Referrals Administrator/Receptionist

NHS; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the UK is looking for a Referrals Administrator/Receptionist to manage patient referrals and provide comprehensive administrative support. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication and organizational skills, experience in a high-volume call environment, and must be confident in Microsoft Office applications. This is a critical role that requires maintaining confidentiality and attention to detail while liaising with patients and healthcare professionals.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Supportive work culture

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a busy high volume call environment.
• Ability to manage patient referrals accurately.
• Experience working within the NHS is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support for the SCD Service.
• Process patient referrals using the bespoke referral system.
• Answer general queries using own initiative.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Advanced keyboard skills

Customer care experience

Attention to detail

Education

GCSE English and maths grade C and above or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Dentally software

Job description

Referrals Administrator/Receptionist

The closing date is 25 January 2026

Your role will primarily be to manage patient referrals into the service while providing comprehensive administrative and reception support to the wider clinical and management team.

You will need to possess excellent organisational skills and must have the ability to work unaided and under your own initiative without direct supervision.

The Dental Service provides a wide range of treatments to a diverse group of people. You must possess excellent communication and people skills as some patients may present with complex/special needs.

Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 15th January 2026.

Main duties of the job

Administrative support for the SCD Service. The post holder will need to have excellent attention to detail due to the accuracy required for inputting confidential patient data.

Answer the SCD phoneline during open hours.

Process SCD referrals using the bespoke referral system.

Deal with day-to-day queries using own initiative to resolve issues within guidelines.

Input and update data.

Maintain filing and a retrieving system for earlier files.

Handle inquiries from the general public, members of the dental and medical profession and other disciplines within the NHS. Liaise between the service and other departments within the Trust.

Using initiative with regard to referrals received from General Dental Practitioners. Forwarding referrals to the appropriate clinic, or where appropriate, issuing of booking, compiling referral letters and liaising with the dentists/oral surgeons. Ensuring all the appropriate information and case notes are available.

About us

Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.

There's one reason why our services are outstanding – and that's our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.

If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.

Job responsibilities

Administrative support for the SCD Service. The post holder will need to have excellent attention to detail due to the accuracy required for inputting confidential patient data.

Must be confident in the use of Microsoft Office applications including Word and Excel.

Answer the SCD phoneline during open hours. Process SCD referrals using the bespoke referral system.

Deal with day-to-day queries using own initiative to resolve issues within guidelines.

Input and update data. The ability to prioritise and organise own workload in an efficient and accurate manner. Good organisational skills and able to pay particular attention to detail.

Maintain filing and a retrieving system for earlier files.

Handle inquiries from the general public, members of the dental and medical profession and other disciplines within the NHS. Liaise between the service and other departments within the Trust.

Using initiative with regard to referrals received from General Dental Practitioners. Forwarding referrals to the appropriate clinic, or where appropriate, issuing of booking, compiling referral letters and liaising with the dentists/oral surgeons. Ensuring all the appropriate information and case notes are available.

Communication:

Good written and oral communication skills are essential.

Liaise and communicate with work colleagues, patients, management teams and other healthcare professionals.

Possess good interpersonal skills, e.g. tact, sensitivity, ability to listen and to be assertive at times.

Keep accurate and complete records of data collected.

Ability to be discrete and maintain high levels of confidentiality.

Give appropriate advice when necessary, on the administration process.

Contribute to CCS internal communication strategies ensuring effective two-way communication and engagement within the organisation. Contribute to CCS external communication strategies working with the Head of Communications to raise awareness and promote the reputation of CCS services.

Patient and Public Engagement

To contribute to ensure that CCS responsibilities to engage and consult with patients and the public are met in line with statutory requirements.

People Management

Maintain own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal and the KSF process.

Clinical and Practice Governance

Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regard to any patient/family/staff/records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transported, faxed or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to CCS Information Governance and Information Security Policies.

The post holder must adhere to the CCS risk assessment and risk management processes.

The post holder must adhere to infection control policies and procedures. Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by Cambridgeshire Community Services, (CCS). The post holder must participate in audits as required.

Provide patients and their families /carers with information on standards they should expect from the team.

The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team.

All post holders must adhere to the code of conduct on confidentiality and be aware of and adhere to all Trust policies and procedures.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• GCSE, English and maths grade C and above or equivalent

Experience

• Post Holder must have a degree of experience in the field of Administration
• Experience of answering telephone calls in a busy high volume call environment
• Knowledge of Dentally software

Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent communication/interpersonal skills.
• Advanced keyboard skills, ability to communicate through IT systems using packages such as Word, Outlook and Excel.
• Customer care experience.
• Previous experience within the NHS.

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.

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust