Receptionist

The ideal candidate will provide a welcoming first point of contact for patients, both in person and viatelephone, while ensuring efficient administrative support to clinical staff and healthcare professionals. Thisrole is ideal for someone who combines excellent administrative capabilities with strong interpersonal skillsand healthcare experience. Additionally, they will offer professional assistance to the practice team whilemanaging NHS screenings and immunisation programme communications.

Main duties of the job

• Offer general assistance to the Practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients andother visitors, either in person or via the telephone
• Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in acourteous, efficient and effective way
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the Practice includingthe provision of secretarial and clerical support to clinical staff and other members of the Practice team
• Facilitate effective communication between patients, members of the primary health care team,secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies
• Facilitate integrated working across the extended primary care teams, GPs and other stakeholders.
• Work closely with practice and federation colleagues to ensure high quality support to patients.
• Engage in health promotion strategies and reduce health inequalities in the local Islington population.
• Make targeted telephone calls to patients and parents to deliver health education around preventativehealthcare, directing the patient to appropriate resources when required.
• Support patients to complete their on-line consultation requests in writing.

About us

About City Road Medical Centre

City Road Medical Centre is a dynamic healthcare provider committed to delivering comprehensive primarycare services to our diverse community. We pride ourselves on our efficient same-day service, ensuring ourpatients receive prompt and effective care from our dedicated team of healthcare professionals.

Our range ofservices encompasses the treatment of minor ailments, specialist management of long-term conditions, and avariety of clinics addressing numerous healthcare issues. As part of our commitment to accessibility andconvenience, we've implemented advanced technology allowing patients to perform tasks such as orderingrepeat prescriptions or cancelling appointments from the comfort of their homes.

City Road Medical Centre delivery is provided by Islington GP Federation.

About Islington GP Federation

Islington GP Federation (IGPF) is Islingtons at-scale primary care organisation, representing 31 practices; wehave established ourselves as a leader in new ways of working, including running Islingtons extended accessprimary care services (I:HUB) as well as supporting the Islington Primary Care Networks (PCNs). Our currentrange of services include the Extended Access Service, I:HUB, Community Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT),Integrated Community Gynaecology, practice-based pharmacists and a range of practice support mechanisms

Job responsibilities

About City Road Medical Centre

City Road Medical Centre is a dynamic healthcare provider committed to delivering comprehensive primarycare services to our diverse community. We pride ourselves on our efficient same-day service, ensuring ourpatients receive prompt and effective care from our dedicated team of healthcare professionals. Our range ofservices encompasses the treatment of minor ailments, specialist management of long-term conditions, and avariety of clinics addressing numerous healthcare issues.

As part of our commitment to accessibility andconvenience, we've implemented advanced technology allowing patients to perform tasks such as orderingrepeat prescriptions or cancelling appointments from the comfort of their homes.

City Road Medical Centre delivery is provided by Islington GP Federation.

About Islington GP Federation

Islington GP Federation (IGPF) is Islingtons at-scale primary care organisation, representing 31 practices; wehave established ourselves as a leader in new ways of working, including running Islingtons extended accessprimary care services (I:HUB) as well as supporting the Islington Primary Care Networks (PCNs).

Our currentrange of services include the Extended Access Service, I:HUB, Community Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT),Integrated Community Gynaecology, practice-based pharmacists and a range of practice support mechanisms.IGPF works very closely with a range of partners including the regional commissioning group, NHS England,Healthy London Partnership, Public Health, local hospitals such as UCLH, the Whittington Health and theLondon Borough of Islington.

IGPF is the host organisation for the Primary Care Network (PCN) workforce and the Islington Training Hub, andhas been working for over three years to create training and development programmes that meet the needs ofstaff working in primary and community care settings.

IGPF runs four Islington GP practices including City Road Medical Centre.

About the role:

The ideal candidate will provide a welcoming first point of contact for patients, both in person and viatelephone, while ensuring efficient administrative support to clinical staff and healthcare professionals. Thisrole is ideal for someone who combines excellent administrative capabilities with strong interpersonal skillsand healthcare experience. Additionally, they will offer professional assistance to the practice team whilemanaging NHS screenings and immunisation programme communications.

Job Summary:

The purpose of the role is to:

• Offer general assistance to the Practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients andother visitors, either in person or via the telephone
• Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in acourteous, efficient and effective way
• Undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the Practice includingthe provision of secretarial and clerical support to clinical staff and other members of the Practice team
• Facilitate effective communication between patients, members of the primary health care team,secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies
• Facilitate integrated working across the extended primary care teams, GPs and other stakeholders.
• Work closely with practice and federation colleagues to ensure high quality support to patients.
• Engage in health promotion strategies and reduce health inequalities in the local Islington population.
• Make targeted telephone calls to patients and parents to deliver health education around preventativehealthcare, directing the patient to appropriate resources when required.
• Support patients to complete their on-line consultation requests in writing.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the Practice administration team may includeany or all of the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of theReception Manager/Practice Manager, dependent on current and evolving Practice workload and staffinglevels:

• Maintaining and monitoring the Practice appointments system
• Processing personal and telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultations andensuring callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional
• Processing and distributing incoming (and outgoing) mail
• Taking messages and passing on information
• Filing and retrieving paperwork
• Processing repeat prescriptions in accordance with Practice guidelines
• Computer data entry/data allocation and collation; processing and recording information in accordancewith Practice procedures
• Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team members and associatedhealthcare agencies and providers
• Providing clerical assistance to Practice as required from time to time, including word/data processing,filing, photocopying and scanning
• Keeping the reception area, notice-boards and leaflet dispensers tidy and free from obstructions andclutter
• Provide ad-hoc support to clinicians when requested.
• Understand issues around Information Governance regarding data access rights and to be comfortablenavigating this with patients
• Helping the Reception Manager to reorganise the reception/admin and patient area and maintain theorder with the help of the team.

Confidentiality:

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitiveinformation in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the rightto 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 toconfidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staff and other healthcareworkers. They may also have access to information relating to the Practice as a businessorganisation. 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 thePractice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies andprocedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & Safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:

• 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 managesthose 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 freefrom hazards

Equality and Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that isconsistent 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 theircircumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of thisemployment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaininga record of own personal and/or professional development
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills andactivities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:

• 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 makingsuggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will striveto:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply Practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect ownwork
• Participate in audit where appropriate

Person Specification

Skills and attributes

• An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strictconfidentiality
• Able to work on own initiative
• Able to work under pressure and remain calm
• Flexible and adaptable
• Aware of own limitations
• N/A

Knowledge and skills

• Ability to provide quality care
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Good organisational skills
• Good team working skills
• Ability to work independently following verbal or written instructions
• Adaptable to change
• Basic IT Skills
• Knowledge in EMIS and Docmail clinical systems
• Basic first aid knowledge
• Health and safety awareness
• Chaperone Training Certificate or experience

Qualifications

• Good General Education
• Qualified to NVQ level 3

Experience

• Experience within a health care setting
• Experience in GP Practice or Outpatient Reception