Triage Receptionist

The MWH Practice; Greater London; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Greater London is seeking a Medical Triage Receptionist to be the first point of contact for patients. Responsibilities include managing calls, assessing patient needs, scheduling appointments, and ensuring confidentiality. Candidates must demonstrate excellent communication skills, the ability to manage high call volumes, and empathy towards patients. The role requires multitasking and proficiency with patient management systems, ensuring safe access to care for all patients.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing patient interactions and appointments.
• Knowledge of GDPR and confidentiality requirements.
• Ability to gather sensitive information appropriately.

Responsibilities

• Manage incoming calls and assess patient needs.
• Schedule appointments and direct patients to the appropriate healthcare professional.
• Maintain confidentiality and manage records in accordance with relevant guidelines.

Skills

Excellent communication and active listening skills

Ability to remain calm under pressure

Strong organisational and multitasking ability

Understanding of confidentiality and safeguarding principles

Empathy and patience

Tools

Patient management systems

Basic IT tools

Job description

The Medical Triage Receptionist is the first point of contact for patients. They are responsible for managing incoming calls, assessing patient needs through triage protocols, scheduling appointments, and directing patients to the appropriate healthcare professional. The role ensures safe, efficient, and compassionate access to care.

Main duties of the job

Administration

• Monitor appointments
• Record all interactions
• Manage emails, workflow and post
• Maintain GDPR and confidentiality

Reception

• Answer calls, triage, gather correct information using system one
• Transport booking
• Triage and signpost
• Ability to stay calm under pressure
• Multitasking
• Empathy and understanding

About us

We are a hard working and collaborative team, we work together to provide the best possible care for patients across our two branches in Hounslow and in Southall. MWH's drive is to provide long lasting and well thoughtout care for our patients.

Job responsibilities

• Book, reschedule, and cancel appointments according to practice protocols.
• Record all interactions accurately Systmone using the Triage Template.
• Manage incoming emails, workflow, and post.
• Maintain confidentiality in line with GDPR.
• Answer incoming telephone calls promptly and professionally.
• Use established triage guidelines to assess patient needs and urgency.
• Gather accurate information on symptoms, concerns, and demographics.
• Direct patients to appropriate services with the doctor during triage time e.g., same-day GP, nurse, emergency services, or self‑care.
• Transport booking for housebound patients
• Stock intake and ordering supplies of pathologies
• Petty cash and income
• Friends and Family test monitoring
• Checking rooms at the end of clinics
• Chaperoning with appropriate training provided
• Assisting clinicians with procedures if required.
• Emergency drug ordering
• Deal with home visits requests
• Booking with the remote hub for PCN PCN FCP, Mental health nurse, ANP, clinical pharmacists, HCAs and GPs over the weekend.
• Registrations of new patients Systemone and GMS paper forms.
• Process patients change of address computer data and medical records have knowledge of practice area.
• Process repeat prescription request in accordance with practice guidelines.
• Other Admin related IT tasks

Communication & Coordination

• Liaise with clinical staff regarding urgent or high‑risk patients.
• Provide patients with clear instructions on next steps appointments, referrals, self‑care.
• Handle queries related to prescriptions, test results, and follow‑up care where appropriate.

Triage & Signposting

• Use agreed triage protocols and care navigation pathways to assess patient needs.
• Gather relevant information from patients in a sensitive and structured way: reason for appointment, urgency, symptoms. Ensuring that the template is being used for every patient.
• Prioritise cases according to clinical urgency and escalade concerns to the duty GP, nurse, or appropriate clinician.
• Direct patients to the most suitable healthcare professional or service e.g., GP, practice nurse, pharmacist, NHS 111, A&E, or community services.
• Manage same‑day appointment demand, ensuring urgent clinical needs are identified and addressed.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent communication and active listening skills.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and handle high call volumes.
• Strong organisational and multitasking ability.
• Proficient with patient management systems and basic IT tools.
• Understanding of confidentiality and safeguarding principles.
• Empathy and patience when supporting diverse patient needs.

Other Tasks

• Clear rooms after surgeries
• Ensure building security have thorough knowledge of doors windows alarm.
• Make coffee for doctors
• Any other tasks allocated by managers

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

• 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
• Reporting potential risks identified.

Equality & Diversity

• Acting in a way that recognises 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.

Patient Care & Support

• Offer reassurance, empathy, and clarity when dealing with anxious or distressed patients.
• Escalate medical emergencies immediately to clinical staff or emergency services.
• Ensure vulnerable patients children, elderly, chronic illness, mental health are prioritised appropriately.

Personal/Professional Development

• 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

• 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 team's performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Contribution to the Implementation of Services

• 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.