Front Desk Receptionist jobs in Aylesbury

Job Purpose

To provide a high-quality, professional, confidential and responsive reception and administrative service to patients, carers, members of the public and the wider primary healthcare team. The post holder will act as a key point of contact within the practice, supporting effective communication and helping patients access the most appropriate service.

This is a non-clinical role. The post holder must work within their level of competence, follow practice policies and procedures, and seek advice from a clinician or manager whenever clinical judgement or further escalation is required.

Oakfield Surgery is open from 07:30 to 18:30, Monday to Friday. The post holder will work their contracted hours according to the agreed rota, which may include opening and closing shifts.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Management of Reception

Undertake all reception duties and provide a welcoming, courteous and professional first point of contact for patients and visitors. Respond to enquiries received in person, by telephone or through approved digital channels, resolving routine matters where appropriate and directing other enquiries to the correct person or service.

Receive, record and communicate messages accurately and promptly using the appropriate clinical or administrative workflow. Maintain patient confidentiality and ensure that conversations cannot be unnecessarily overheard.

Provide patients with accurate information about practice services, procedures, registration arrangements and any applicable fees for non-NHS services. Ensure the reception desk, waiting room and associated areas remain safe, presentable and tidy, reporting any hazards or concerns promptly.

Care Navigation and Appointment Management

Operate the practice appointment system accurately, including booking, amending and cancelling appointments following practice protocols.

Use approved care-navigation procedures to help patients access the most appropriate clinician or service. Reception staff must not diagnose medical conditions, provide clinical advice or make decisions requiring clinical judgement.

Recognise information that may indicate an urgent medical or safeguarding concern and escalate it promptly to the duty clinician, safeguarding lead, Practice Manager or emergency services in accordance with practice procedures.

Process requests for home visits in accordance with the Home Visit Protocol, recording all required information accurately. Reception staff must not clinically assess whether a visit is required or promise that a clinician will visit.

Operate patient recall, invitation and follow-up systems for long-term-condition reviews, immunisations, screening, medication monitoring and other services as directed.

Identify and record patients’ communication needs and reasonable adjustments and arrange appropriate support, including professional interpreting services, where required.

Repeat Prescribing

Process repeat-prescription requests accurately and in accordance with the practice’s Repeat Prescribing Policy.

Advise patients of the practice’s current prescription-processing times rather than guaranteeing that a prescription will be ready within a fixed period.

Check that requests contain the necessary patient and medication information and forward them through the appropriate prescribing workflow. Escalate urgent, early, unusual, unclear or potentially unsafe requests to the appropriate clinician or medicines-management team.

Reception staff must not add, alter, approve or provide clinical advice about medication unless specifically trained, authorised and working under an approved practice procedure.

Medical Records and Correspondence

Maintain accurate, complete and contemporaneous patient records. Verify patient identifiers carefully before entering, scanning, attaching, coding, filing or disclosing information.

Process incoming correspondence through the approved electronic workflow, ensuring that documents are attached to the correct patient record and retain the correct document and event dates.

Promptly escalate urgent or time-critical correspondence, suspected filing errors, safeguarding information, suspected data breaches or any uncertainty about the correct patient record. Errors must be reported immediately and must never be deleted or concealed without following the approved correction process.

Maintain confidentiality and access patient records only where necessary for authorised duties.

Patient Test Results

Communicate test results only where a clinician has reviewed the result and provided a clear, authorised message.

Confirm the patient’s identity before disclosing any information and follow the practice’s Results Handling Protocol.

Reception staff must not interpret test results, provide clinical advice, offer reassurance or disclose results to another person without appropriate consent or legal authority. Any unclear instruction, concerning symptom or patient concern must be escalated to an appropriate clinician.

Consultation Rooms and Practice Supplies

Check that allocated consultation rooms and reception work areas are ready for use. Restock approved stationery, forms and non-clinical supplies as required.

Report missing supplies, damaged equipment, infection-control concerns or other hazards promptly. Clinical equipment, medicines, specimens and clinical waste must only be handled by staff who have received appropriate training and authorisation.

Opening and Closing Procedures

Undertake allocated opening and closing duties in accordance with the practice rota and security procedures.

Opening duties may include unlocking approved areas, deactivating the alarm, carrying out safety checks, preparing reception facilities and activating telephone and computer systems.

Closing duties may include checking doors and windows, ensuring confidential information is secured, logging out of systems, securing keys and smartcards, activating the alarm and confirming that the premises are left safe and secure.

Any security concern, alarm failure, missing key, unauthorised access or difficulty securing the premises must be reported immediately.

Additional Duties Specific to the Post

Undertake other reasonable reception and administrative duties consistent with the nature and level of the post, following appropriate training and instruction.

Work flexibly within contracted hours to support the safe operation of the practice. The post holder may be asked to provide additional cover during annual leave, sickness absence or exceptional service pressures. Additional hours will be arranged by mutual agreement and managed in accordance with the employment contract and practice procedures.

Participate in team meetings, mandatory training, supervision, appraisal, audits, significant-event reviews and service-improvement activities relevant to the role.

Pay: From £12.71 per hour

Expected hours: 22.0 per week

Benefits:

• Company pension
• On-site parking

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Aylesbury HP20 1LJ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Education:

• GCSE or equivalent (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person