Expo 2024 – Reception Team
Receptionists are often the first person our patients see. They use customer service and admin skills to welcome people to a hospital, health centre, clinic or NHS headquarters.
Working life of a GP receptionist include:
- book patients in for appointments
- enter patients’ details onto IT systems
- direct patients where to go within the department or health centre
- answer phones, sometimes directing calls to other staff through the switchboard or phone system
- book appointments by phone
- answer queries from patients and other staff
- filing
- chasing up reports
- photocopying
- inputting data
- ordering stationery
- word processing
Entry requirements, skills and interests
There are no set entry requirements to become a receptionist. Employers usually expect good literacy, numeracy and IT skills. They may ask for GCSEs or equivalent qualifications. Employers often ask for relevant work experience. Even where this is not specified, it would be an advantage if you have worked in an admin or customer service role.
Where the role can lead
With further training and qualifications you could consider supervisory and managerial posts higher bands. You could become a team leader, coordinating the work of a team of reception and allied staff. Latee in your career, you could become a manager, responsible for the staff in a broader department. Some receptionists move into specialist roles such as medical secretary or PA. Others move into areas such as finance or HR. You may also have the opportunity to move into informatics, specialising in electronic data, or into IT.
For more information on the GP receptionist role please visit:
What is a receptionist, and how do they support general practice? (youtube.com)
