We are currently looking for people with an interest in working and developing a career in General Practice administration and have a variety of working patterns available.
You will be actively involved in helping patients get to the right clinician in an appropriate way. Ensuring that all correspondence into the practice is added to the patient record and coded appropriately. Assisting patients with repeat medication requests and dealing with queries to and from clinicians.
Previous experience in a General Practice setting would be an advantage, but full training will be given.
Our ideal candidate enjoys working in a small team and having face-to-face contact with patients to help signpost them to the correct clinician or to the service best placed to help them. You are confident, empathetic, calm and diplomatic with a great sense of humour. A degree of flexibility is needed to help cover your colleagues for unexpected absences or planned annual leave.
VINE SURGERY PARTNERSHIP – JOB DESCRIPTION
N.B. This job description is for information & guidance purposes only and does not form any part of the Contract of Employment or published Terms and Conditions of Service.
1. General Description
Patient Assistant
Full/Part-time Permanent Full or Part Time
Salary Starting salary £11.44 per hour
Hours To be advised at Interview
Accountable: Managing Partner
Reports to Assistant Practice Manager
Staff Managed: People working within the Patient Assistant team
Liaises with: Patients, doctors, staff, other support staff, nursing staff, community nursing teams, mental health groups, funeral directors, counsellors, pharmacy, social services, commissioning groups, secondary care, care homes, complex care hub and social prescribers.
2. Job Purpose, Aims & Profile
The Patient Assistant post is a multi-skilled position providing a high level of service to patients, internal and external clients and institutions. The post-holder:
* works in Reception - Working with the Klinik Triage System and adding patients to the correct clinicians list; dealing with enquiries; advising on doctors’ and nurses’ availability; recording and passing messages on accurately and efficiently; carrying out a range of related reception duties as appropriate.
* Works in Data – Responsible for inputting and updating medical data for an agreed set of patients, and all related administrative tasks. General administrative and clerical duties as requested.
* Works in Workflow – Responsible for processing and managing all incoming correspondence (electronically and paper) including coding and keeping the patient’s records accurate and up to date.
3. Working Hours & Work Schedule
Surgery working week: 08.00 – 6.45pm Monday to Friday, 08.00 – 08.00 pm on selected dates. Shared rota with 4 other local practices.
Working hours; normal working schedule between 08.00 and 06.45pm or 08.00 pm Monday to Friday as required.
Occasional Saturdays throughout the year on a rota basis.
Monday; Tuesday; Wednesday; Thursday; Friday: daily schedules to be determined.
The post-holder will be required to cover for colleagues who are absent on annual leave or sickness.
4. Duties and Responsibilities
4.1 Reception
* Open up surgery, switch on PCs and set up systems ready for the working day.
* Receive and log-in patients and visitors when they enter the surgery.
* Manage & process all patient appointments using Klinik triage system and EMIS Web computer system.
* Deal with all patient enquiries relating to appointments, surgeries and clinics.
* Cover for sickness and annual leave for colleagues.
* Advise patients on availability of particular doctors/nurses.
* Accept repeat prescription requests & queries; hand repeat prescriptions to patients.
* Record requests for doctor visits / and Patient Summaries for visits.
* Handle emergency requests for nominated doctor.
* Relaying messages for doctors and administrative staff.
* Update, maintain, file & retrieve patient records as appropriate.
* Close surgery, ensure building security – particularly doors/windows and set alarm after closing.
* Keep waiting room tidy after sessions/clinics keep prescription rack clear of old prescriptions and letters.
* Organise notice boards.
* Ensure order, safety and comfort of patients; report and/or deal with disturbances.
4.2 Data duties
* Sort all prescription requests, both electronic and manual.
* Record any acute prescriptions and pass to the nominated doctor for consideration.
* Contact patients (when requested) to pass on doctor’s instructions and requests.
* Add messages/instructions/date for future action to the medication screen.
* Sort and place prescriptions ready for collection or according to their destination.
* Answer telephone prescription enquiries from patients and pharmacies.
* Process all information flowing from/to doctors and external institutions as appropriate.
* Check and process any electronic information as appropriate each day.
* Process all records from Primary Care Support England as appropriate.
* Enter appropriate x-ray results read codes and comments from doctors.
* Sort and distribute all processed, scanned and unscanned documents as appropriate.
* Add delivery/birth details on mother’s and baby’s screens; including Hospital Unit No.
* Assist in the processing of Prior Notification Lists from Open Exeter in connection with cervical smears.
* Ensure correct forms are completed and signed by a GP and returned if a patient needs to be removed from the cervical smear recall list.
* Check lab links on the screen each day, match any unmatched patients.
* Undertake SNOMED coding into EMIS.
* Update, maintain, file and retrieve patient records as appropriate.
* Scan medical records and file into the EMIS system.
* Set up systems in preparation for the working day.
* To assist with the gathering of statistics and information when required.
* Process deceased patients notes when required.
* Carry out searches of computerised medical records as requested.
* Check address template regularly to delete any errors.
* Process new patient registrations and questionnaires.
* Process deductions of patient notes when a patient leaves the surgery.
* Process and manage queries relating to online access requests.
* Process and manage all incoming correspondence.
* Managing the diary recall system, to include adding requests onto TQuest for blood tests and booking appointments.
* Summarising of new patient records.
* Managing the NHS email account.
4.3 General Administrative & Clerical duties
* Attend for staff training the third Friday of each month.
* Receive, sort and circulate/distribute post.
* Photocopying as requested.
* Assist in compilation of statistics.
* Filing of paper medical records.
* Attend any other training courses deemed necessary by the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager.
* Carry out any other duties as requested by the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager.
5. Other General Conditions
* Holiday entitlement is five working weeks per year (pro rata) plus any Bank Holidays that fall on a normal working day.
* All employees are required to adhere to the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974).
* The job description will be subject to periodic reviews and may be changed in consultation with the post holder.
* On Appointment the post holder must agree to abide by the Statement of Terms and Conditions of Service and the Contract requirements; all published Surgery protocols; policies; procedures; guidelines and work-rules; and any other approved instruction & documentation that may be amended and issued from time to time.
6. Person Specification
6.1 Personal Competencies
Essential
* Can work accurately and calmly under pressure.
* Must be responsible, versatile, flexible and enthusiastic.
* Can work within clearly defined guidelines and protocols as well as able to use initiative.
* Desire and willingness to learn.
* Friendly & warm with ability to empathise with patients.
* Excellent communication skills.
* Keen eye for detail.
Desirable
* Ability to prioritise.
* Professionally confident – able to work with all levels and members of the team.
6.2 Experience
Essential
* Recent work in a busy office environment.
* Face-to-face customer experience.
* Operating appointment/booking systems.
* Recent use of computer systems.
Desirable
* Previous NHS or other public service experience.
* Medical terminology training.
* Dealing with complaints.
6.3 Technical skills
Essential
* Word-processing.
* Good level of computer literacy.
* Office equipment/copiers/switchboard/etc.
Desirable
* Familiarity with clinical records and appointment systems.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent, Fixed term contract
Pay: From £11.44 per hour
Additional pay:
* Loyalty bonus.
Benefits:
* Company pension.
* Free parking.
* On-site parking.
* Sabbatical.
* Sick pay.
Schedule:
* Monday to Friday.
* Overtime.
* Weekend availability.
Work Location: In person.
Reference ID: Patient Assistant.
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