Job Description
Job title: Receptionist
Division: Various
Board/corporate function: Various
Salary band: 3
Responsible to: Administration Team Leader
Accountable to: General Manager
Hours per week: 37.5 hours
Location: UCLH sites
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex
NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population.
We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from
throughout the United Kingdom and overseas.
Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education and world-class research. We
provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:
University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street
The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
University College Hospital Grafton Way Building
We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in
women’s health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral
disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and
pathology.
We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service,
embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for
our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.
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UCLH Vision and Values
The Trust is committed to delivering top quality patient care, excellent education and world-class
research.
We deliver our vision through values to describe how we serve patients, their families and how we
are with colleagues in the Trust and beyond.
We put your safety and wellbeing above everything
Deliver the best Reassuringly Take personal
Keep people safe
outcomes professional responsibility
We offer you the kindness we would want for a loved one
Friendly and
Respect individuals Attentive and helpful Protect your dignity
courteous
We achieve through teamwork
Respect
Listen and hear Explain and involve Work in partnership
everyone’s time
We strive to keep improving
Courage to give and Efficient and Develop through Innovate and
receive feedback simplified learning research
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at UCLH
At UCLH, we take equality of opportunity seriously and are committed to being a diverse and
inclusive employer, with a culture that creates a real sense of belonging and trust. Respect,
inclusion, and sensitivity are hallmarks of quality of our care. That is why it is our fundamental aim,
to recruit, retain and promote a diverse mix of people from all backgrounds, cultures, and
perspectives, who are representative of our local communities to support our world class research,
innovation, and creativity. We are proud to have 7 diversity networks that are owned and led by our
staff which give a voice to all our staff to feed up to leadership of the organisation, including the
Trust board, thus creating a sense of community and support and help drive cultural change to
become a more inclusive organisation.
Our staff networks are:
Race Equality and Culture Network
Proud at UCLH (LGBTQIA) Network
Women’s Network
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Disability Network
Mental Health Network
Parent and Carers
Multi Faith and Belief
Patient Administration at UCLH
Administrative processes underpin all of our clinical activity at UCLH, which means our dedicated
and enthusiastic patient administration workforces are vital to the delivery first-class care.
We offer patient administration roles in front of house areas, on our wards, in patient booking team
and supporting our clinical teams.
Administrative staff are supported in their career progression with the offering of 3 types of
learning to suit individual needs:
1. Certified learning, ie. Apprenticeships are free on the job programmes. These nationally
recognised qualifications are available for newly appointed apprentices, and also for
permanent staff.
2. Modular learning (not certified)
3. Standalone learning
Department / Division
**** please add department specific information as required ******* add department/ divisional
structure if available***
Job Purpose
The role of Receptionist is an integral part of the multidisciplinary team working in a patient facing
clinical setting. The Receptionist is often the first point of face to face contact our patients have
during their hospital visit. The post holder is required to welcome patients and visitors into the
department, answering any queries and providing reassurance when needed. The Receptionist
supports clinical colleagues in ensuring that the department runs smoothly and efficiently.
Key Working Relationships
This post has no supervisory responsibilities. The post holder will be required to work closely with;
• Patients, carers and the general public
• Administration colleagues across patient administration departments
• Clinicians
• Divisional colleagues
Key Results Areas
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Provide a high quality, comprehensive range of administrative and reception duties.
Deliver an excellent patient and user experience, by meeting and greeting patients, visitors
and colleagues, registering patients and booking appointments in a timely and efficient
manner.
Work with the multidisciplinary team to ensure the smooth running of the department.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
This generic job description sets out the typical duties and selection criteria for a role. This job
description should be read in conjunction with the relevant roles and responsibilities document
which sets out roles and responsibilities for the role in more detail. Although the job description
sets out the key requirements for the role, depending on specialty, some specific duties listed may
not be applicable to the specialty department. Local management should indicate to their teams,
those tasks that may not apply to their specialty. This should not result in a change to the issued
job description. Any proposed local variation to this job description must be shared with corporate
patient administration programme for review and approval.
Communication and Patient Liaison
1. Welcome patients and visitors into the department, ensuring they are made to feel
comfortable and are treated with kindness, respect and dignity.
2. Deal with queries in an efficient, helpful and courteous manner, escalating any complex
queries to the team leader as necessary to ensure a prompt resolution.
3. Ensure telephone calls are answered promptly and all queries dealt with effectively.
4. Respond to emails in a timely manner.
5. Receive incoming emails and send outgoing emails from a generic mailbox, in line with
generic mailbox guidance where applicable.
6. Communicate clearly, effectively and appropriately with the multi-disciplinary team, keeping
them informed of any changes relevant to the department or their clinic.
7. Ensure all patients and visitors sitting in the waiting rooms are communicated with and kept
up to date with relevant information or delays to their appointment. Delays should be
escalated to the team leader.
8. Be able to sign post patients or visitors to other key locations.
9. Handle patient and other service user complaints in a professional and courteous manner,
and in accordance with agreed departmental trust procedures, to enable their early and
effective resolution where possible. Where early resolution is not possible, seek assistance
from the team leader/line manager.
Operational Responsibilities
1. Provide warm and friendly greetings to all patients and visitors in line with the outpatient
clinic management SOP
2. Ensure the patients are checked in for an appointment in line with the outpatient clinic
management SOP
3. Assist patients using the self-check-in kiosks where available.
4. Enquire if patient details are correct and make amendments on relevant systems where
necessary using patient registration SOP
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5. Provide patients with details about Mycare and follow the instructions in the Mycare
Management SOP and support patients where necessary to create their account.
