Patient criticised on Facebook #confidentiality

We often talk about confidentiality in Receptionist meetings and the backlash that it can cause by discussing other people on social media sites. Even worse if it is linked to your job when you have signed a confidentiality agreement.

Another headline to hit the paper only the other day was

“Hospital apology after doctor criticised motorbike victim on Facebook.”

A doctor who attended a fatal accident wrote a post on her Facebook page stating she had been the first medic on the scene and the accident was gory and had the most horrific outcome.

She went on to say that the motorcyclist was not wearing a crash helmet, saying that they are not a fashion statement and they are worn because they save lives.

The family of the motorcyclist was quite right by being deeply hurt by her post and the hospital where she works has had apologised for her Facebook post.

She never mentioned the motorcyclist by name, but there are many other ways that you can identify a person other than by name.

She is more than likely a very good doctor, and was more than likely extremely upset by the accident and the sad loss of a young persons life. But she should have never put this on her Facebook page.

It’s a shame that her job could be in jeopardy but a lesson to us all. When it comes to anything to do with work, think before you post it on any social media site.

Your opinion could be very offensive to someone.

 

© 2011-2017 Reception Training all rights reserved

 

 

Why are feedback forms so important?

—

Your organisation tells you that you are booked in for some training — what are your thoughts? Do you dread the forthcoming training, do you embrace it with a view to learning more and thus helping your career to move forward, or are you happy to go along with an open mind?

Every trainer has a mixture of these candidates at the start of most training sessions. There are those that don’t think they need training and those that will embrace the training wanting more, and those with an open mind are often pleasantly surprises.

Staff often have to attend outside of they’re working hours, even on their day off, some are lucky enough to do the training in their normal working hours. So as a trainer you have to make sure that the candidates have felt their time has been worthwhile.

As a trainer my goal is to have everyone “reading from the same page” by the end of the training session. It is important to involve everyone in some way throughout, turning negatives into positives and most of all making the sessions relevant, interesting and interactive.

Training can be tiring and after a 3-hour session people are more that ready to go on their way and then bang —  at the end of the session I produce the dreaded feedback form to be completed asking for comments on the training session. I sense the silent groans as people rush through their form before they leave.

Have you ever stopped and wondered what is done with these forms and how important it is to the trainer and future training?

As a trainer I take the forms seriously. Firstly, they rate the session from 1 – 10 (ten being top marks) and my ability to hold an informative and interesting session. I pride myself on getting mainly 9 and 10’s.

I take great care in analysing the forms. I pride myself of getting mainly 9 and 10’s, but if I every get around 6-7 I would be looking at that part of training and asking myself was relevant to that group – or is it a part of the training that I should be changing or updating.

I look at what the candidates found the most interesting in the training, what did the candidates feel they gained from the training and how will they will hope to apply this back in their workplace. Deciding what material to keep in the next few training sessions ahead.

No two training courses are the same either  — this all depends on the candidates and the part they play in the training, and for me an important part of the training as this is where I can learn from them. Questions are asked, solutions discussed and new ideas thrown around. The training offers many different scenarios that often raise questions and answers.

So next time you are faced with a feedback form, not only are you helping the trainer identify future training needs you are also helping future candidates in getting a well planned and thought out training session.

© 2011-2017 Reception Training all rights reserved

 

 

Every Surgery Should Have One

This appeared on my Facebook page today – shared by a lovely friend and Doctors Receptionist.

This notice is displayed at the Royal Arsenal Medical Centre – well done to them.

I totally agree that every Doctors Surgery shoul have one of these notices displayed in their waiting room.

Phoning a Patient at Home

Does your Practice have guidelines on phoning patients at home? We all know of the obvious one and that’s not to leave a message of any kind on a landline because of confidentiality.

But when is it a good time to phone when you need to speak to a patient? Perhaps it’s relaying on a message from the Doctor or Nurse, or just to let them know there is a prescription to collect due to recent tests coming in.

I will give you an example on how consideration should be made when phoning a patient at home.

Someone close to me has for the past 6 years been trying for a baby without any success. The couple have been through many hospital and doctors visits, pregnancy results and alternative treatment to try help them achieve a pregnancy. They finally went through IVF earlier in the year with the daily injections, hormone changes and finally the heart-breaking news that it hadn’t worked. They set their sights on more IVF in 3 months’ time. An eternity to them both. But to all our surprise and delight a month after the failed IVF they fell pregnant naturally.

