It is 8:35 when the receptionist arrives at the GP surgery. The main GP usually comes before the receptionist to complete any paper work then come the nurse and other GP after the receptionist has arrived. First thing the receptionist does is check if there is enough paper in all printers and if there is enough ink in them. Also the receptionist checks if there are enough blank prescriptions as the GP surgery goes through a lot of prescriptions in one day.
Additionally, the receptionist turns on the computers in the reception area, opens the electronic appointment book on the computer. Then, the receptionist looks at what patients are coming and at what time and if they are seeing the nurse or the one of the GP’s in the morning surgery. Then the receptionist collects the medical records of the patients coming in the morning surgery and gives the medical records to the two GPs and the nurse. The telephones are switched on any messages are taken and passed on. The receptionist then makes sure that the waiting area is clean and looks presentable.
It is 9:00 and the morning surgery begins. The receptionist checks in each patient as they arrive and are asked to take a seat. The receptionist also has to answer the phones and make appointments as well as getting prescriptions signed. Additionally messages are taken from patients and passed on to staff. Patient’s queries are listened to. At 12:30 the morning GP surgery is over. The receptionist files away the patients records and the afternoon surgery appointments are checked and necessary files given to the GP’s and nurse.
The receptionist is here until 2:30. The receptionist make afternoon appointments and take messages for the GP’s and nurse and phone patients home for appointments they need to make with the GPs or the nurse. After the receptionist leaves at 2:30 the telephone is put on answer machine so that any messages can be delivered to the GPs and nurse by the afternoon receptionist. The receptionist locks the GP surgery and makes the way home. I have described a typical day of a medical receptionist who works only in the morning GP surgery.