Receptionist

About the Role

Title: Receptionist

Reporting To: Reception Manager

Salary Scale: Department of Health & Children consolidated pay scales (01/03/2025) apply per annum pro rata: Clerical Officer Grade (0609) | €30,810 – €44,067 | This position is funded by the HSE.

The successful candidate’s salary will be calculated strictly on the number of years of relevant/comparable experience, i.e. each year of relevant/comparable experience will decide the point at which your salary will be between the 1st and last point of the pay scale above. For any salary queries, please contact the HR department at 01-491 2594.

Pension Scheme: For HSE-funded contracts, there is mandatory enrolment in the appropriate Public Sector pension scheme.

Holidays: 25–27 days per annum pro rata, calculated strictly on the number of years of relevant/comparable experience.

Health: A candidate for and any person holding the post must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the post and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. For the purpose of satisfying the requirements as to health, the successful candidate, before being appointed, shall undergo a pre-employment medical.

As an exceptional measure during the current pandemic, the position on offer is considered to be a Category A Frontline Worker role which will be subject to a risk assessment and a requirement to be able to demonstrate vaccination for COVID-19.

Character: A candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

Hours of Work: 8 hours per week plus relief hours when required. The reception desk is serviced from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., Monday to Sunday. Details of starting and finishing times, which may vary in accordance with Hospice needs, will be notified to you by your Head of Department/Deputy. There will be times when you will be required to work outside of the normal office hours.

Working Week: Will be determined by the needs of the department.

Location: This position is based in Harold’s Cross; however, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services (OLH&CS) currently operates across three sites: Harold’s Cross, Blackrock, and Wicklow. In the interest of patient care and changing needs, candidates are required to be completely flexible and are obliged to carry out duties in any department or location of the Hospice or associated locations when required to do so by the Chief Executive Officer.

Ethical Code: The post holder is requested to respect the special charism, ethos, and tradition of OLH&CS and to observe and comply with its general policies, procedures, and regulations.

Confidentiality: You will have access to various types of records/information in the course of your work. Such records and information are strictly confidential, and unless acting on the instruction of an authorised person, on no account must information concerning staff, patients, or other hospital business be divulged or discussed except in the performance of normal duty. In addition, records may never be left in such a manner that unauthorised persons can obtain access to them and must be kept in safe custody when no longer required.

Garda Vetting: Legislation has been introduced for the provision of Garda Vetting in respect of candidates for employment in areas of the Health Services where it is envisaged that potential employees would have substantial access to children or vulnerable adults. The successful candidate will be required to satisfactorily complete the Garda Vetting process prior to an appointment being made.

Job Purpose

The successful candidate will be a key point of contact for patients, staff, and visitors and will be responsible for all front desk functions including telephony and day-to-day reception duties. The reception desk is serviced from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday to Sunday. The appointed person will be working in a fast-paced environment with an emphasis on interpersonal/communication skills and multi-tasking.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Telephone and Communication Duties

• Operate the telephone switchboard in an efficient manner.

• Treat all callers with courtesy.

• Observe the procedures laid down by the hospice in the event of a defect occurring in the telephone, paging, or communication systems.

• Treat as a priority any and all emergency calls.

• Answer and deal with queries from within the hospice and from external sources.

• Advise the Manager of any observed or reported faults in the switchboard and/or communication systems.

Reception Duties

• Meet members of the public in a courteous manner, answer all enquiries, and direct persons to the appropriate department, ward, office, etc.

• Liaise with staff in all departments within the hospice.

• Dispatch and record various specimens on a daily basis to the appropriate destination.

• Order and record transportation, as appropriate, e.g., ambulances, taxis, etc.

• Record admissions and discharges of patients.

• Keep such correspondence, files, records, and accounts as may be required from time to time.

• Receive, sort, and distribute post as required.

• Record all registered post in the reception diary.

• Organise and record courier transport for all departments, as appropriate.

