Clinical Support Assistant London, England
Job description
Job Title
Clinical support assistant/care coordinator
Hours per week
37.5 hours per week (Monday - Friday)
Thurleigh Road Practice is a large GP surgery operating from a purpose-built premises in SW12. We provide primary medical services to our 14,500 patients between 08.00 to 19.30 Monday to Friday. We are offering an exciting opportunity for the right applicant to join our practice reception/admin team working 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday.
We are looking for an enthusiastic, positive and self-motivated individual who can work both independently and as part of our growing team. The role offers a broad range of development and career opportunities as your skills and knowledge of our practice grows.
The role is a crucial part of the surgery and for many patients and external services, they are a key contact within the practice, delivering high-quality patient care. Duties will include supporting our most complex and vulnerable patients, working closely with clinicians, the PCN Social Prescriber, link workers, council and voluntary services and community organisations to ensure health care planning is timely, efficient and patient-centered. This will involve coordinating appointments and looking at patient’s non-medical needs to prevent avoidable hospital admissions and support their personalised care requirements. The Role plays an important part in quality improvement for the overall practice population by supporting the practice with a clinical safety net, health promotion and call/recall systems.
To apply for this position please provide a CV. Please include a contact phone number and email address.
Job Summary
To provide high quality customer care to all our patients, comprehensive and safe patient services including all relevant duties and responsibilities, together with administrative and communications support to all members of the practice team.
Job Responsibilities
The main responsibility of all staff is to provide an efficient and always courteous service to our patients and visitors and to assist the partners and other staff of the surgery to provide high quality medical care.
Details of these duties are detailed below. These should not be seen as exhaustive as all reception staff are required to have a flexible approach and willing to adapt their duties and times of work in line with the workload, staff numbers and other demands on the practice that will vary from time to time.
Duties
Provide an efficient and courteous service to patients and other people visiting, phoning and emailing the surgery and deal with their requests, queries and communications professionally, empathically and in a timely manner.
Be the first point of contact for our most vulnerable and complex patients.
Liaise with vulnerable patients and their families and carers to organise reviews of patients with particular conditions including learning disabilities, ECP, mental illness and dementia.
Liaise with secondary care, community services, social care and other services to coordinate the care of complex patients e.g. those who are care managed/frequent attenders/housebound/disabled. Help to coordinate community care agents, secondary care and hospital transport (as above) as well as identifying patients who frequently do not attend appointments.
To support management in ensuring the practice QOF, PACT and enhanced service checks are completed by undertaking proactive “call and recall” processes in line with practice procedure.
Dealing with daily intake of patient queries regarding Prescription requests, test results, other non-clinical queries.
Monitor the arrival of patients, supervise the waiting areas and ensure patients and visitors are safe and moving through the practice at the correct speed..
Ensure the reception and waiting areas are tidy and presentable at all times.
Arrange appointments for patients based on the information they provide, using the practice computer system and following practice protocols.
Deal safely and appropriately with messages received to and from doctors, other staff members and patients and ensure everything is either noted, handed on and/or completed accurately, competently and professionally without exception.
Carry out all patient-focused administrative tasks, duties and responsibilities including patient registrations, management of electronic and paper records, ordering ambulances, contacting hospitals, managing documents, emails and patient requests etc.
Provide a level of customer service and communication – both verbal and written – to resolve issues for patients and avoid confrontation. Recognise when to escalate a situation – or when one might be developing - where intervention by a relevant colleague is necessary to defuse/resolve customer service/patient issues.
Personal qualities required
The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
- Communicate effectively with all team members.
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
- Recognise people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
- Communicate on a proactive basis, as well as a responsive basis.
Be resourceful and resilient. Work flexibly in recognising, understanding and dealing with conflicting demands and stressful situations.
Work as a member of a team - be able to both give and receive help and support.
Punctuality – being completely ready to commence work at the agreed start time.
Attention to detail throughout for every element of the reception/admin role.
Be a completer-finisher for every task or work as part of a team to achieve this quality in everything you do.
Skills needed
A high standard of customer service skills and knowledge in order to provide an excellent patient experience without exception.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to interpret patient needs however they are presented (as every patient is unique)
IT knowledge and skills that are functional for this role using Microsoft packages, our EMIS Web clinical system and our integrated phone system.
The ability to solve problems and safely work at a variety of important patient-focused tasks.
The ability to keep and deal with a task to the full extent of your knowledge, skills and experience before passing it on to a colleague or other member of the practice team.
The ability to recognise the right time (for every involved party) to hand on a task or situation to a colleague or another member of the practice team because that is the most appropriate course of action required.
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 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 health care 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
upon 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 partake and complete mandatory training as directed by the training coordinator, as well as participating in the practice 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.
Qualifications
Essential
Educated to GCSE level or equivalent (English and Maths GCSE) grade 6-7
efficient in the use of Microsoft office applications
Desirable
Basic IT qualification such as ECDL
NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care
ECDL or Other equivalent IT qualification
AMSPAR Diploma in Medical Administration
Experience
Essential
Experience of working with the general public
Experience of working within a pressurised environment
Desirable
Experience of working in a GP Practice
Previous Medical assistant/receptionist experience, preferably within a healthcare setting or similar.
Experience of administrative duties
Experience of working in a health care setting
Skills
Essential
Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
Excellent interpersonal skills with a sympathetic and caring approach to the public.
Understanding the need for confidentiality & data awareness issues
Strong IT skills
Clear, polite telephone manner
Willing to take advice, follow instruction and undertake delegate duties.
Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
Good interpersonal skills
Effective time management (Planning & Organising)
Ability to follow policy and procedure
Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
Problem solving & analytical skills
Ability to prioritise workload and multitask
Desirable
Knowledge of EMIS Web (or other clinical system)
Personal Qualities
Essential
Polite and confident
Professional appearance and conduct
Friendly and approachable manner
Flexible and cooperative
Motivated
Forward thinker
High levels of integrity and loyalty
Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
Ability to work under pressure
Desirable
Previous experience working in GP surgery
Other requirements
Essential
Flexibility to work outside of core office hours
Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: From £23,400.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
- No weekends
Education:
- A-Level or equivalent (required)
Experience:
- Administration or healthcare: 1 year (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 15/05/2023
