Administrative Secretary
Job summary
The ideal candidate will have a positive and calm manner, be compassionate, patient, understanding and courteous, be well organised and able to work systemically and efficiently whilst following procedures and protocols closely. They will be patient focused with a can-do attitude, a people person, projecting a positive and friendly image to patients and visitors, with an excellent phone manner. They will have good IT skills and able to work under pressure in a busy environment. Be able to communicate clearly and effectively with patients, staff, other primary care services, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies face-to-face, over the telephone or via email.
Main duties of the job
The secretarial administrator provides a wide range of essential secretarial, administrative and organisational support within the Practice for patients and our multidisciplinary team to ensure a smooth day-to-day operation. Secretarial administrators are responsible for but not limited to handling patient communications and requests, maintaining accurate records, processing correspondents (electronic and hard copy), processing onward referrals (eRS), coordinating with our multidisciplinary team and external organisations (secondary care, community services) and more in accordance with the Practice, NHS, GDPR, and confidentiality regulations and policies.
About us
We are a 2 site practice with nearly 20,000 patients, our team is made up of GPs, nurses, HCAs, Doctors in training, administrators, care navigators, apprentices and more, plus externally provided physiotherapist, social prescriber and care coordinator roles.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Patient Services
- Point of contact for patients, both in person and via telephone
- Acknowledge patients courteously and ensure they are directed appropriately
- Handle patient enquiries sensitively, efficiently and appropriately, escalating where needed
- Remind patients to book appointments for additional tests required for onward referrals
- Taking payments, providing receipts and documenting payments for private work requests from patients and external organisations
Secretarial Administrator Duties
- Scan incoming correspondences received via post
- Import incoming correspondences received via letters email inbox
- Process incoming correspondence (electronic and hard copy)
- Actioning clinical, secretarial and admin scans from NOVA
- Process NOVA returns and uncontracted work letters
- Read code appropriately and accordingly in patient records
- Monitor and action emails received via admin, reports and letters email inboxes in a timely manner
- Monitor and action AccuRx responses from patients
- Process onward routine and 2WW referrals via eRS, email and letter
- Process A&G, prior approval and expedite requests
- Audits (2WW, patient DNAs)
- Compile paperwork for meetings and supervisors to review
- Action, update and/or compete tasks received via SystmOne in a timely manner
- Process SARs and iGPR requests from patients and external organisations (insurance companies, army medical etc)
- Process patient and external organisation non-NHS work requests (reports, GP letters, questionnaires etc)
- Online Access/Proxy Access record review
- Update patient records accurately and in line with practice processes
- Registration and deduction administrative task (pulling/filing notes, summarising, EDI Links, GP2GP Tasks etc)
- Initiate and follow death protocol when notified of a patient death
- Ensure outgoing mail is sent accordingly before post cut off times
Telephone and Communication
- Answer incoming calls promptly and professionally
- Advise and signpost patient appropriately
- Have working knowledge of the telephone system
- Liaise and communicate with patients, other staff and teams, other healthcare services and other external services clearly and effectively
- Transferring calls to appropriate staff or teams
Practice Support
- Support clinical and non-clinical staff with general office duties as required
- Work flexibly across both practice sites to meet service needs
- Support the practice teams during busy periods, including sickness or annual leave cover of work
- Assist in maintaining a safe, tidy, and welcoming work environment
- Any other tasks/duties allocated by managers
Confidentiality and Compliance
- Ensure patient data is recorded and maintained in accordance with GDPR and confidentiality requirements. Always maintaining strict confidentiality of patient information
- Adhere to practice policies, procedures, and NHS guidelines
- Participate in mandatory training and practice meetings
Person Specification
Knowledge and Skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong organisational, time management skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Flexibility to work across two sites
- Willingness to undertake training and development
- Commitment to equality, diversity, and patient-centred care
- Understanding of safeguarding
- Understanding medical terminology
- Understanding of coding
- GDPR and data protection knowledge
- Knowledge of SystmOne, AccuRx, and ANIMA
Experience
- Strong customer service focus
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
- Good IT skills, including the use of Microsoft Office
- Ability to manage workload effectively including multitasking in a busy environment
- Previous experience working in a GP practice or healthcare setting
- Experience handling confidential information
Employer details
Employer name
Eleanor Cross Healthcare
Address
Gloucester Avenue
Northampton
NN4 8QF
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.eleanorcrosshealthcare.co.uk/