6. Register where appropriate any walk in patients, add the referrals and upload any
documents provided by patients in line with local policy.
7. When necessary, process on the day clinic cancellations and communicate with patients
accordingly, and in a sensitive manner.
8. Organise return transport for patients as appropriate, and in accordance with departmental
and Trust Policy.
9. Book interpreters for patients as appropriate, and in accordance with departmental and
Trust policy, escalating any issues relating to this to the Team Leader in line with local
policy
10. Complete and issue attendance claim forms where applicable in accordance with Trust
Policy.
11. Provide patients with relevant parking documentations/ dispensation where necessary
12. Issue pagers/buzzers to patients and visitors, where applicable.
Access and Systems responsibilities
1. Register patients on the Trust’s Electronic Health Records System (EHRS) where
applicable
2. Record all did not attend (DNA’s), was not brought and patient cancellations accurately and
in accordance with the departmental and Trust Policies and Outpatient Clinic Management
SOP, escalating to the team leader as required.
3. Ensure that all patients have been reconciled at the end of clinic, the attendance are updated
and the appointment outcome is completed by clinicians, if not contact the clinicians and
request them to complete.
4. Complete the check-out process and provide a courteous and efficient follow-up
appointment booking service to all users.
5. Schedule and rebook appointments for patients in line with the Trust Elective Access Policy
and (Referral to Treatment) RTT Targets, escalating to the team leader when necessary
using the appointment management SOP where applicable.
6. Ensure all appointments are linked to the correct referral or clinical pathway by completing
bookings from the correct waiting list or active request.
7. Escalate capacity issues to the team leader and/or clinical teams.
General responsibilities
1. Maintain patient confidentiality at all times.
2. Escalate any stock requirement to the team leader and ensure adequate levels of supplies
are maintained for the department.
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3. Report any faults with equipment or the environment to the relevant department promptly,
and as appropriate.
4. Adhere to the Trust’s Dress Code policy, and ensure a smart and professional appearance
at all times.
5. Work flexibly to cover all administrative areas as requested by the team leader, including
covering colleagues or periods of absence where appropriate and within the scope of
capabilities.
6. Assist volunteers in the department
7. Assist with the induction and orientation of new staff in the department, showing colleagues
how to complete tasks associated with the role.
Other
The job description is not intended to be exhaustive, and it is likely that duties may be altered from
time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the post holder.
You will be expected to actively participate in annual appraisals and seek to implement our Equality,
Diversity and Inclusion Policy and the objective to promote equality of opportunity in relation to the
duties of the post. Objectives will be set, that your performance will be monitored against in
conjunction with your manager.
Sustainability at UCLH
You will be required to demonstrate a personal commitment to the Trust’s Net Zero Strategy and
to take personal responsibility for carrying-out your work duties in a way which is compliant with
this strategy.
Safeguarding t UCLH
UCLH is committed to promoting the safeguarding and welfare of all adults and children. This
responsibility is shared by staff and volunteers at UCLH as safeguarding is everyone’s
responsibility.
All staff are required to undertake regular safeguarding training in order to uphold the trust's
commitment to caring and treating vulnerable adults and children; ensuring a safe environment for
all.
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Person Specification
Requirements Essential Desirable Assessment Criteria
A I R T/P
Knowledge and Qualifications
Educated to GCSE level or
equivalent, with Grade C or above E A
in English and Maths.
Knowledge of administrative
procedures, acquired through E A I
training and/or previous experience
of working in an administrative
environment.
NVQ Level 3 in Business
Administration, Customer Service, D A
Healthcare Support Services or
equivalent qualification.
Awareness of the requirement to
maintain confidentiality, and
knowledge of the Data Protection E A
Act.
Experience
Experience of working in a non- E A I
routine environment, with
demonstrable evidence of being
able to respond to queries and deal
with unpredictable situations as
they arise (acquired through
experience and/or training to
Vocational level 3 or equivalent).
Experience of working in a
customer facing environment, with
knowledge of a comprehensive E A I
range of administrative procedures.
Skills and Abilities
Ability to make decisions in a E I
constantly changing environment,
using judgement to deal with
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queries or escalate where
necessary.
Advanced keyboard skills and E I
competent use of IT systems
Able to deal with sensitive E I
information with tact, diplomacy and
understanding
Communication
Able to communicate clearly and E I
sensitively with a wide range of
patients, in situations where there
may be barriers to understanding
(e.g. language difficulties, anxious
or distressed patients or relatives)
Personal and People
Development
Able to work independently, E I
managing own workload and
prioritising tasks.
Able to induct new staff into the E I
department, demonstrating tasks to
colleagues
Able to work as part of a team, or E I
autonomously in line with standard
operating procedures
Willingness to continue to learn and E I
develop in the role, taking part in
learning and development activities
in line with the Trust’s Admin Staff
learning and development
framework
Responsibilities towards
promoting Equality Diversity
and Inclusion
Understanding of the Equality,
Diversity, and Inclusion and/or I
Knowledge of the NHS
obligations under the Equality
Act 2010 and the Public
Sector Equality Duties (line
managers to elaborate
depending on the level of the
post and to assess this
essential criteria at interview)
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Specific Requirements
Flexible approach to shift patterns E I
and location, including flexibility
regarding working hours (e.g. early
mornings, evenings and weekends)
Some roles require additional levels
of checks as a part of the
employment process i.e. roles which
come into contact with children,
vulnerable adults or their families
(A) Application (I) Interview (R) References (T/P) Presentation