MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST JOB DESCRIPTION Receive, assist and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective way. Provide general assistance to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone Job Responsibilities: Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the practice. Acknowledge a patients arrival at the desk within 2/3 minutes of arriving, if the situation is unmanageable at the time due to the amount of patients waiting then advise the patients in the queue you will be with them as soon as possible and call for assistance. Deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments. This requires a helpful attitude even when experiencing negative, unresponsive and sometimes verbally abusive behaviour from patients. Never lose your temper with patients; refer to your line manager if you feel unable to help. Using your own judgment and communication skills ensure that patients with no prior appointment but who need urgent consultation are seen in a logical and non-disruptive manner. Be aware of your surroundings and of the patients in the waiting room. Be aware of which doctors and nurses are currently working in the building and whether they have arrived for their clinics. Observe clinics running late and advice patients waiting and offer apologies. Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed. Receive and make telephone calls as required. Phones must be answered within 6 rings and no more. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery. Be polite and helpful at ALL times. If a patients behaviour becomes unacceptably abusive refer the call to the practice manager. Do not shout or respond in a rude manner to the patient. Update emails and transfer messages to the clinical system Keep your working environment clean, tidy and free from clutter at all times. Ensure that you provide an efficient, professional and detailed handover to the member of staff taking over from you before you leave your duty. Enter requests for home visits onto the home visit sessions on EMIS ensuring careful recording of all relevant details and instant message both drs that there is a visit. Action repeat prescription requests and ensure that they are ready for collection by the patient within 48 hours, either on the computer or manually. Actively participate in Practice Training to ensure you provide a high level of service for the practice. This will mean you need to attend a training session outside of your normal working hours. You will be expected to do this to ensure that the safety of patients and the Practices adherence to the NHS Contract is achieved. Advise patients of relevant charges for private (non General Medical Services) services, accept payment and issue receipts for same. Enter patient information on to the computer as required and as appropriate and within the correct time frame for safety of receipt of the information Ensure that all new patients are registered onto the computer system promptly and accurately, this should be on the same day that they attend the practice to register. Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the Partners or the Practice Manager. Support the clinical staff in any way which is necessary Open the post and leave for the doctors Accept deliveries and unpack and store Make sure bloods and sample are ready for collection by afternoon courier and call as needed Ensure waiting room is tidy and walls and posters in waiting room are hung up appropriately Chaperone as necessary Scan any documents left for the doctors by the patients attach to their notes and leave for doctors We would expect the receptionist to be able multitask and be available to help and support other staff as necessary 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.