Fast follow to her being 6 months pregnant. She hadn’t had an easy time, morning sickness and fatigue hit with a vengeance, she also has an over active thyroid that needs monitoring throughout the pregnancy and she also found out that she was rhesus negative blood type and tests would have to be done when the baby was born to see if she needed an anti D injection but the delight of finally being pregnancy got them through all of these hiccups.

Her symptoms were getting worse and she was feeling poorly with no energy she seen the doctor and bloods were sent off to check for her iron levels.

So last Wednesday morning she was in bed. It was 7.55 and the telephone rang downstairs. They have elderly relatives and she immediately worried something was up. No on every phones at that time unless its urgent she thought.

She rushed out of bed, rang down the stairs and as she picked up the phone it stopped. She waited for a message but then her mobile started ringing upstairs – she panicked as someone was trying to get hold of her.

As she ran upstairs to get to the phone she tripped on the stairs and fell. In the panic she got up and answered the telephone to find it was her Doctors Receptionist telephoning to say that there was a prescription in reception for her to pick up for iron tablets.

As you can imagine she was upset as the fall. As the day went on she couldn’t feel much movement from the baby and this caused her a lot of distress, until she finally telephoned her midwife to asked her to come straight into the maternity hospital to check the baby and to have an anti D injection.

So, did the Receptionist really need to phone at 7.55 in the morning? I don’t think so. This telephoned caused a lot of unnecessary worry and inconvenience not to say how awful it could have been – but we wont do there! And not to mention how bad the Receptionist would have felt had she had known about the fall.

There should always be a guideline for people being telephoned at home unless it is urgent of course. 7.55 is far too early, what if it had been an elderly or disabled person doing the same thing? A fall could have been a disaster for them.

When training staff I always told them unless urgent no patient should be telephoned at home before 9.00 and if possible leave it until around 10.00.

More and more surgeries are opening up earlier than every before, so perhaps guidelines should be set to what time Receptionists can start to phone patients.

© 2011-2017 Reception Training all rights reserved

 

My Experiences with Dr’s Receptionists in Dubai #GuestPost #2/2

I would like to share the second post from a friend. The first post was her experiences with the healthcare system when she was living in South Africa.

She had now moved to Dubai and shares her experiences with the healthcare system there, and how helpful she finds the Receptionist.

Thank you for sharing your experiences……………….

Visiting the Doctor in Dubai

A new medical aid scheme this time, it works differently, some treatments I pay for in advance, some I must have a referral letter for, some is covered under the scheme and some is only part refunded.

Armed with every question I thought I needed to know, I started calling round Doctors surgeries after 6 months. I’d put of registering with a doctors and the dentists because of the stress of sorting out the medical aid in South Africa. However I was in chronic pain with what turned out to be a slipped disc and I need to see a doctor a.s.a.p.

I asked all the questions I thought I needed to of the receptionist, told her I was new to this country and this medical scheme, made an appointment, saw the doctor and was presented with a bill for AED 100 excess. Medication was easy, I took the prescription to the chemist, gave them my medical aid card, it was all paid for. I had a referral letter for the physio. I spoke to the receptionist on accounts that told me I had to phone my medical aid company, gain permission, and find out what they were willing to pay.

I ended up at the physio not knowing how much medical aid would pay because I could not get the receptionist to tell me how much the physio charged until I had an appointment. I went regardless, sometimes when you’re in that much pain then money isn’t the main issue.

On arrival at the phsyio I was in tears from the walking, the heat and the stress. The receptionist realized I couldn’t sit and cleared a counter for me to lean on, gave me a coffee and asked me where I was from and how long I’d lived here. She asked me if I needed any further assistance so I asked about the medical aid and all was explained to me. I pay AED 350 after each session and I receive AED 329 reimbursement. She gave me an invoice that was signed and dated and a claim form. Simple or so I thought.

I actually called her today to tell her my medical aid company wants a separate claim form for each visit and yet another referral letter, this time from the physio and not the doctor.

My next appointment is on Monday, the receptionist informed me she’d get everything filled out, dated and signed and scanned onto a memory stick so I can email the claim directly.

I would turn for help and guidance to the receptionist at the doctors surgery every time from now on, they are dealing with things like this every day and know what they are doing.

I know a lot of people complain about receptionist when asked what the matter is prior to making an appointment, but that is so the receptionist can make the right length of appointment with the right person. When you pay for your health care, you really can’t afford to be booked in with the doctor when you could’ve gone straight to the physio or nurse.

