Emergency Department Receptionist

About The Organisation

Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services.

We proudly serve a population of 655,000 across rural and urban communities in both North and South Lanarkshire. NHS Lanarkshire is comprised of Acute Services (which currently provide hospital based services over 3 main sites), Corporate & Property & Support Services, North and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships which provide integrated primary healthcare and social care services to local communities and surrounding areas.

The Role

The post holder is required to provide a comprehensive reception service within the Acute Emergency Department ensuring patients are admitted to the department, efficiently and accurately recording demographics, details of injury/illness, providing a high level of customer care. The post holder will also liaise closely with the Emergency Department clinical and nursing team, supporting them and ensuring nursing staff are informed if a patient is in obvious distress. The post holder will also liaise closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service; and other relevant departments to ensure an efficient and effective service provision.

As a first point of contact, the post holder will provide a friendly, respectful and efficient service to patients, relatives and visitors either face to face or by telephone. The post holder will receive patient enquiry calls for the hospital, answering and re-directing as necessary.

The post holder will undertake the scanning process for Emergency Department paper records, to ensure good data quality of the scanned electronic patient record.

The working pattern for this role is Monday & Friday (09:00am - 17:00pm) & Saturday (12:00pm - 20:00pm)

In this key role, you will:

• Ensure positive patient identification of all patients presenting at the Emergency Department and registering this information accurately onto the patient clinical/management system. This requires effective & empathetic communication skills in order to obtain information of a highly sensitive nature from patients who are in crisis. This information is obtained either from the patient presenting at the desk, or from patients whom have been admitted directly to the Emergency Department resuscitation area via ambulance.
• Book follow up clinic appointments for patients at the appropriate outpatient clinic using patient/clinical management systems including and send out appointment letters. Ensure that the patients are allocated to the correct specialty and clinic, and also check to ensure that the appointment has been requested for the appropriate clinic in compliance with standing operating procedures.
• Create the waiting list entry prior to the appointment booking, across multiple sites including Hairmyres, Monklands and Wishaw. Take receipt of referrals from other hospitals as applicable.
• Outwith normal office hours, take sole responsibility for over booking of clinics to ensure patient requirements are met, and prioritise patient need within the clinical appointment booking system.

What You'll Bring:

• Educated to SVQ III or equivalent or SVQ Level II or equivalent experience, plus ECDL or equivalent. The post holder will have a knowledge of Health Records.
• Excellent customer care skills and good interpersonal skills, including an ability to communicate effectively and empathetically with patients and staff at all levels.
• Computer literate and good keyboard skills.
• Experience in multi-tasking as the post holder is responsible for activities such as answering queries, progress chasing, task related problem solving, all acquired through experience and vocational learning.

From 1 April 2026, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will reduce from 37 hours to 36 hours. Part-time working hours will be reduced on a pro-rata basis. A corresponding increase in the hourly rate will apply, ensuring that overall pay remains unchanged.

What we Offer

As a valued employee of NHS Lanarkshire, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:

• Annual Leave - 35 days including public holidays
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Annual incremental salary progression
• Paid sick leave increasing with length of service
• NHS discounts and more.

NHS Lanarkshire is dedicated to building a diverse workforce where everyone can thrive, develop, and succeed based on their skills, knowledge, and talent - regardless of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or care experience* or any other dimension that can be used to differentiate people from one another.

*Care experienced applicants include those who have lived with foster parents, kinship carers, or in residential/secure children’s settings.

For informal discussion, please contact John McNeil, Health Records Team Leader on [email protected]

If you have any questions about the recruitment process or require support with your application, contact Gemma Irwin, Recruitment Administrator on gemma.irwin@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

Interested?

Full details about the role are provided in the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Please review our Application Guidance which explain key information including closing dates, amendments, right‑to‑work requirements, sponsorship eligibility and important points to be aware of before submitting your application

You can also learn more about working with NHS Lanarkshire by viewing our Information Pack

Unless otherwise stated, the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.