Receptionist

Qualifications

• Have been educated to Leaving Certificate Standard; or • Have passed an examination of comparable standard at second level; or • Have satisfactory relevant experience, which encompasses demonstrable equivalent skills. Experience (Duration & Type) • Minimum two years’ experience as a Telephonist/Receptionist; • Previous experience with Microsoft Office software • Customer Service Experience • Knowledge of hospital policies and procedures for example -visiting policy; • To have thorough understanding of all requirements of front of office Skills/Abilities

• Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written); • Strong Interpersonal skills • Friendly, approachable and pleasant manner; • Ability to deal with hospital staff, patients, visitors and members of the public in a courteous and respectful manner;

• Methodical and organised approach to work; • Ability to work as part of a team and work on own initiative; • Accuracy and attention to detail; • Analytical and problem solving skill; • Motivated; • Reliable and conscientious; • Willingness to learn; • Resilient and calm manner capacity to work under pressure; • Flexibility; • Practical and assertive; • Identifying and assessing a customer’s needs to ensure that they are satisfied • Customer focused: i.e. Actively takes responsibility for meeting internal “customers” and external “customers”. Example of internal customers: Hospital staff in all departments, supervisors & patients.

External Customers: Patients, General public, relatives and other outside agencies. Knowledge & Understanding • Knowledge of general reception/ office procedures; • Ability to utilise technology to handle a high volume of calls • Demonstrate the importance of a patient focused approach to work. Overall Job Role: The position of Receptionist - Grade IV encompasses both managerial and administrative responsibilities to the Reception Department and Hospital in general. Additionally, the post holder will promote and maintain best practices throughout the department to ensure a quality service is delivered at all times.

The post holder will become an integral member of the team to deliver excellence to all our patients/visitors through our team in our Front Office Department to ensure patients and visitors are greeted promptly and efficiently. The person will work closely with the multidisciplinary teams, principally ICT Depts, Patients Services Management, Clinical Managers, Systems Administration Manager and liaise regularly with other Depts under the Patients Services remit. Operation of high-volume switchboard and direct all calls to the appropriate location within the hospital is expected and generally to promote and maintain best practices throughout the department to ensure a quality service is delivered at all times.