************************

Her first post on South Africa isMy Experience with Dr’s Receptionists in South Africa #Guest Post #1 https://beyondthereceptiondesk.wordpress.com/2015/06/14/my-experience-with-drs-receptionists-in-south-africa-guest-post-1 …

From a Patients Point of View #Guest Blog #Dr’s Receptionists #Empathy #Ireland

My guest posts are becoming very popular and it is nice to read how important patient care is to the patient from their point of view, and reading about their experiences in difference countries.

This post has come from Ireland and the experiences the writer has found when dealing with Dr’s Receptionists.

The most important thing we should remember that as a Dr’s Receptionist our actions do impact of people’s life, and we can leave lasting impressions – we what are in control of is that the patient is left with the right impression.

Some of the feedback from this post included:

–  intimated by the receptionists I have to deal with 

–  Seemed cold and hard

–   wishing for is someone to show a little bit of empathy 

–   one receptionist who was the most amazing woman I came across 

–  really cared about the patient’s 

–  All we ask is that someone understand our position too.

Thank you A for your contribution to my blog…….

Guest post………….

About 5 years ago I was diagnosed with Benign Intracranial Hypertension and chronic migraine. It was a long road to get diagnosed and then an even longer road to get treatment and eventually to be able to live a somewhat normal life. As you can imagine I dealt with many different doctors including neurologists, surgeons, migraine specialists, pain specialists, ophthalmologists and physiotherapists. That’s a lot of doctors and departments which in turn means a lot of doctors receptionists.

When I was first diagnosed I was if I am honest a little intimated by the receptionists I have to deal with. They all seemed so cold and hard and when you are in as much pain as I was all the time then the one thing you are wishing for is someone to show a little bit of empathy, a little bit of emotion and maybe even a little bit of care. It seems that all they do is try to block you from getting the treatment you need.

However there is one receptionist who to me was and still is the most amazing woman I came across through all this. She was the receptionist for the migraine specialist in Beaumont. From the outset it seemed she actually really cared about the patients and would ask you how you were if you called or would have a chat with you when you went for an appointment.

I had just been discharged from hospital a week when I began to have extreme pain. Now I was very good at managing my pain and would only really call the hospital if I really needed to. This was one of those times. I always tried to bypass the receptionists because I knew I would get nowhere with them. This day however I failed to do that and got transferred to the receptionist. I explained the situation and by the end of the explanation I was in tears. To my utter shock, she put me in for an appointment the following day. This was completely unheard of in Beaumont. It turned out the pressure in my head was really high and if she hadn’t given me that appointment, I could have been in serious trouble.

From a patient’s point of view, a doctor’s receptionist is like the gate-keeper. The problem is when you have been in so much pain for so long and all you want is someone to help you, it can be tough to understand the harshness with which some receptionist treat you.

I can also understand the receptionist’s position; it’s a tough job having that much responsibility put on you. All we ask is that you understand our position too. We need help and you are the first person who can give it to us

*************************************************

thank you and this just highlights what was said “from a patents point of view, a Doctor’s receptionist is like the gate keeper” how very true this is.

As a Receptionist how would you like to be remembered?

