Our Care Navigator/ Administrator staff handle all incoming calls, signpost patients to appropriate services and maintain a welcoming practice environment. You are the first point of contact for patient and provide initial support with queries including compliments and complaints. You will support clinicians by liaising with patients regarding appointments, referrals, registrations, general enquires and more. You will also liaise with other healthcare providers to support patient care.
The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the practice administration team may include any or all of the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the practice manager, dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels
Respecting all
- Showing courtesy
- Seeking to understand
- Treating all fairly
- Valuing each person as a unique individual
- Being especially supportive to the vulnerable
Working as a team
- Relating well within the team
- Valuing the contribution of each team member
- Building a mutually supportive environment
- Co-operating with other teams
- Encouraging responsible involvement by our patients
Integrity
- Speaking and acting truthfully
- Being accountable for our actions
Learning and improving
- Adapting to change
- Building on achievements
- Developing our services
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
A good attitude and positive action towards Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) create an environment where all individuals are able to achieve their full potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons: it improves operational effectiveness, it is morally the right thing to do, and it is required by law.
Patients and their families have the right to be treated fairly and to be routinely involved in decisions about their treatment and care. They can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Patients have a responsibility to treat other patients and our staff with dignity and respect.
Staff have the right to be treated fairly in recruitment and career progression. Staff can expect to work in an environment where diversity is valued, and equality of opportunity is promoted. Staff will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that they treat our patients and their colleagues with dignity and respect.
Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF)
This practice is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety. You have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for you, your team and others, and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. All personnel are to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environment Act 1995, Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999 and other statutory legislation.
Confidentiality
This practice is committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect that all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times. It is essential that if the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained that all staff protect patient information and provide a confidential service.
Quality & Continuous Improvement (CI)
To preserve and improve the quality of our output, all personnel are required to think not only of what they do but how they achieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able to develop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work. The responsibility for this rests with everyone working within the practice to look for opportunities to improve quality and share good practice.
This practice continually strives to improve work processes which deliver healthcare with improved results across all areas of our service provision. We promote a culture of continuous improvement, where everyone counts and staff are permitted to make suggestions and contributions to improve our service delivery and enhance patient care.
Induction training
On arrival at the practice, all personnel are to complete a practice induction programme.
Learning and development
The effective use of training and development is fundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriate skills, knowledge, attitude and competences to perform their role. All staff will be required to participate in and complete mandatory training, as directed by the training coordinator, as well as participating in the practice’s training programme. Staff will also be permitted (subject to approval) to undertake external training courses which will enhance their knowledge and skills, progress their career and, ultimately, enable them to improve processes and service delivery.
Collaborative working
All staff are to recognise the significance of collaborative working. Teamwork is essential in multidisciplinary environments. Effective communication is essential, and all staff must ensure that they communicate in a manner which enables the sharing of information in an appropriate manner.
Service delivery
Staff at DMC must adhere to the information contained within practice policies and regional directives, ensuring that protocols are adhered to at all times. Staff will be given detailed information during the induction process regarding policy and procedure.
Security
The security of the practice is the responsibility of all personnel. Staff must ensure that they remain vigilant at all times and report any suspicious activity immediately to their line manager. Under no circumstances are staff to share the codes for the door locks with anyone and they are to ensure that restricted areas remain effectively secured.
Professional conduct
At DMC staff are required to dress appropriately for their role.
Leave
All personnel are entitled to take leave. Line managers are to ensure that all of their staff are afforded the opportunity to take leave each year and should be encouraged to take all of their leave entitlement.
Location
This role is split across two practice sites:
- Chadwick Road Surgery
- Crystal Palace Road Surgery
Core functions, but not limited to:
The following are the core responsibilities of the Care Navigator/ Administrator. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent on factors such as workload and staffing levels:
- Process and effectively signpost patients to the appropriate healthcare professional depending on the presenting condition
- Answer incoming phone calls, transferring calls or dealing with the callers’ requests appropriately including by-pass line.
- To be helpful and friendly to patients who contact the practice by phone or in person providing the best possible patient service.
- Making appointments for patients, taking requests for home visits and answering queries in a friendly and helpful manner.
- To keep patients informed of any delays or problems when they are in the practice and deal with any concerns that may arise.
- To assist with cancelling and rescheduling appointments as required.
- Supporting the clinical team with requests.
- Ensuring Care Navigator/Administrator tasks are completed.
