JOB TITLE: Receptionist/Dispenser
REPORTS TO: PRACTICE PRINCIPAL (Clinically)
THE PRACTICE MANAGER (Administratively)
Job summary:
Duties include Reception cover and the Dispensing of medicines, administrative work with the computer system, patient communications and general support work.
It is essential that candidates have a good level of literacy and numeracy and are comfortable with computer systems. An important attribute is a willingness to undertake training and guidance to widen the range of activities.
Past Dispensing experience is preferred but training can be provided.
Applications deadlines 9th April 2025, Interviews will be held 15th April 2025.
Job responsibilities Reception:
- Ensure an effective and efficient reception service is provided to patients and any other visitors to the practice.
- Deal with all general enquiries, explain procedures and make new and follow-up appointments.
- Using your own judgement and communication skills ensure that patients with no prior appointment but who need urgent consultation are seen in a logical and non-disruptive manner.
- Explain practice arrangements and formal requirements to new patients and those seeking temporary cover and ensure procedures are completed.
- Receive and make telephone call as required. Divert calls and take messages, ensuring accuracy of detail and prompt appropriate delivery.
- Process requests for home visits as appropriate, ensuring careful recording of all relevant details and where necessary refer to a doctor.
- Action repeat prescription requests and ensure that they are ready for collection by the patient within 48 hours, either on the computer or manually.
- Prepare lists and notes for all surgeries and clinics held, ensuring completion of all associated paperwork.
- Advise patients of relevant charges for private services, accept payment and issue receipts.
- Enter patient information on to the computer as required, ensuring that you are fully up to date with all relevant computer systems.
- Ensure that all patient notes and correspondence are accurately recorded and maintained within the computer system.
- Ensure the reception area is kept clean and tidy at all times.
- Undertake any additional duties appropriate to the role as requested by the Partners or the Practice Manager.
Job responsibilities Dispensary:
- Receive patient requests for authorised repeat prescriptions.
- Prepare prescriptions for a Doctors signature.
- Ensure that details of the issue of all prescriptions are entered on the appropriate patient computer records.
- Where the information is incorrect or insufficient, ensure that the request for repeat prescription is referred to the appropriate doctor for action.
- Assist in the dispensary with the unpacking and storing of drug orders.
- Order drugs, where appropriate, using the approved system, sending orders to the wholesaler at agreed frequencies.
- Undertake the dispensing of repeat and acute medication prescriptions both supervised and unsupervised - as appropriate to experience.
- Check repeat medications dispensed prior to being issued to patients.
- Undertake any additional duties appropriate to the role as requested by the Partners or the Practice Manager.
Special requirements of the post:
- An ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness and common sense to respond to patients enquiries and requests.
- Excellent communications skills.
- A willingness to work in a multi-tasking primary care team, being prepared to cover for other staff members during sickness and holidays.
- A willingness to attend appropriate staff and multi-disciplinary team meetings plus additional training if required.
- Keyboard skills and computer literacy - essential.
- An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality.
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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
Health & safety:
The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management their own and others’ health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):
- Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
- Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.
- Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills.
- Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
- Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers
- Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually).
- 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 recognizes 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:
- Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
- 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
- Effectively manage own time, workload and resources
Communication:
The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
- Communicate effectively with other team members
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers
- Recognize 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
- Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
- Participate in audit where appropriate
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Pay: £14.35 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- On-site parking
Licence/Certification:
- Dispensing Qualification (preferred)
Work Location: In person
