Practice News

We are looking to recruit a full time Receptionist / Dispenser to our Practice team.  The position is full time over 4 days (job share will be considered).

No experience is necessary as full training can be provided.

The role will involve working on reception and in our dispensaries, assisting patients with booking appointments, dealing with queries, processing repeat medication requests and dispensing medications.  

We are looking for someone who is caring, passionate and wants to help support their local community.  You will be joining an experienced, friendly team and will have lots of support.

We offer NHS Pension Scheme, sick pay, 6 weeks' annual leave plus Bank Holidays (pro-rata).    

If you are interested in applying, please send a CV and covering letter to:

Lynn Irwin

Managing Partner

Central Dales Practice

The Health Centre

Hawes   DL8 3QR

(or via email:  hawes.dispensary@nhs.net)

Closing date is Friday 31 January 2025

JOB DESCRIPTION

LIAISES WITH     All Practice staff, visiting healthcare professionals and patients.

JOB SUMMARY

A Receptionist/Dispenser offers capacity and expertise to support patients, carers, families, practice staff and healthcare professionals.  They support patients with their care, supporting their needs and ensure they receive personalised care, enabling the patient to be more involved in the decision making around their care and treatment. 

To accurately and efficiently process all relevant prescriptions as authorised by Prescribers, where appropriate with principles of good practice. 

To assist with booking appointments, sending and actioning tasks, assisting with patient queries and other such duties as required.

To adhere to the strictest confidentiality when handling medical records and other information pertaining to patients and staff. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Make best use of the Practice computer system to ensure good communication and audit standards including use of Ardens.
• Help patients manage their needs through answering queries, making and managing appointments, ensuring that patients have good quality written or verbal information to help them make choices about their care.
• Support the team with recalls for patients with long term conditions, to ensure they receive the appropriate reviews and tests.
• Complete DRUM reviews for dispensing patients.
• Ensure prescriptions are correctly completed and signed.
• Assist with ordering medications for dispensary.
• Adhere to practice protocols and procedures.
• Checking expiry dates on medications and ensuring proper storage and conditions.
• Ensure drug safety notices are acted upon.
• Observe legal requirements relevant to a dispensing practice.
• Endorsing prescriptions as required.
• Stock control within the dispensary.
• Use of clinical system, email and other IT programmes as required.
• Being pro-active in suggesting and developing new initiatives to improve services.
• Working under own initiative and prioritising tasks. 
• Work with Richmondshire Primary Care Network to proactively case find using health intelligence data.
• Ensure patients are supported to fully engage in shared decision making about their care. 
• Work with other healthcare professionals (eg Pharmacists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Social Workers etc) to get the best outcomes for the patients.
• Attend meetings within the Practice.
• Dispense medications following Standard Operating Procedures. 
• Be an effective member of the Practice team, supporting colleagues as required.
• Provide cover for colleagues’ absence on reception or in dispensary from time to time as required
• Ensure that all responsibilities to staff, patients and other Practice visitors under the Health and Safety at Work Act are met.
• Such other duties as are delegated from time to time.

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 is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and recognises the importance of people’s circumstances, feelings, priorities and 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;

Personal/Professional Development

In addition to maintaining continued education through attendance at any courses and/or study days necessary to ensure that professional development requirements are met, 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, annual Appraisal 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 Clinical Governance issues, quality and risk; participate in Significant Event Analysis reviews
• 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 team’s performance;
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients’ needs;
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources. The post holder will also contribute to the overall team-working of the Practice putting the needs of the Practice first.

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/families;
• Recognise people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Flexibility

This role profile is intended to provide a broad outline of the main responsibilities only. The post holder will be expected to be flexible in relation to duties undertaken and location of work where required by the Practice.

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 audits where appropriate.
• Work with the partners to achieve standards of quality, performance standards, budgets and targets without compromising           levels of patient healthcare
• Contribute towards the development and implementation of new standards, policies and procedures that are/will be required by GP practice now and in the future.