Job summary
To provide a professional, welcoming and efficient first point of contact for patients, carers, visitors and healthcare professionals. The Patient Service Advisor will combine the core duties of a practice receptionist and medical secretary, supporting patients to access appropriate services while ensuring that administrative, correspondence and clinical support processes are completed accurately and promptly.

The post-holder will work collaboratively with GPs, nurses, administrative colleagues and wider practice staff to support the safe and effective delivery of primary care services.

This will include assisting and directing patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient and effective manner. The post-holder will undertake a variety of administrative duties to assist in the smooth running of the Practice. The job will require you to facilitate communication between patients, members of the primary health care team, secondary care and other associated healthcare agencies.

Main duties of the job

• Welcome patients and visitors courteously and professionally, both face to face and by telephone.
• Establish the reason for a patients contact and identify the most appropriate route for support, without undertaking clinical assessment or diagnosis.
• Assist patients to access appointments with the appropriate healthcare professional or service.
• Manage appointment bookings, cancellations, amendments and follow-up arrangements in line with practice procedures.
• Explain practice processes clearly, including online services, appointment systems, prescription procedures and available community or NHS services.
• Identify urgent requests and follow the practices escalation procedure, referring concerns to an appropriate clinician or senior member of staff.
• Provide additional support or reasonable adjustments for patients who may be vulnerable, disabled, digitally excluded or have communication or language needs.
• Maintain a calm, respectful and professional approach when dealing with distressed, frustrated or challenging patients.
• Support the smooth running of the front desk while always maintaining patient confidentiality.
• Process requests received through telephone, online systems, email, post and face-to-face contact.
• Ensure messages are recorded accurately and passed to the appropriate member of staff.
• Prepare, format and process clinical correspondence, reports, referrals and other documentation as required.

About us
At Victoria Park Health Centre, we are proud to deliver compassionate, accessible, and high-quality care to our community. We are a friendly, forward-thinking team and are looking for the correct candidate to join our team.

Victoria Park Health Centre is a large, dynamic practice caring for around 24,000 patients, with a strong focus on clinical excellence and working effectively within the modern NHS. Located next to the University of Leicester, we also support a vibrant student population.

Job responsibilities

• Prepare, format and process clinical correspondence, reports, referrals and other documentation as required.
• Process referrals in accordance with practice procedures, ensuring that information is complete and accurate.
• To provide an efficient audio, copy typing and word processing service for GPs and health professionals as required. This includes the typing of letters, reports, patient referrals, medical reports, coroners reports, insurance reports, etc. in an accurate and quality manner.
• Monitor referral workflows and follow up outstanding actions where appropriate.
• Arrange investigations, appointments and follow-up requested by a GP or other authorised clinician.
• Process hospital letters, discharge summaries, clinical correspondence and other incoming information.
• Ensure correspondence is accurately coded, filed or routed for clinical review.
• Prepare documents for clinician review and signature where required.
• Liaise professionally with hospitals, community services, pharmacies, care homes, patients and other healthcare organisations.
• Respond to administrative queries from patients and external organisations within the scope of the role.
• Support the preparation of reports, meeting papers, audits and other administrative information.
• Maintain accurate records of actions taken and ensure outstanding tasks are appropriately monitored.
• Assist with the administration of private medical reports, insurance forms and other non-NHS work in accordance with practice policy.
• Maintain strict confidentiality in relation to patients, colleagues and practice business.
• Comply with information governance, data protection, confidentiality and records-management requirements.
• Verify patient identity before disclosing or recording information.
• Use clinical and administrative systems securely and appropriately.
• Ensure that sensitive information is not discussed where it may be overheard.
• Report any suspected data breach, confidentiality concern or information-governance incident promptly.
• Ensure that records are accurate, contemporaneous and stored appropriately.
• Work flexibly across reception, telephone, administrative and secretarial functions according to service requirements.
• Support colleagues during periods of increased demand, staff absence or operational pressure.
• Attend team meetings, training sessions and relevant briefings.
• Contribute to service improvement, patient feedback reviews and administrative audits.
• Follow practice policies, protocols and standard operating procedures.
• Maintain effective communication with all members of the multidisciplinary practice team.

Qualifications
Essential

• GSCE grades A-C in English & Maths Good keyboard and computer skills
• tenacious with an eye for detail;
• A strong customer service ethic and skills;
• A friendly can do attitude
• Mature, empathetic nature
• Professional, friendly and tactful
• Ability to work under pressure
• Well organised with the ability to multi-task
• Experience of working in a healthcare setting in a patient facing role
• Processing referrals using the electronic referral system (ERS)
• Knowledge of Medical Terminology
• Experience with SystmOne

Desirable

• General practice experience

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.