1. Healthcare

Dr J A Simmons MBBS MRCGP LFHom
Dr C J Dodge MBBS MRCGP
HERSTMONCEUX INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CENTRE
HAILSHAM ROAD
HERSTMONCEUX
EAST SUSSEX
BN27 4JX
Tel: 01323 833535 Fax: 01323 833998
30 January 2015
Dear Applicant,
Re: Part time temporary Receptionists
Thank you for your interest in our Receptionist vacancies at Herstmonceux
Integrative Health Centre. The roles are temporary for up to 12 months to
cover whilst a member of staff is on maternity leave. Attached is the job
description and person specification, but before you read those, we want to tell
you a bit about us and our job on offer.
We are an integrative health centre which means we offer both primary care
NHS services with our GPs and nurses but also complementary medicine with
our independent complementary practitioners. Our vision is to be able to
provide complementary medicine for free and we are looking at ways to do this
in our 5 year plan. For now, patients pay a fee direct to the practitioner.
Our new eco-friendly building has been designed to create a place of calm,
encompassing the health and well-being of patients and staff alike. Customer
service is key to us and we want all patients to receive a warm welcome and be
dealt with quickly and professionally. Team work is equally important and we
recognise the important role everyone has in making our Health Centre a
success.
We are looking for two part time Receptionists to work the following hours
between them:
Mon
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
8.15am
8.15am
8.15am
8.15am
8.15am
8.15am
–
–
–
–
–
–
1.00pm
11.15am
1.00pm
1.00pm
1.15pm and 2.15pm – 5.00pm
1.15pm and 2.15pm – 7.00pm (closing up)
If you are a touch typist or medical secretary there may be the opportunity of
some afternoon sessions instead of those above. This can be discussed at
interview, as appropriate.
As a small practice, covering each other’s holidays is paramount and we are
therefore looking for someone who is able and happy to work extra hours when
required and especially in the school holidays when other staff are off.
The rate of pay will be £7.00, going up to £8.00 as you progress in the role and
complete your 12 month probationary period.
As mentioned above, the roles are temporary to cover whilst a member of staff
is on maternity leave. She plans to take a full year off returning in March 2016
but she can come back sooner provided she gives 8 weeks notice. If she does,
the contract may finish sooner.
We hope you are interested in working with us and would very much welcome
your application. Please state on your application form or in your covering
letter/email the hours you would ideally like to work and we will then look to
match this up with another candidate at interview.
Please send your completed application form and covering letter/email for our
attention at the address above (or via email at the addresses below). The
closing date for applications is Monday 16th February 2015 at 12 noon.
Interviews will be on Wednesday 18th February or Friday 20th February.
If you would like any further information about the job or our terms and
conditions of employment, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01323
833935 or via email on [email protected], [email protected] or
[email protected]
We look forward to receiving your application.
Yours sincerely
Libby Looseley, Anita Taylor & Lindsey Haffenden
Practice Manager
Business Manager
Reception Supervisor
Job Description
Job Title:
Receptionist
Reports to:
Practice Manager
Hours:
Part time
Job Summary:
To assist with the smooth running of the reception area and waiting room.
To provide good customer service at all times.
To ensure that the highest standards of service are given to patients, maintaining confidentiality
and being aware of the Data Protection Act at all times.
Detailed Duties:
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To receive patients and deal with queries. To book appointments for patients with doctors
and other members of the primary care team.
To answer telephone queries and make telephone calls to patients, as and when
appropriate.
To process repeat prescriptions.
To ensure the waiting room is tidied between surgeries.
To ensure consulting rooms are kept tidy and stationery replenished.
To receive cash and cheques over the counter from patients and record details, passing
money securely to Practice Manager.
To receive specimens from patients, ensuring that they are properly labelled and given to
the nurse to despatch to the Path Laboratory within timescales.
To take, record and pass on messages accurately, including home visits.
To open, stamp and sort all post.
To scan letters and documents onto the patients’ electronic records.
To put out and file away patients notes.
To deal with registering and deducting patients, including temporary residents.
To know how to operate all office equipment.
To sort and tag new patient notes.
To enter data on to the patients’ electronic records as required.
To work additional hours to cover other members of staff for annual leave and periods of
extended sick leave.
To be prepared to work additional hours on an ad hoc basis to complete specific pieces of
work, as appropriate.
To ensure all appropriate colleagues are aware of any information which needs to be
passed from one shift to another.
To take part in internal and external training, courses and meetings, as required.
To offer refreshment i.e. tea and coffee as required.
Any other duties commensurate with skills and experience.
Confidentiality:
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To keep all information on patients, staff and the practice ‘as a business’ strictly
confidential. All new staff are required to sign our confidentiality statement: in the course of
your employment or associated work with the Practice, you may have access to, see or
hear, confidential information concerning the medical or personal affairs of patients, staff or
associated healthcare professionals. Unless acting on the instructions of an authorised
officer within the practice, on no account should such information be divulged or discussed
except in the performance of your normal duties. Breach of confidence, including the
improper passing of registered computer data, will result in disciplinary action, which may
lead to your dismissal.
Disclosures of confidential information or disclosures of any data of a personal nature can
result in prosecution for an offence under the Data Protection Act 1998 or an action for civil
damages under the same Act in addition to any disciplinary action taken by Practice.
Health & Safety:
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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:
o Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice
guidelines
o Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a
way that manages those risks
o Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
o Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and
safe way and free from hazards
o Reporting potential risks identified
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 people’s 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 which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and
respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
Personal/Professional Development:
The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of
this employment, 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
Quality:
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:
 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 team’s performance
 Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients’ needs
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Effectively manage own time, workload and resources
Communication:
The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and
will strive to:
 Communicate effectively with other team members
 Communicate effectively with patients and carers
 Recognise people’s 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
Person Specification: Receptionist
Criteria
Essential
Desirable
Knowledge/Skills
 Understanding the need for professional
confidentiality
 Ability to establish and maintain effective
relationships
 Effective communication skills both verbal and written
– including the ability to be sensitive and to extract
relevant information from conversations and pass on
 Good customer service skills
 Good computer skills
 Use of Microsoft Office, email and Internet
 Accurate recording skills
 Calm disposition
 Ability to deal with difficult people in a professional
and appropriate manner
 Dealing with members of the public at the ‘front desk’
 Good office/clerical skills
 Dealing with members of the public on the telephone
 Use of GP IT system
 Audio typing
Experience
Qualifications
 GCSE grades A-C including English and
Mathematics
Other attributes
 Friendly and approachable
 Good communication and interpersonal skills
 Flexible and collaborative approach including
flexibility to work late and weekends if necessary
 Ability to work extra hours and provide holiday cover,
especially in the school holidays
 Team worker
 Responsive to and an ability to work in a changing
and demanding environment and work under
pressure
 Ability to multi-task, prioritise appropriately and
organise own workload
 Reliable
 Commitment to own professional development
 Interest in working for the health sector
 Medical receptionist or medical
secretary experience
 Previous experience of
booking/managing appointments
 A’ Levels
 NVQ Level 3 Customer Service
 RSA 3 Word Processing or
equivalent