Patient Services Advisor

NHS; Wellington; On-site; NZD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Wellington seeks Patient Services Advisors to assist patients and handle inquiries. This role involves working in a friendly team, answering calls, managing appointments, and providing essential administrative support. Candidates should have experience in customer service and strong interpersonal skills. This position offers opportunities for professional development and benefits like NHS pension contributions.

Benefits

Access to NHS Pension Scheme

Life assurance scheme

Dedication to staff development

NHS & Blue Light Card Discounts

Frequent social outings

Qualifications

• Experience working in a front-line position.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team environment.
• Direct experience of working with a PC workstation.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients efficiently via telephone or face to face.
• Handle inquiries promptly and courteously.
• Make and manage patient appointments.

Skills

Attention to detail

Good interpersonal skills

Ability to maintain confidentiality

Knowledge of medical terminology

Tools

EMIS Web

Job description

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to join asupportive, professional and friendly GP Practice Team?

We are looking to recruit additional members of the Patient Services Team to join our practice in Wellington. We are looking to fill multiple positions and will consider both full and part time hours, working pattern negotiable.

The Patient Services Advisors provide the first point of contact forpatients while projecting a positive and friendly image to them and to othervisitors, either in person or via the telephone, and to direct patient queriesappropriately in a courteous and efficient way. They are responsible forundertaking a wide range of administration duties and the provision of generalsupport to the multidisciplinary team.

Main duties of the job

Duties can include but are not limited to:

• Assisting patients via thetelephone or face to face in an efficient and caring manner
• Being the first point ofcontact for patients and all visitors to the surgery, presenting a calm and friendly image.
• Dealing withenquiries efficiently, courteously and with respect, ensuringthat the correct details are recorded and either answered or forwarded promptlyto relevant personnel
• Making appointmentsand operating the appointments system as directed by the GP Partners
• Receiving requests for repeat prescriptions andensuring that requests are acted upon in accordance with Practice policies andprocedures
• Explaining practice registration arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seekingtemporary registration
• Opening the premisespunctually in the morning and to make all necessary preparations to receivepatients
• Ensuring that the rights,confidentiality and privacy of the patient are observed at all times.

About us

Wellington Medical Centre is a well established, large training practice, providing high quality care to our 22,600 patients.

We will ensure that you feel welcome, well supported and a valued member of our team.

Benefits of working for Wellington Medical Centre:

• Access to the NHS Pension Scheme with 20% employer contribution
• Life assurance scheme via the NHS Pension scheme
• Dedication to staff development and educational opportunities
• NHS & Blue Light Card Discounts
• Frequent social outings

Job responsibilities

Reception Front Desk & General Duties

• A large proportion of your timewill be taken assisting patients via the telephone or face to face in an efficientand caring manner
• To ensure that the telephoneservice is operating correctly.
• To be the first point ofcontact for patients, receiving and directing patients and other visitorsappropriately.
• To present a calm and friendlyimage to patients.
• To advise patients of relevantcharges to private (non-National Health Service) services, accept payment andissue receipts for same.
• To make and receive telephonecalls as required in a polite and timely manner, and record messages accuratelyand comprehensively.
• To deal with enquiries frompatients efficiently and courteously and with respect, ensuring that thecorrect details are recorded and either answered or forwarded promptly torelevant personnel.
• To make appointments andoperate the appointments systems as directed by the GP partners
• Using your judgement andcommunication skills, to ensure that patients in urgent need are flagged to theLead GP in a logical and non-disruptive manner or directed to more urgent carewhere appropriate.
• To receiverequests for repeat prescriptions and ensure that requests are acted upon inaccordance with Practice policies and procedures.
• Enter accurate information onto the computer systems as required.
• To leave Reception with nounresolved problems for the next shift wherever possible, or ensure unresolvedproblems are properly handed over to incoming staff
• To undertake a variety of tasksat the request of Doctors, for example telephoning the laboratory for testresults and recording accurately in the patients notes, contacting the patientto request they come in for blood tests or a consultation.
• To ensure locum staff canaccess the computer systems, have everything they require for their session andknow where to find other things they may need e.g. emergency drugs andresuscitation equipment.

