Job title: Medical Administrator
Line manager: Jodie Hockley - Administration Lead
Accountable to: Practice Manager
Hours per week: 27 per week

Job summary

To be responsible for undertaking a wide range of administrative duties and the provision of administrative support to the multidisciplinary team.

Duties can include, but are not limited to, supporting the administration and receptionist teams with patient registrations and processing of information (electronic and hard copy) in a timely manner and in accordance with current policies.

To support staff with the distribution of information, messages and enquiries for the clinical team, liaising with multidisciplinary team members and external agencies such as secondary care and community service providers.

Mission statement

We believe that continuity of care is essential in general practice so that we get to know our patients and are fully aware of their problems. This means that it is easier for us to care for you effectively and better for you by not having to explain things to a different doctor every time you attend.

As such we are one of the last few practices in the area adhering to a system of “personal lists” whereby you are assigned to a specific doctor. Whilst this is viewed as rather “old-fashioned” these days, we believe that it offers you a more efficient, effective and personalised service.

Generic responsibilities

All staff at The Arundel Surgery have a duty to conform to the following:

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

A good attitude and positive action towards Equality Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) creates an environment where all individuals can achieve their full potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons – it improves operational effectiveness, it is morally the right thing to do and it is required by law.

Patients and their families have the right to be treated fairly and be routinely involved in decisions about their treatment and care. They can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Patients have a responsibility to treat other patients and our staff with dignity and respect.

Staff have the right to be treated fairly in recruitment and career progression. Staff can expect to work in an environment where diversity is valued, and equality of opportunity is promoted. Staff will not be discriminated against on any grounds, including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that they treat our patients and their colleagues with dignity and respect.

Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF)

This organisation is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities for staff to maintain their health, wellbeing and safety.

The post holder is to manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients, and monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards, and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines.

All personnel have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for themselves, their team and others, and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.

All personnel are to comply with the:

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Environmental Protection Act 1990
• Environment Act 1995
• Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999
• Coronavirus Act 2020
• Other statutory legislation which may be brought to the post holder’s attention

Confidentiality

The organisation 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 that all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality.

It is essential that, if the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained, all staff protect patient information and provide a confidential service.

Quality and Continuous Improvement (CI)

To preserve and improve the quality of the organisation’s outputs, 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 organisation, to look for opportunities to improve quality and share good practice and to discuss, highlight and work with the team to create opportunities to improve patient care.

The Arundel Surgery continually strives to improve work processes which deliver healthcare 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.

Staff should interpret national strategies and policies into local implementation strategies that are aligned to the values and culture of general practice.

All staff are to contribute to investigations and root cause analyses whilst participating in serious incident investigations and multidisciplinary case reviews.

Induction training

The Arundel Surgery will provide a full 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 in and complete mandatory training as directed by the Practice Manager. It is an expectation for this post holder to assess their own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate.

The post holder will undertake mentorship for team members, and disseminate learning and information gained to other team members to share good practice and inform others about current and future developments (e.g., courses and conferences).

The post holder will provide an educational role to patients, carers, families and colleagues in an environment that facilitates learning.

Collaborative working

All staff are to recognise the significance of collaborative working, understand their own role and scope, and identify how this may develop over time. Staff are to prioritise their own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embedded within the culture of the team.

Teamwork is essential in multidisciplinary environments and the post holder is to work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working, and working effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery.

Effective communication is essential and all staff must ensure they communicate in a manner which enables the sharing of information in an appropriate manner.

All staff should delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessment of competence.

Plans and outcomes by which to measure success should be agreed.

Managing information

All staff should use technology and appropriate software as an aid to management in the planning, implementation and monitoring of care and presenting and communicating information.

Data should be reviewed and processed using accurate SNOMED codes to ensure easy and accurate information retrieval for monitoring and audit processes.

Service delivery

Staff will be given detailed information during the induction process regarding policy and procedure.

The post holder must adhere to the information contained within the organisation’s local policies and regional directives, ensuring protocols are always adhered to.

Security

The security of the organisation is the responsibility of all personnel. The post holder must ensure they always remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately to their line manager.

Under no circumstances are staff to share the codes for the door locks with anyone, and they are to ensure that restricted areas remain effectively secured. Likewise, password controls are to be maintained and passwords are not to be shared.

Professional conduct

All staff are required to dress appropriately for their role.

Leave

All personnel are entitled to take leave. Line managers are to ensure all their staff are afforded the opportunity to take a minimum of 25 days’ leave each year and are encouraged to take all their leave entitlement.
Public holidays will be calculated on a pro-rated basis dependent on the number of hours worked.

Primary key responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the Medical Administrator. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

• Scanning and coding letters and relevant correspondence into the practice medical computer system and forward to the appropriate person as per the protocol
• Accurately inputting clinical data and coded information into patient records
• Reviewing incoming emails (for incoming alerts, patient correspondence etc) regularly and processing / forwarding them according to protocol.
• Archiving scanned paper documents
• Processing and distributing incoming post and preparing outgoing post for collection
• Delivering mail to different departments and clear / distribute outgoing items following practice procedures
• Photocopying documents / letters as required
• Observing complete confidentiality at all times
• Registering new patients and dealing with registration queries
• Processing tasks including GP2GP Transfer In and Degraded Entries
• Registering patients for Online Services including proxy access
• Reassigning / processing pathology results
• Summarising patient notes
• Processing the notes coming in to the surgery and carrying out deductions.
• Liaising with IT Helpdesk to resolve technical problems
• Applying practice policies, standards and guidance
• Carrying out any other duties as may reasonably be requested by your line manager, the GP’s or Practice Manager
• Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times
• Support all clinical staff with general administrative tasks as requested

Secondary responsibilities

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Medical Administrator may be requested to:

• Partake in audit as directed by the audit lead
• There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels

Person specification – Administration Assistant

Qualifications

• GCSE Mathematics & English (C or above) or equivalent
• NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care

Experience

• Experience of working with the general public
• Experience of administrative duties
• Experience of working in a healthcare setting
• Experience of using SystmOne

Skills

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Ability to follow policies and procedures
• EMIS/SystmOne/Vision user skills

Personal qualities

• Polite and confident
• Flexible and cooperative
• Motivated
• Forward thinker
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to work under pressure

Other requirements

• Willingness to work flexible hours when required to meet work demands
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own home

The job description and person specification may be amended following consultation with the post holder to facilitate the development of the role, the organisation and the individual.

All personnel should be prepared to accept additional, or surrender existing duties, to enable the efficient running of the organisation.