My Experience with Dr’s Receptionists in South Africa #Guest Post #1/2

My blog is mainly about my experiences working within the NHS in the UK as a Receptionist and then as a Manager highlighting the important of Patient Care and how important it is to reward valuable hard working staff with the appropriate training. I am delighted that I have followers from over 160 countries that read my blogs on a regular basis, and I have often wondered what the Patient Care is like in their own countries. I would like to thank a friend for answering these thoughts in two different posts; she is an expat firstly moving to South Africa in 2011. For me it just highlights how important good Customer Care is, and often the answers can be found with the Receptionists or the Practice Manager. As you will read, sometimes it just takes a bit of time, effort and compassion to turn a difficult time for the Patient into a less stressful one. My Guest Posts are proving to be very popular and I would like to thank my friend for sharing her experiences with us. **************************** Guest Post #1 My experience with Dr’s Receptionists in South Africa. One of the biggest issues we had to deal with when we started our lives as expats in South Africa in January 2011 was the medical aid. This is something we weren’t used to doing, having moved from the UK. Trying to explain to the medical aid company that while their vitality points and credit card was a very good idea, we weren’t switching from one scheme to another, so therefore the ‘extras’ at that stage were of no interest. 8 days after arriving in South Africa the oldest child who moved with us was rushed into hospital after being hit in the neck with a cricket ball, our medical aid hadn’t been registered on the system and so began a very long and complicated matter to recover the money we’d been made to hand over on our American Express card on arrival at the hospital before we were allowed to see our son. It took around 6 months to sort and during that time I received phone calls from all the various departments demanding payment and I’m afraid to say the day the receptionist at the hospital called me to tell me I’d under paid by around £10, having handed over several thousand for scans, x-rays, ambulance, paramedics, doctors, medication, you name it, it is charged individually. I flipped my lid and screamed at her ‘some bloody help would be nice instead of just all these demands’ And that was the end of visiting the Dr’s and dentists for a while as I just couldn’t cope with what to do and how to do it, until the youngest child broke his arm and needed surgery. I was much more assertive. I refused to pay any money until I knew my son was being seen and once he’s been given pain relief, then, I firmly told the receptionist that ‘I will open a file, in the meantime here is my medical aid card and no, I haven’t had time to get any authorised as I don’t know what the doctor wants to do, do you?’ This was a fast learning curve, but I still had no idea how to use the medical aid and the Dr’s and the dentists for none emergencies. I visited a dentist, asked if they accepted the medical aid, but didn’t know I had to ask if they worked within our medical aid fees and was left paying nearly half the bill. I suffer with migraines, the stress was making them worse, along with the heat, so I decided I should visit the local doctors and try to work out what I needed to do in order to make sure that I wasn’t out of pocket financially and that when I had to pay for hospital visits, how to get reimbursed. So pitching up at the surgery I asked the receptionist if she could explain to me step by step what I needed to do and how. She could see I was still confused and called for the practice manager who took me to her office, informed me they worked with my medical aid, they worked within the payment scheme, there were no fees or excess to pay and checked our current balance online for me. She then informed me we were actually in what is known as the payment gap and I did I have the receipts from the dentists? If so I could log them online and I’d be out the payment gap and then our bills would be paid as normal. She then informed me that had we chosen to keep our son, with the cricket ball incident, in hospital over night rather than bringing him home, because we thought it would cost us more money, that all costs would have come out of the inpatient fund which is unlimited and not our out-patient funds that were for doctors and dentists. She also explained the allowances for medication, dental and opticians and told me to come back to her if I had any further problems. Sending me back to the receptionist who made me a cup of coffee and squeezed me in there and then with the doctor as she herself thought I may need to speak to someone about my stress levels. I could not thank the receptionist and the practice manager enough and whenever I visited in the future the receptionist would chat with me, ask after my husband and the children and tell me to help myself to the pot of coffee whilst waiting for the doctor. *****************************   Follow my friend’s experiences when she relocated to Dubai  #2 to follow

Disability Awareness #Receptionists Training

Staff training is important not only for the Receptionist but for the patient too. Trained staff are confident staff and therefore can often handle difficult situations in the Reception area.

When we talk about staff training we automatically think of

–       Telephone Skills

–       Patient Confidentiality

–       Dealing with Difficult Situations

–       Reception Etiquette

But how many Practices offer Disability Awareness Training for their Reception staff?

The attitudes of staff are crucial in ensuring that the needs of disabled people are met.

There are many types of disabilities, and can affect a person’s:

• –       Vision
• –       Movement
• –       Thinking
• –       Remembering
• –       Learning
• –       Communicating
• –       Hearing
• –       Mental Health
• –       Social Relationships

Are you staff prepared if a wheelchair user needs assistance or if a patient has a visual impairment and needs help? It is important that Receptionists understand the needs of your patients that have a disability. And of course there are the hidden disabilities that we need to be made aware of too.

Disability Awareness Training will help your staff:

• –       Understand the barriers faced by people with disabilities
• –       To help identify when accessibility is important
• –       Explore their own attitude towards disability and accessibility
• –       Define the medical and social model of disability
• –       Identify barriers people with disabilities face and how to remove those barriers
• –       Develop an awareness within the team
• –       Be aware and be able to use appropriate language and body language in relation to a person with a disability
• –       Feel more confident in their role

Disabilities can include

• –       Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• –       Autism
• –       Brain Injury
• –       Hearing Loss and Deafness
• –       Intellectual Disability
• –       Learning Disability
• –       Memory Loss
• –       Mental Illness
• –       Physical Disability
• –       Speech and Language Disorders
• –       Vision Loss and Blindness

and not forgetting

Temporary Disabilities, which can include:

• –       Sporting injuries
• –       People with broken bones
• –       People recovering from an operation
• –       Pregnant Woman
• –       People with Severe back pain
• –       People with young children / pushchairs (in the event of an emergency they may require assistance)

These people and people with permanent disabilities are important when it comes to evacuating the building in the case of an emergency. Are you staff trained in emergency evacuation and assisting people with a disability in such an event?