- Ensure adequate supplies of registration forms are available. If taking in registration forms at reception to ensure patient has completed the form fully.
- Ordering ambulances and interpreters for patients as required.
- Checking patient details are current and correct and then update patient records.
- To fully understand how the telephone system works.
- To work as a team member with your admin and Care Navigators colleagues.
- Understand the patient complaints procedure and adhere to.
- To ensure that the patient waiting areas are clean and tidy. At the end of each session to tidy up rooms and tidy up any magazines and leaflets.
- In conjunction with the Medicines Co-ordinator, ensure that patients are aware of the 72 hours turn-around for prescription requests.
- Emailing, scanning and coding clinical correspondence
- Be aware of all Care Navigator/Administrator and office protocols.
- Become familiar with Hospital & laboratory courier collections & ensure procedure is adhered to.
- Be aware of non-NHS & private services charges, how to accept payments & issue receipt, and that these are recorded accordingly in the ‘petty cash’ ledger book.
- To open and close the practice, checking security and setting the alarms as necessary.
- At the end of the day, secure building, checking that all windows are closed & locked, blinds closed, necessary plugs are out of sockets, switch off lights, switch on burglar alarm.
Administrative duties
- To process registering new patients, making up notes and entering their details on the computer system.
- To process new arrivals and deductions.
- To support with GP Links.
- Management of the generic inbox
- Scanning and coding all clinical documents.
- Using the electronic filing system to complete filing.
- Dealing with internal and external post
- To complete admin tasks and support with AccuRx Total Triage
- To undertake photo-copying and other basic office duties as directed by members of the team.
- To deal with queries for further information from hospitals or other local providers about patients.
- To assist in preparing and sending out practice correspondence.
- Ensure that the system is operational at the beginning of each day & switched on to the answer phone with the correct tape at lunchtime & at the end of each day.
- Clerical Duties
- Ensure that prescriptions are handled accurately and efficiently following protocol
- Monitor incoming electronic test results to ensure prompt review by clinicians
- Data entry of new and temporary registrations and relevant patient information e.g. smoking status, BP, ethnicity, medication from hospital letters
- Scan all patient information in computerised record i.e. medical documents, hospital reports and letters as necessary
- Deal with referrals to primary and secondary care
- Action tasks set by clinicians via the clinical systems and email
- Handling of document via clinical systems and practice protocols
Secondary responsibilities
- In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Care Navigator/Administrator may be requested to:
- Participate in practice audit as directed by the audit lead
- To be flexible to cover shifts in the event of staff holidays and sickness.
- Provide lunch cover where needed.
- To undertake any other duties required by the needs of the practice & commensurate with the post.
- Following mandatory training - to act as a chaperone when required. To participate and contribute to team meetings and other meetings as required.
- To undertake training as required including mandatory and statutory training, core skills training and ongoing developmental training.
- To have knowledge of all Practice procedures.
- To work in accordance of written protocols.
- To participate in appraisal scheme.
- To present a positive image of the practice at all times.
Experience
- Experience of working in a primary care environment
- Experience of working with the general public
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting
Skills
- Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
- Strong IT skills
- Clear, polite telephone manner
- Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
- EMIS / Systmone / Vision user skills
- Effective time management (planning & organising)
- Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
- Good interpersonal skills
- Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure
- Must have PC skills will be able to use basic Word, Excel and e-mail
Personal qualities
- Polite and confident
- Flexible and cooperative
- Motivated
- Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
- High levels of integrity and loyalty
- Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
- Ability to work under pressure / in stressful situations
- Able to communicate effectively and understand the needs of the patient
- Effectively utilises resources
- Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort
- A willingness to learn and progress with a ‘can do’ attitude.
Other requirements
- Flexibility to work outside core office hours
- Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
- Occupational Health clearance
DMC Healthcare is a leading independent provider of primary care, consultant-led dermatology, radiology reporting, in-sourced routine endoscopy services and MSK community services to the NHS.
We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to achieve healthier outcomes.
Firmly rooted in the NHS and dedicated to excellent patient care for nearly 55 years, DMC Healthcare currently works with 30+ NHS organisations and other partners, treating over 100,000* patients each year.
With NHS waiting list pressures, workforce shortages and unprecedented demand, we want to help. We support capacity deficits with a firm eye on quality and robust clinical governance.
Find out more: https://dmchealthcare.co.uk
