Medical Receptionist Team Lead

Job summary

Wells Health Centre is looking for an experienced, organised and approachable Team Lead Medical Receptionist to join our busy and supportive primary care team.

This is a key role within the practice, providing leadership and day-to-day support to the reception team while ensuring patients receive a welcoming, professional and efficient service. The successful candidate will act as a positive role model, supporting colleagues, coordinating workloads and helping to maintain consistently high standards across the reception function.

Working closely with the Senior Business Manager, clinicians and wider administrative team, you will help ensure the smooth running of reception services and effective communication between patients and healthcare professionals. You will be confident managing a busy and varied workload, responding to challenging situations appropriately and supporting the team to deliver excellent patient care.

We are looking for someone with strong communication and organisational skills, a calm and supportive approach, and the ability to lead by example. Previous experience in general practice, the NHS or a similar healthcare environment would be advantageous.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced receptionist who is ready to take the next step in their career and play an important role in supporting both our team and the patients we serve.

Main duties of the job

The Team Lead Medical Receptionist will provide day-to-day leadership and support to the reception team, ensuring a professional, efficient and patient-focused service.

Key duties include:

Supervising, supporting and motivating the reception team, acting as a positive role model.

Allocating daily workloads and ensuring appropriate staffing and cover.

Supporting the induction, training and development of reception staff.

Monitoring team performance and escalating concerns to the Practice Manager when required.

Ensuring practice policies, confidentiality and information governance requirements are followed.

Providing excellent customer service and dealing sensitively with patient queries, concerns and challenging situations.

Liaising effectively with GPs, nurses, administrative colleagues and other healthcare professionals.

Supporting appointment management and ensuring patients are directed to the appropriate service.

Overseeing telephone and face-to-face reception, ensuring enquiries are handled efficiently.

Maintaining accurate patient information and using practice computer systems effectively.

Monitoring administrative tasks and ensuring work is completed accurately and within agreed timescales.

Supporting new systems, processes and ways of working.

Identifying opportunities to improve reception services and patient experience.

Participating in meetings, training and development activities.

Working flexibly with the wider practice team to support the smooth delivery of services.

About us

Wells Health Centre is a friendly, forward-thinking NHS GP practice based at Priory Health Park in Wells, Somerset. Our multidisciplinary team provides high-quality, patient-centred primary care to our local community, with a strong focus on safe, effective and accessible services.

Our team includes GPs, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare professionals, supported by experienced administrative and operational colleagues. We value teamwork and recognise that bringing together different skills, experience and perspectives enables us to deliver excellent care and positive outcomes for our patients.

We are part of the West Mendip Primary Care Network, working collaboratively with other local practices and healthcare professionals to provide joined-up care and develop innovative approaches to primary care.

We are committed to creating a supportive, inclusive and welcoming working environment where staff feel valued and have opportunities to learn, develop and progress. We encourage continuous improvement, professional development and collaborative working.

We welcome applications from compassionate, motivated and enthusiastic people who want to make a positive difference to patients and the wider community.

Job responsibilities

Reporting to: Senior Operations & Business Manager

Location: On-site at Wells Health Centre

Position type: Full time 37.5 hours

Job Summary:

Core leadership duties:

Manage the day-to-day front desk operations of Wells Health Centre

Lead supervision, training, and support to the team of receptionists

Create and manage staff rotas to ensure full coverage during operating hours 08.00-6.30 pm Monday-Friday

Act as the main link between patients, administrative staff, and clinicians

Handle performance reviews and constructive feedback to the team

Train and on-board new staff in clinical software and their role

Co-ordinate team communication in line with the requirements of the business

Daily administrative duties:

Offer general assistance to the practice team and project a positive and friendly image to patients and other visitors, either in person or via the telephone

Receive, assist, and direct patients in accessing the appropriate service or healthcare professional in a courteous, efficient, and effective way

Facilitate effective communication between patients, members the primary health care team, secondary care, and other associated healthcare agencies

Duties and Responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities to be undertaken by members of the practice administration team may include any or all the items in the following list. Duties may be varied from time to time under the direction of the Senior Operations & Business Manager and Partners, dependent on current and evolving practice workload and staffing levels:

Opening up/locking-up of practice premises and maintaining security in accordance with practice protocols

Maintaining and monitoring the practice appointments system

Processing personal and telephone requests for appointments, visits and telephone consultations and ensuring callers are directed to the appropriate healthcare professional

Processing and distributing incoming (and outgoing) mail

Taking messages and passing on information

Filing and retrieving paperwork

Processing repeats prescriptions in accordance with practice guidelines

Computer data entry/data allocation and collation; processing and recording information in accordance with practice procedures

Initiating contact with and responding to requests from patients, other team member and associated healthcare agencies and providers

Clearing and re-stock consulting rooms as required

Providing clerical assistance to practice and as required from time to time, including, filing, photocopying, and scanning

Provision of refreshments for staff and visitors as required, loading, and emptying the dishwasher and keeping the kitchen area clean and tidy

Keeping the reception area, noticeboards, and leaflet dispensers tidy and free from obstructions and clutter

Confidentiality:

While 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 assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:

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

Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards

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 recognises the importance of peoples 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-judgemental 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 teams performance

Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs

Effectively manage own time, workload, and resources.

Communication:

The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

Communicate effectively with other team members

Communicate effectively with patients and carers

Recognise peoples 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.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Good standard of general education, including English and Maths.
• Relevant administrative, customer service or healthcare qualification, or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of ongoing learning and development.

Desirable

• Medical terminology qualification or equivalent knowledge.
• Previous NHS, primary care or healthcare administration training.
• Leadership or supervisory training.

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience in a busy reception, administrative or customer-facing role.
• Experience of supervising, supporting or coordinating staff.
• Experience handling confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
• Experience dealing with patients or members of the public, including challenging situations.
• Good IT skills and experience using computerised systems.
• Ability to organise workloads, prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
• Experience working effectively as part of a team.

Desirable

• Previous experience within general practice, the NHS or another healthcare setting.
• Experience using GP clinical systems.
• Knowledge of NHS primary care services and procedures.
• Experience supporting staff training, induction or performance.
• Experience contributing to service improvement.