Job overview

Department Overview:
The Emergency Department operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In line with Department of Health guidelines, all patients must be seen, treated, and either discharged or admitted within four hours of arrival.

This is a fast-paced and high-demand environment. