Receptionist (Patient Coordinator)
Job summary
Join a forward-thinking, national exemplar of General Practice. Rated CQC Outstanding.
Whitstable Medical Practice is seeking an enthusiastic, motivated and patient focused Patient Coordinator (Receptionist) to join our friendly team at Estuary View Medical Centre.
Previous receptionist and administrative experience is required as well as having excellent communication, organisation and IT skills. The successful candidate must also be a team player. Flexibility to cover additional hours for holidays and sickness is also essential.
Due to retirement we have the following opportunity:
- Monday: 07:45 - 13:15
- Tuesday: 13:15 - 18:45
- Friday: 13:15 - 18:45
Main duties of the job
Acting as the first point of contact for patients and visitors, ensuring they are directed to the right service at the right time.
Working across both front and back office reception desks, managing appointment bookings and providing support with patients enquiries both in person and over the telephone.
Communicating effectively with patients, healthcare professionals and other members of staff, ensuring information is provided accurately and sensitively while maintaining patient confidentiality at all times.
Operating in a busy reception environment, prioritising tasks and responding calmly and professionally to a wide range of patient needs and enquiries. Assisting with administrative duties, updating patient records and ensuring relevant information is accurately recorded and communicated.
Supporting the smooth day-to-day running of the reception area by working collaboratively with colleagues and healthcare teams to ensure patients receive an efficient and positive experience.
About us
Whitstable Medical Practice is a forward thinking single practice Primary Care Network (PCN) GP Practice based across 3 sites in Whitstable. There are 22 equity partners looking after over 45,500 patients. There are also 18 Allied Health Professionals directly employed Clinical Pharmacy Team, Frailty Practitioners, Social Prescribers, First Contact Physiotherapists and Mental Health Practitioners.
We pride ourselves on our innovative approach to Primary Care. We are a training practice. Our state-of-the-art buildings provide access to a wide range of services and facilities, including:
- In-house phlebotomy
- X-ray
- Ultrasound
- DVT diagnosis and treatment
- Minor Injury Unit
- Dermatology including our award-winning QiC Team of the Year
- Echocardiography
- Ophthalmology
- Gynaecology
- LSI
- Minor surgery
- And many, many more ...
Job description
Job responsibilities
Responsibilities
For Patients:
- Booking appointments face to face and over the phone, undertaking non-clinical triage, and ensuring patients are booked with the right person, in the right place, at the right time.
- Act as first point of contact for patient complaints, attempting resolution before escalating to the Surgery Manager/Deputy Manager.
- Checking patients in for appointments and directing them to the appropriate waiting area.
- Receiving and recording requests for home visits, DN visits, and telephone consultations, and taking messages.
- Giving test results to patients or following up when necessary.
- Completing RIP forms.
- Taking and processing Med3 requests.
- Completing appropriate ELight consultations for patients unable to complete an online consultation themselves, to avoid exclusion.
- Processing and allocating 111 requests.
- Accessing and processing tasks, prioritizing any urgent requests received.
- Processing any urgent laboratory requests received by phone.
- Liaising with care/residential homes to arrange tests or appointments.
- Contacting laboratories to chase, query, or request tests.
- Arranging home visits.
- Assisting patients with general enquiries.
For GPs and the Practice:
- Opening, date-stamping, and distributing post external and internal mail.
- Accessing online consultations and signposting to the right person, place, and time, taking appropriate actions.
- Contacting patients on the doctors behalf to arrange follow-ups, prescription collections, and test results.
- Ordering ambulances as required by GPs.
- Filing prescriptions and recording in the pharmacy book.
- Receiving and recording payments for medicals, insurances, overseas visitors, etc., and filing GP letters.
- Filling envelopes for mailings and printing practice leaflets, new patient questionnaires, change of address forms, etc.
- Monitoring surgeries and clinics.
- Ensuring incoming receptionists are notified of relevant information and outstanding matters.
- Clearing consulting rooms and leaving them tidy for the next surgery.
- Ensuring the post tray is cleared every evening.
- Being aware of practice protocols and taking part in their regular updating.
- Cancelling and amending appointments when clinical staff are absent due to sickness.
- Attending practice training events and completing mandatory training.
For Visiting Consultants, Health Professionals, and Visitors:
- Greeting visitors, asking them to sign the visitors book, informing relevant staff, and directing them to the appropriate location.
- Adding patient lists to visiting consultants on the practice computer system.
- Checking patients in and directing them to the relevant waiting area, staying updated on room usage during each shift.
- Assisting patients and visiting consultants with general enquiries.
- Passing on correct contact information when patients enquire about external clinics.
- Taking deliveries or directing them to the relevant department.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- GCSE or equivalent in English Language and Maths.
- Administration qualification
Experience
- Previous experience of reception, administration and general office work.
- Experience of working in a customer service environment.
- Experience of working as part of a team.
- Experience of dealing with the general public.
- Previous experience of working in a primary care setting or NHS.
- Knowledge of EMIS or other clinical systems.
Skills and Abilities
- Ability to communicate effectively with people at all levels by telephone, in writing and face to face.
- Accuracy and attention to detail.
- Excellent organisation skills with the ability to multi-task.
- Ability to problem solve and use initiative.
- Ability to keep calm under pressure.
- Able to work well as part of a team.
- Tact, diplomacy and sensitivity.
- Ability to deal with sensitive issues and maintain strict confidentiality.
- Reliability and flexibility.
- Strong IT skills including Microsoft packages.
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Whitstable Medical Practice
Address
Estuary View Medical Centre
25 Estuary View Business Park
Boorman Way
WHITSTABLE
Kent
CT5 3SE
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.whitstablemedicalpractice.co.uk/