or uploaded within appropriate timescales.
25. To ensure that the patient administration system data is accurate and up to date including the correct coding information and patient demographics.
26. In liaison with the Directorate managers and clinicians ensure that clinic booking rules are up to date communicated and adhered to when dealing with referrals and making follow up appointments.
27. To liaise with the medical secretary, clinicians, directorate staff, GPs and administrative staff regarding referrals, bookings and waiting times.
28. When required, and in compliance with booking rules, book follow up appointments, where capacity allows, or if not, ensure patient is added to an appropriate outpatient waiting list, with clinical target date.
29. Regularly monitor and housekeep all relevant waiting lists to your area, taking necessary actions as appropriate.
30. To set up and maintain a work schedule that ensures all work is prioritised and delivered within the required timescales each week in particular during holiday periods when replacement cover is unlikely to be provided.
31. To ensure that all policies and procedures are adhered to and training undertaken where new policies and procedures are implemented in particular those for Health Records confidentiality and information security.
32. Carry out any other duties within the grade as requested by other members of your team, Operational Manager or Directorate Support Officer.

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential

• Good standard of secondary education including GCSE Maths and English.

Desirable

• Any recognised NVQ qualification.
• 5 GCE / GCSEs.

Personal Qualities Essential

• Good communication skills.
• Able to work under pressure.
• Polite manner.
• Flexible.
• Attention to detail.

Skills / Knowledge Essential

• Comprehensive knowledge of Trust PAS system Allscripts PAS.
• Knowledge of 18 week RTT rules and Trust Patient Access Policy.
• Knowledge of Appointment Booking.
• Knowledge of Patient Waiting Lists.
• Good communication skills including contact with general public.
• Comprehensive IT skills.
• Good telephone manner.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Must be well organised.
• Ability to prioritise workload effectively.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Trust electronic notes systems.
• Knowledge of Bluespier system.
• Knowledge of Open Eyes EPR.

Experience Essential

• Working within an administrative reception role.
• Working directly with the general public.
• Previous experience of electronic appointment booking.
• Previous experience of using patient waiting lists.

Desirable

• Comprehensive computer and keyboard skills.
• Previous experience of working in a hospital environment.
• Previous experience working in a customer service environment.

Employer details

Employer name: Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Address: Kidderminster General Hospital
Bewdley Road
Kidderminster
Worcestershire
DY116RJ

Employer's website: https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/