• Ensure the confidentiality book is signed by all who enter Anna Gaynor Unit and confirm that all infection control measures are adhered to, e.g., masks, hand sanitizer, and temperature checks.

Alarms and Security

• Monitor cameras and alarms (e.g., fire alarms, building management alarms, lifts, etc.) and take the necessary action.

• Observe and be familiar with the procedure set out in the Major Incident Plan.

• Be familiar with and respond immediately to all emergency incidents, e.g., Major Incident Plan.

• Report to the security personnel any persons behaving suspiciously in the hospice complex.

General Duties

• Contact clinical staff who are involved in the provision of an after-hours on-call service for the hospice.

• Be responsible for accepting and recording cash received according to procedure.

• Receive and record donations as per procedure.

• Liaise with ward managers and direct funeral directors to removal points for the deceased.

• Undertake other duties appropriate to the post as may be assigned by the Manager from time to time.

• Observe strict confidentiality in all matters of information obtained during the course of employment.

• Adhere to Departmental and Hospice policies at all times.

Training & Education

• Co-operate with training courses as required.

• Take responsibility for seeking out opportunities for further education and development.

Self-Development

• Assume responsibility for your own professional development and safe work practice.

• Ensure a safe environment for yourself, colleagues, and visitors.

Professional

• Present, dress, and act in a professional manner at all times.

General

• Have a working knowledge of and adhere to OLH&CS policies at all times.

• Ensure confidentiality in all matters of information obtained during the course of employment.

• Keep up-to-date with developments of professional practices and all other relevant matters to ensure maintenance of knowledge and skill base.

• Assume responsibility for your own professional development.

• Maintain a safe work environment in cooperation with the Hospice Management Team and with reference to the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. Report any accidents/near misses and document according to policy.

• Provide cross-cover for other areas when required and perform such duties as required.

• Effectively and efficiently use information technology for the role in a manner which integrates well with systems throughout the Hospice.

The duties and responsibilities detailed above are a reflection of the present service requirements and are not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved. Consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.This job description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances. It is not intended to be exhaustive but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which individuals work.

Professional Knowledge and Skills

Area

Details

Knowledge and Skills

- Demonstrates sufficient knowledge and experience to carry out the duties of the role.

- Ability to work in an accurate and consistent manner.

- Demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development.

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

- Demonstrate excellent command of the English language, both written and verbal.

- Display excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

- Ability to prioritise tasks according to importance in a fast-paced environment.

- Display awareness and appreciation of needs of service users.

- Able to communicate well at all levels.

- Draws on a variety of communication methods to fit the situation.

- Listens openly, using questions to check for understanding and avoid misinterpretation.

Attention to Detail

- High level of attention to detail.

- Accuracy.

Initiative/Teamwork

- Shows strong initiative; can work outside of standard protocol when necessary.

- Ability to work on own initiative while remaining an effective member of a team.

- Demonstrates effective team skills.

Evaluating & Judging

- Demonstrate the ability to effectively evaluate information and make appropriate decisions.

Flexibility

- Highly flexible and adaptable with work patterns and in meeting Hospice needs.

Planning & Organising

- Demonstrate flexibility and openness to change.

- Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines.

- Manages competing and changing priorities.

Organisational Knowledge

- Understanding of and openness to Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services Core Values & Ethos.

- Ensure accurate and timely communication across our three sites: Harold’s Cross, Blackrock, and Wicklow Hospices.

Person Specifications

Qualifications

• Reception/Telephonist course completed.

Experience

• 1 year’s experience working on a reception or in a similar clerical/admin role.

• Fluent English and expert communication skills.

• Experience working with Microsoft Office, Word, and Outlook.

Other

• High flexibility is an essential requirement.

• Main Reception is covered Monday to Sunday, 08:00–20:00, 365 days a year.

• 8 hours a week plus relief hours when needed.

• This includes a variety of shifts to suit the department and organisational needs.