JOB SUMMARY:
The Patient Services Administrator provides front-of-house reception and care navigation, full administrative support, and comprehensive secretarial services to enable safe, efficient and patient‑centred care across the practice.
The role spans patient contact and appointment management, processing clinical correspondence and referrals, clinical coding and workflow, summarising and maintaining medical records, and general practice administration.
The post‑holder will handle patient information accurately and confidentially while coordinating with clinicians, external providers and partner services to ensure timely processing and continuity of care.
This role requires Extended Access reception cover until 8pm on a Wednesday, and occasional Saturday cover on a rota basis.
Team members will expect to have some understanding of all processes outlined but may have specific duties in certain areas according to skillset, previous experience and practice needs.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
The following are the core responsibilities of the Patient Services Administrator. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:
Patient Contact, Reception & Care Navigation
· Provide a professional, friendly and efficient front‑of‑house service in person, by telephone and online.
· Act as first point of contact, using care navigation to direct patients to the most appropriate clinician or service, including community and self‑care options where suitable, escalating to clinical staff when needed.
· Book, amend and cancel appointments in line with practice guidelines; manage arrivals, waiting lists and support capacity planning.
· Undertake opening and closing procedures; provide extended access cover (e.g. Wednesday until 8pm) and occasional Saturday rota cover as required.
Clinical Correspondence & Referrals
· Receive, manage and process incoming clinical correspondence (e.g. hospital letters, reports, test results), ensuring accurate distribution for review and action.
· File/scan documents promptly to patient records within the clinical system, maintaining clear audit trails.
· Prepare and submit patient referrals (including via NHS e-Referral Service), ensuring required clinical information and documentation are included; track and follow up as appropriate.
· Provide secretarial support to clinicians, including typing letters and handling external correspondence requests.
Records Management, Summarising & Clinical Coding
· Accurately summarise new and transferred records and update patient histories in the clinical system.
· Apply appropriate clinical codes to diagnoses, procedures and concepts to maintain high‑quality data.
· Administer daily document workflow (e.g. document management queues), scanning, coding and assigning to the correct clinician in a timely manner.
· Liaise with Primary Care Support England (PCSE) for the accurate receipt and processing of paper records.
General Administration & Communication
· Process incoming and outgoing post; manage practice correspondence and maintain organised filing systems.
· Assist with Subject Access Requests (SARs) and third‑party requests (e.g. insurance, solicitors, DVLA) in line with policy.
· Support clinicians with non‑clinical administrative tasks and prescription/medication administration in accordance with practice procedures.
· Respond to patient queries regarding referrals, appointments and documentation, providing clear information while maintaining confidentiality.
Information Governance, Safeguarding & Compliance
· Handle all patient information in accordance with information governance, data protection and confidentiality policies.
· Follow practice policies, standard operating procedures and contribute to CQC compliance and inspection readiness.
· Identify and escalate risks, incidents, safety and safeguarding concerns appropriately; support incident reporting and risk management processes.
Teamworking & Meetings
· Work collaboratively with clinical and administrative colleagues; communicate effectively to support smooth daily operations.
· Attend and contribute to patient services team meetings and relevant practice meetings (e.g. clinical governance).
· Provide flexible cover across the team during peaks in demand, annual leave and sickness.
· Consult with the Patient Services Manager as the designated first point of contact for any arising queries.
Digital Systems and Automation
· Confidently use a range of digital software and patient‑management systems to support efficient service delivery.
· Maintaining accurate electronic records, navigating clinical and administrative platforms, and utilising digital tools to streamline workflows such as appointment scheduling, referrals, and patient communications.
· Support the implementation of new digital systems and automation
SECONDARY RESPONSIBLITIES
In addition to these primary responsibilities, the Patient Services Administrator may also be required to:
· Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care
· Support and participate in shared learning within the organisation
This job description is not exhaustive. You should understand that your job title and job description may be amended from time to time and that you may be called upon to carry out additional or other duties as may reasonably be required.
Overview of your organisation
Alton Street Surgery is well established and has a very good reputation for patient care and accessibility. In 2018 the surgery received a rating of Outstanding from the CQC. The practice provides care to approximately 11,700 patients in Ross-on-Wye and surrounding rural areas.
We have a young and enthusiastic Partnership who are family friendly and who encourage a strong team ethos within the surgery. It is very important to the partners that this is maintained and developed. Learning is important in the organisation, and the partners encourage the development of staff.
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: From £12.21 per hour
Work Location: In person