When someone speaks of a disabled person do you automatically think ………….Wheelchair? Actually wheelchair users only account for 6% of that figure. There are so many disabilities that we cannot actually see. Some disabilities you can see and some you can’t.

The Hidden Disability

Whilst it is very easy identify someone in a wheelchair, be it a guide dog or walking aid, or someone who has aids in their ears, it is the hidden disability that can often go unnoticed.

People today still have problems with reading and writing; I came across this several times when I was working in Reception. 99% of the patients would not own up to this, it was simple observation on my part that identify this and in turn I was able to help the patient without too much of a fuss drawn to them.

It is important when patients object to filling out forms at the front desk that you do not “insist” it simply might be that they cannot read or write.

Often the excuses they use when asked to complete a form is “oh I have left my glasses at home” or I am in a hurry can I take it away and bring it back later” and even “I am not sure of the information I will need to go home and find this out and bring it back later” to which some will but many will not return the forms. People that have problems reading and writing do feel intimidated if the Receptionist insists as they quite often have to “own up” to their disability often causing embarrassment to them and the Receptionist.

Knowing the signs the Receptionist will be able to deal with the situation in such a way that the patient is unaware of the Receptionists suspicions. Offering to help fill out the form in a quiet area is often met with such a relief from the patient. They are more than happy to let the Receptionist help. Again, if the Receptionist suspects that the patient might have problems with reading and writing she can offer to help the patient in the future. Trust is built up between the patient and the Receptionist and quite often the patient will confide in the Receptionist of their disability.

It is important that staff have an understanding of different disabilities, and how best to help them.

Often speakers from different Disability organisations will only be too happy to come into your organisation and speak to staff, highlighting areas that will benefit the patients and the Receptionists.

Sending staff on external training courses is also an option, you could send one member of staff and they could come back and train other Receptionists, or you could send different staff to different courses therefore getting a mix of knowledge in the Reception area. All of which will greatly benefit the patients and the Receptionists.

Disabled people go to school, work, form relationships, do their washing, eat, get angry, pay taxes, laugh, try, have prejudices, vote, plan and dream like anyone else.

Whilst the disability is an integral part of who they are, it alone does not define them, do not label them.

Treat them as individuals.

 

© 2011-2017 Reception Training all rights reserved

Walk in my shoes – would you treat me any differently.

A moving short clip from you tube from Central Adelaide Local Health Network.

Any one of us could be one of the people in this film. We have and will be patients and loved ones at some point in our lives. Treat people with the respect they deserve.

 

To often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest art of caring all of which have the potential to turn a life around. 

Leo Buscaglia (1924 – 1998) 

 

 

 

The Swans. Calm on the Top – paddling like mad on the bottom

I was invited to carry out some Reception training yesterday. It was for a private healthcare provider that accommodates in and out patients. It was a big organisation and I must say it was a stunning place to be in.It was 5* and one of the nicest healthcare buildings that I have been in. The grounds were beautiful and the facilities just top notch.

As soon as I walked through the door the atmosphere was brilliant. Everyone smiling, extremely friendly and their customer service was excellent. The residents and their families looked relaxed and extremely happy.There was a buzz around the building.

I had rung on several occasions prior to the training to speak to the HR Manager and every single time the Receptionists telephone manner was excellent.

I began to ask myself why was I here. Their Reception skills appeared to be perfect.

I did two training sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon to ensure that everyone had the opportunity to attend.

It soon began to emerge that at times some of the Receptionist were like swans, swimming calmly on the top yet paddling like mad and not getting very far on the bottom.

The reasons slowly started emerging throughout out the session.

The Reception is covered from early to late evening 24/7 with security over night. Each Receptionist works on their own in Reception and each shift is very different. Although they work in Reception on their own there is constant support if needed.

This was the first time that the Receptionists had actually come together for training. The weekend Receptionists coming together with the morning, afternoon and evening receptionists and the night security was there too.

They never have any team meetings. Never have the opportunity to talk together as a team or to discuss reception issues or to put ideas forward, to be together as a team instead of working as an individual.

During the training it was obvious that each shift is worked very different. Each of the shifts had their own daily tasks to do. The morning shift busy with telephones, suppliers, and doctors’ visits and staff queries.

