Care Navigator/Receptionist

Job description and person specification

Job title

Care Navigator

Line manager

Reception Manager

Accountable to

Practice Manager

Hours per week

Negotiable

Job summary

Situated in the historic market town of Tavistock Devon, nestled on the edge of Dartmoor, Tavyside Health Centre is seeking a Receptionist / Care Navigator to join our dynamic team, working across both our sites at Tavyside and Lifton branch surgery. We are seeking candidates who have excellent interpersonal and organisational skills to play an active role in our practice. To support the practice clinical team by signposting patients to the appropriate healthcare professional or service, working as part of the practice’s multidisciplinary team.

The care navigator will also be expected to undertake reception duties as part of the role, supporting the administrative team in delivering a polite and professional service to the entitled patient population.

Generic responsibilities

All staff at Tavyside Health Centre 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 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 must protect patient information and provide a confidential service.

Quality and Continuous Improvement (CI)

To preserve and improve the quality of this 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.

Tavyside Health Centre 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

At Tavyside Health Centre you will be required to complete the induction programme and the practice management team will support you throughout the process.

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 Tavyside Health Centre 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 and 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 work 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/read 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 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 are to ensure that restricted areas remain effectively secured. Likewise, password controls are to be maintained and 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 27 days’ leave each year (pro rata for part time positions) and should be 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 responsibilities

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

• Professionally process and effectively signpost patients to the appropriate healthcare professional depending on the presenting condition, through effective communication.
• Answer incoming phone calls, transferring calls or dealing with the callers’ requests appropriately.
• Manage online digital patient access, ensuring a timely coordinated response whilst providing best care advice and support
• Process patient requests for appointments
• Process repeat prescription requests if required
• Initiate contact with and respond to requests from patients, team members and external agencies
• Enter read/SNOMED CT code data on EMIS WEB
• Photocopy documentation as required
• Input data into the patients’ healthcare records as necessary
• Direct requests for information, e.g., SAR, insurance/solicitors’ letters and DVLA forms, to the administrative team
• Manage all queries as necessary in an efficient manner
• Carry out system searches as requested
• Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times
• Monitor and maintain the reception area and noticeboards
• Support all clinical staff with general tasks as requested
• Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes
• Attend a formal appraisal with their manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed
• Contribute to public health campaigns (e.g., flu clinics) through advice or direct care

Secondary responsibilities

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Care Navigator may be requested to:

• Participate in practice audit as directed by the audit lead
• Support administrative staff, providing cover during staff absences
• Action incoming emails when necessary
• Scan patient-related documentation and attach scanned documents to patients’ healthcare records
• Complete opening and closing procedures in accordance with the duty rota
• As required, support prescription clerks in the management of repeat prescriptions, ensuring that they are processed accurately and efficiently
• Order and monitor stationery supplies

Person Specification – Care Navigator

Qualifications

Essential

Desirable

Educated to GCSE level or equivalent

✓

Active signposting or Care Navigator training qualification

✓

Customer service qualification (NVQ) or equivalent

✓

Experience

Essential

Desirable

Experience of working in a primary care environment

✓

Experience of working with the public

✓

Experience of working in a healthcare setting

✓

Clinical knowledge and skills

Essential

Desirable

Experience of patient triage or care co-ordination

✓

Skills

Essential

Desirable

Excellent communication skills (written and oral)

✓

Strong IT skills

✓

Clear, polite telephone manner

✓

Competent in the use of Office and Outlook

✓

EMIS user skills

✓

Effective time management (planning and organising)

✓

Ability to work as a team member and autonomously

✓

Good interpersonal skills

✓

Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure

✓

Personal qualities

Essential

Desirable

Polite and confident

✓

Flexible and cooperative

✓

Motivated

✓

Problem-solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required

✓

High levels of integrity and loyalty

✓

Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations

✓

Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations

✓

Able to communicate effectively and understand the needs of the patient

✓

Effectively utilise resources

✓

Punctual and committed to supporting the team

✓

Other requirements

Essential

Desirable

Flexibility to work outside core office hours

✓

Notes:

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.

Job Type: Part-time

Salary: £11.44 per hour

Expected hours: 15 – 31.5 per week

Benefits:

• Company pension

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability

Education:

• GCSE or equivalent (preferred)

Experience:

• Customer service: 1 year (required)
• Administrative experience: 1 year (required)

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 07/09/2023
Reference ID: Tavyside 001