Principal Duties, Responsibilities & Accountabilities: 1. Maintaining strict confidentiality of patients at all times. 2. Assessing patients when they present to the hospital i.e. how many weeks pregnant, directing them to the relevant department i.e. Admissions, Emergency Assessment Centre (EAC) or Delivery Suite. 3. Assist patients by directing them to the most appropriate service at times when the Admission’s Office staff are unavailable and patients are advised to contact Main Reception 4. Problem solving as issues arise, particularly Out of Hours and weekends when responsibility would fall to Reception to follow protocol. These decisions must be mad ensuring continuity of services in the Hospital. 5. Operate the IPMS system, and in the event of computer outage, source alternative lists from admissions. 6. Getting wheelchair for patients. Providing reassurance as required. 7. Consoling and comforting distressed patients, grieving parent and families. 8. Admission of patients when Admission Office is closed. 9. Contacting the relevant department and advising them of Admission. 10. Contacting or referring patients to appropriate staff or department for Emergency. 11. Co-operate with the installation of new / upgrading of existing equipment, technology, methods and techniques for the provision of an enhanced service. Assist with the regular testing of equipment and technology to ensure all in working order and continuity of service as with the recent upgrades to the telephone and paging systems including undertaking training on both systems. 12. Operating the telephone switchboard in accordance with the standard procedures laid down by the Hospital. 13. Observe the procedures laid down by the hospital in the event of a defect occurring in the telephone system. 14. Operating the hospital paging system, according priority at all times to emergency calls. 15. Deal with requests for paging. Maintain on-call duty schedules for all N.C.H.D.’s and other on call staff. 16. Pagers: ensure regular battery checks and supplies of batteries are maintained, reprogramming new pagers and updating of pager lists as necessary. Ensure when a bleep from the Emergency Team is changed out that the new bleep is transferred to the correct team to ensure that bleep holder will still receive the Emergency calls. Failure to do so would result in member failing to receive bleep and could not attend the Emergency. 17. Responding to all alarm systems in Reception Area. Monitoring fire alarms, gas alarm and laboratory alarm. Contacting relevant staff regarding these and also to activate evacuation alarm and contact Fire Brigade. 18. Reporting lifts when out of order and recording details of same. Effecting Emergency release from lift by using lift key at reception if required. 19. Liaise with medical administration departments to ensure these are up to date at all times. 20. The acceptance and delivery of flowers, gifts etc. 21. The acceptance of Hospital supplies when departments are closed, if practicable. Personal packages are not the responsibility of reception staff. 22. Deal with internal and external telephone enquiries in an efficient, professional, courteous and friendly manner. 23. Treat as priority any emergency calls. Assist with conducting the crash tests. Reception staff issue and assemble the Emergency group teams as per First Responders, as set out by medical management. 24. Observe the code of procedures regarding all emergencies. 25. Answer and deal with enquiries from inside the hospital and from outside sources. Record and maintain such telephone records as required, including the logging of reported telephone faults, and the logging of telephone calls for billing purposes. 26. Report faults to phones inhouse and deal with them accordingly if possible i.e. un-forward telephones lines from switch, activate voicemails. 27. Meet and greet members of the public in a courteous manner, answer all enquiries made, and direct persons to the appropriate clinic, ward, office etc., 28. Liaise with staff in all departments, the public and outside agencies. 29. Answering direct line to Dublin fire brigade and ambulance service who inform us as to what type of Emergency is on route to the Hospital. Relaying this information to the relevant department i.e. labour ward, emergency room, etc., 30. Answering stat phone and sending the correct medical team to that emergency e.g. cardiac arrest. Relevant Departments should have clearance or an instruction to Reception prior to being asked to carry out a task. 31. Ordering and logging taxis on the hospital accounts for all departments. 32. Make daily lists of Consultants and doctors on call for that day, making sure these lists are readily available when requested to be used in Emergency situations. 33. Keep such correspondence, files, records and accounts as may be required from time to time. 34. Monitor and update as required the Emergency plans for the Hospital, ensuring these are kept in line with hospital procedures, protocols and Management. 35. Call in staff involved in the provision of an after-hours on call service for the hospital as required e.g. – X-ray, Clergy, Lift and Telephone companies. Relevant Departments should have clearance or an instruction to Reception prior to being asked to carry out a task. 36. Liaise with other departments to ensure the Delivery pack, First Aid box, and Biohazard Disposal kit at reception is fully equipped and ready for use. 37. Custody and distribution of keys held at Reception area. 38. Distribution of post to various departments. 39. Setting up conference phone for meetings. 40. Updating of telephone phonebook for the Intranet, updating of bleep list. 41. Inputting of time and attendance and weekly reports into the Clockwise system. Recording of annual leave and attendance i.e. – sick leave. 42. Flexibility within the roster is required to provide 24 hours / 365 days Telephone / Reception service. 43. Cooperation with training / re-training as required, including the training of new staff. 44. Wear hospital provided uniform at all times when working on main reception 45. Such other duties may be assigned by Management. 46. As service requirements continue to change and evolve there is a requirement for the reception staff to be adoptive to new work practices and use of technology. This will also include the use of MN-CMS. Should changes in work practices for operational reasons be required following the implementation of the system, staff will be consulted prior to implementation to ensure that adequate training and support are put in place.

Communication: • Possess the capacity to deal with confidential or sensitive information in a calm and professional manner. • Liaise effectively with service users to include Clinical Managers, colleagues & patients to ensure effective service delivery.

Age Restrictions In Relation To Applications Age restriction shall only apply to a candidate where he/she is not classified as a new entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004). A candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age on the first day of the month in which the latest date for receiving completed applications for the office occurs.

Health “A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.” Be of good character.

Garda Vetting Garda Vetting is sought for all employees and prospective employees of Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital. Given the specialised nature of the services provided, your appointment will be subject to satisfactory Garda Vetting and re-vetting in circumstances where the Hospital deems it appropriate. The Hospital will then process the necessary documentation to endeavour to obtain satisfactory Garda clearance for you. You are obliged to disclose previous and any criminal convictions acquired during the course of your employment. Should the Hospital obtain information from the Garda Vetting Unit to indicate that your Garda clearance report is not satisfactory and / or if you have supplied the hospital with false or misleading information in relation to your Garda clearance status, the Hospital reserves the right to withdraw or terminate this contract in accordance with the Hospital Garda Vetting policy Hours of work Normal working hours are 39 hours per week worked over 5 days Monday-Sunday. However, you may be required to work the agreed roster/on call arrangements as advised by your line manager. The post holder will be on duty during clinic hours of the WHU. However please be advised that your contracted hours of work may be subject to change between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm over 7 days to meet the service requirements in the Women’s Health Unit.

Remuneration Remuneration is in accordance with the salary scale approved by the Department of Health effective from 1st March 2025. Current remuneration as follows: € 35,256 - € 54,370 (including 2 LSIs)