The afternoon shift is busy with administration, post and staff winding down for the day. Both morning and afternoon shift have visitors coming and going. Funeral directors calling, and the usual numerous telephone queries that they have to deal with.

The evening shift is busy with the mainly visitors coming and going throughout along with taxi’s turning up to collect people. The evening shift also had administration duties to do.

The weekend staff hardly ever see their colleagues that work during the week. Their main duties are looking after the vast amount of visitors that come and go all weekend.

Some of the Receptionists admitted they felt incompetent when they had to cover another shift. They often didn’t know what was expected of them, and admitted they often made mistakes due to the shift doing such different tasks. Some admitted that this could actually put them off helping out on another shift.

As any Receptionist will tell you. Reception is not just about greeting people and answering the telephone…………….It is so much more.

We discussed the benefits of having protocols and many agreed that they would really feel more confident if they had some sort of guidance there to help them if they become stuck. Lets face it — it is pretty embarrassing when a funeral director calls for paperwork and the receptionist has no idea what to do as she usually works weekends.

The Receptionists all agreed that it is something that they would like to do, understanding that it would be their responsibility to do a protocol for each of their jobs on their shift. They agreed they would be the best people to write the protocol.

They full understood that it wouldn’t be something that they would do overnight, it would take time to build up the protocols, but all agreed it would be worth it in the end, and from that they all felt that they would be more confident to cover other people’s shifts, and in the event that they come across something that they were not sure about that there would be a protocol to follow.

Each shift would have a file with their protocols in.

The training was fun, they were a lovely group of people and their customer skills are fantastic. They are lucky to work in such a beautiful building for a company that appear to be lovely to work for. Every single one of the Receptionist  said that they loved their job and that really did shine through, but they felt that they would love to have the opportunity of knowing what tasks were expected of them if they worked another shift.

But a bit more support in the way of a team meeting every so often, and perhaps more in house training, or as we discussed protocols to help them understand what goes on in the other shifts would certainly go a long way to giving them more confidence, and in turn wanting to help out when a session needs covering.

Working in and managing Reception staff in GP surgeries I could identify with what the Receptionists were telling me, each shift is different, and have many different tasks that needed to be carried out.

Not having the correct training or adequate information could prevent staff not wanting to cover other shift, which could result in staff shortages on shifts, or difficulty getting someone to do a shift.

Residents, Visitors, Staff all see the Receptionist as one person – the person that is there to carry out a task asked of them, some not aware that perhaps they do not know what to do.

It is the employers responsibility to ensure  that the staff are all shown or have the information available to do these tasks asked of them.

Fully trained staff are confident staff  resulting in less mistakes and in turn are happier in their role .

Protocols do not have to be complicated — simply written out. Here is an example on how you could start off your protocols 

 

(Sample Procedure)

Procedure / Protocol

DAILY POST

Incoming Post

• Post will arrive approximately 9.00 every day.
• All post is opened by the Receptionist – except the following

–  Letter marked private and confidential

–  Letters marked for addressee only

–  Letter from Bank   – all to go to Pat in Account.

• Each letter is date stamped — the date stamp is kept in the 3^rd draw under the desk.
• When all the letters are date stamped the letters should go into the appropriate pigeonholes
• Follow protocol for “Post for staff on holiday”
• Any post that has to be signed for please inform the member of staff immediately that it has arrived.

 

Hand delivered post

• Follow procedures as above.

 

Outgoing Post

• All staff are aware that the post has to be in Reception no later than 4.30
• As the post comes through to Reception throughout the day frank with the necessary postage — taking care when difference postage amounts is required.
• Try not to leave all the post to the end of the day as you could be busy doing something else and the postman will then be kept waiting.
• Put the post in the basket on the back shelf behind the Reception desk.
• The postman usually calls into Reception at 5.00 to collect the post.

 

Post needing to go to the Post Office

• Any post that needs to go to the Post Office such as a registered letter/package will need to be done before the end of day.
• If you are going to the post office ensure that Reception is covered or if not covered ensure that you let someone know you are going and the desk will be left unmanned for a short time.

 

Procedure/Protocol written on…………………………               updated on……………………

Prepared by……………………………………………….                      Position……………………….

Approved by ………………………………………………                    Position………………………..

 

The most important thing to remember when having protocols in Reception is that they are kept updated as and when the task changes. Not doing this could be worse than having nothing in writing. Perhaps you could review the protocols every so often and discuss at team meetings.

 

© 2011-2017 Reception Training all rights reserved