Role Summary The main purpose of the role is to provide a point of contact for patients and act as a focal point of communication between patients, doctors and other clinical staff. The post holder will share reception and clerical duties within the Practice and at the branch surgery as required, including use of the telephone and any other equipment as deemed necessary to carry out the duties listed below. Reception Duties To book appointments for patients with doctors and nursing staff and to ensure that patients who need urgent attention are seen. The accurate scanning of medical records, medical correspondence and other paperwork. Sorting of post, both internal and external. To retrieve notes for doctors and nurses as required. To record all visits and messages and ensure that they are passed on to the appropriate person in an efficient manner. To receive patients and supervise flow of patients to doctors and nurses. To assist with computerised repeat prescriptions and other computer systems. Administration duties as required for the efficient running of the Practice. Ensure that the Reception/Waiting area is tidy and ready for use by incoming colleagues and patients/visitors to the practice. To ensure that there are adequate supplies of stationary and other routine documents available in the consulting rooms, reception and waiting areas. To provide cover duties for other members of staff in case of holidays or sickness, in order to ensure the smooth running of the Practice. To assist with the implementation of new systems to ensure continued development of the Practice. To ensure patient confidentiality at all times. To prepare tea and coffee as required, as part of an agreed rota. Personal/professional development: The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, with such training to include: 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 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: 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, the practice health & safety manual, and the practice infection control policy and published procedures. This will 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 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 Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised Keeping own work areas and general/patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually) Reporting potential risks identified Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Safeguarding To recognise that promoting the welfare and safeguarding children, young people and adults is everyones business and access training or supervision as appropriate to the role. 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 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 that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights. 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 making suggestions 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 strive to: Communicate effectively with other team members Communicate effectively with patients and carers Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly This list is not meant to be exhaustive and will be subject to change from time to time in agreement with the post holder.