Patient Registrations

• To comply with the PracticesRegistration procedures
• To explain practicearrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seekingtemporary registration.
• To check and ensure that thepatient lives within the practice area before accepting a new registration.
• To process patients change ofaddress (both on computer and paper records) checking that the new address iswithin the practice area.
• To inform the relevant teamabout patients who have moved out of area so they can begin deduction proceedingsand advise appropriate organisations that a patient is deceased.

Premises and Security

• To open the premises punctuallyin the morning and to make all necessary preparations to receive patients.
• When last on duty in theevening, to ensure that the building is totally secure and if appropriate thatinternal lights are switched off and the alarm is activated.
• To ensure that computerprescription paper and prescription pads are securely locked away, and toprovide them to GPs when requested.
• To ensure all computer screensare turned off at the end of each working day in the PSA office/hub.

Health & Safety

• To ensure that the Receptionand public waiting areas are clean, neat and safe from hazards to the public atall times, tidying toys and magazines as necessary.
• To report any incidenthappening to a member of staff or the public to the Health & Safety LeadOfficer or Practice Manager, and to prepare a written report and ensure theperson involved is seen by a doctor if necessary.

Administration

• To ensure the maintenance ofaccurate records in line with practice policy
• To participate in compilingrelevant statistics to meet the requirements of the practice as requested
• To ensure the appropriatedisposal of confidential waste
• To extract, check, file andtidy medical records as required.
• To receive incoming post, sortand ensure onward delivery. To prepare outgoing post and record as required.
• To contribute towards theachievement of the Practices targets as required.
• To use office equipment e.g.fax, photocopier as requested.
• To ensure that all equipment isin safe working order, and that any malfunctions are reported appropriately

Education

• To support students undertakingwork placement at the practice, and new staff as required.
• To participate as a member ofthe Patient Services Team to provide optimum patient care.
• To work in a collaborative andco-operative manner with other members of the Practice Team.
• To participate in team meetingsand participate in Practice and external meetings as required.
• To provide patients with clearand concise information appropriate to their needs.
• To participate in investigatingcomplaints made by patients relating to the Patient Services Team.
• To liaise with the Doctors andregarding their appointment schedules.
• To display posters, leafletsand patient information as appropriate, and update notice boards periodically.
• To relay messages toappropriate staff including attached staff e.g. District Nurses, CommunityNurses, Midwives.

Professional Development

• To have a thorough knowledge ofall Practice Procedures.
• To be responsible for theevaluation of your own work.
• To participate in PerformanceReviews and in developing his/her own objectives.
• To continue professionaldevelopment through a variety of strategies including attending study days, lectures,seminars, courses and clinical placements.
• To undertake further prescribedtraining as required.

General

• To ensure that the rights,confidentiality and privacy of the patient are observed at all times.
• To be conversant and complywith the Health & Safety Policy and procedures including fire precautionsand procedures for evacuation.
• To promote equal opportunitiesfor staff and patients in accordance with Practice Policies.
• To provide cover for colleagueswho are absent due to annual leave or sickness as required.
• This job description is notinflexible. The duties of the post holder may be reviewed and amended from timeto time.
• To carry out any other dutiesthat are within your area of competence and considered relevant to the post.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• More information is available in the Job Description and Person Specification document attached to this post.

Knowledge and Skills

• Accurate with attention to detail
• Ability to understand and comply with the need for strict confidentiality
• Able to operate in windows applications
• Good interpersonal skills with people face to face and over the telephone
• Knowledge of medical terminology
• More information is available in the Job Description and Person Specification document attached to this post.

Experience

• Experience working in a front-line position
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team environment, possibly in a medical setting, public service or customer care setting
• Experience of EMIS Web (our clinical database system)
• Direct experience of working with a PC workstation
• Previous experience working in GP surgery, other medical setting, dental, public service
• More information is available in the Job Description and Person Specification document attached to this post.

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.