We are looking for an enthusiastic and capable General Practice Assistant (GPA) to join our patient access team and work alongside our Call Handlers, GPs and GP Consultants.This is an administrative, non-clinical role, but one with an important part to play in helping patients navigate general practice effectively.Our GPAs will work alongside the team receiving patient contacts, helping to identify administrative actions that can be progressed without unnecessary delay, gathering or preparing relevant information and acting as an effective link between the patient access team and the supervising GP or GP Consultant where clinical input is required.The aim is simple: to help us achieve better outcomes for patients at the first point of contact while allowing our clinicians to focus their time where clinical judgement is genuinely needed.What will the role involve?Working as part of our wider patient access and general practice team, you will:
- Work closely with Call Handlers and other members of the patient access team to help progress patient requests efficiently.
- Identify administrative actions that can appropriately be completed or progressed at the first point of contact.
- Gather and prepare relevant information to support a GP or GP Consultant where clinical review or advice is required.
- Act as a conduit between the patient access team and the supervising clinician, ensuring queries requiring clinical input are presented clearly and efficiently.
- Support patients with navigation through practice, community and wider NHS services, using agreed practice processes and pathways.
- Arrange and support referrals, investigations, appointments and follow-up activity when directed or appropriate within established protocols.
- Help track outstanding actions and ensure agreed next steps are progressed.
- Liaise with patients, healthcare professionals, hospitals and other external organisations.
- Support clinicians with administrative tasks arising from patient care.
- Review and process correspondence and documentation within clearly defined practice protocols, escalating anything requiring clinical judgement.
- Maintain accurate and comprehensive patient records.
- Help identify opportunities to improve patient access, administrative workflow and the overall patient experience.
- Work closely with colleagues across the practice as we continue to develop new and innovative ways of delivering primary care.
An important distinction:his is not a clinical role.
The GPA will not independently assess, diagnose, triage or make clinical decisions about patients.Where clinical judgement is required, the GPA's role is to recognise the boundary of their responsibility and seek input from the supervising GP, GP Consultant or another appropriate clinician.We see this relationship as one of the strengths of the role: you will work closely with experienced clinicians while developing a detailed understanding of how primary care operates.
Who might this role suit?
There isn't only one route into this position.We would particularly welcome applications from people who are interested in developing their career within general practice and who enjoy combining problem-solving, communication, organisation and patient service.You might currently be:
- An experienced GP receptionist, administrator, care navigator or call handler looking for your next development opportunity.
- A senior administrator who would like greater involvement in patient pathways and clinical-team support.
- Someone who has worked elsewhere within the NHS, healthcare or social care and wants to develop experience within primary care.
- A graduate with a healthcare-related qualification who is interested in gaining practical experience of general practice.
- A Physician Associate graduate or someone with similar healthcare training who is interested in gaining broader experience of primary care and is comfortable undertaking a clearly defined non-clinical administrative role.
- Someone from another customer-facing or professional environment who can demonstrate strong judgement, communication skills and the ability to learn.
Previous general practice experience would therefore be helpful, but it is not essential. What matters most to us is finding someone with the aptitude and attitude to develop.
What are we looking for? You will need to be:
- An excellent communicator who is comfortable speaking with patients and colleagues.
- Organised and able to manage several competing priorities.
- Calm and confident in a busy environment.
- Curious and prepared to ask questions when something does not appear straightforward.
- Able to recognise the limits of your role and escalate appropriately.
- Comfortable working closely with clinicians without attempting to make clinical decisions yourself.
- Confident using digital systems and learning new processes.
- Patient-focused, professional and approachable.
- Someone who enjoys solving problems rather than simply passing them on.
- Interested in developing your knowledge of primary care and the wider NHS.
Above all, we are looking for people with initiative, good judgement and a genuine desire to develop.
Why join us?
General practice is changing rapidly, and we are continually developing the way patients access our services.Rather than every request simply being passed from one person to another, we want our teams to be able to achieve as much as possible for the patient at the earliest opportunity — with ready access to GP support whenever clinical judgement is needed.As a GPA you will become an important part of that model.You will work alongside an experienced multidisciplinary team, gain substantial exposure to how modern primary care operates and have opportunities to develop your knowledge, confidence and responsibilities as your experience grows.For someone considering a longer-term career within general practice or the wider NHS, this can provide an excellent opportunity to build practical primary-care experience.
Interested?
If you are proactive, organised, enjoy solving problems and would like a role where you can make a genuine difference to both patients and the clinical team, we would be very pleased to hear from you.
Pay: From £14.00 per hour
Expected hours: 15.0 – 37.5 per week
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
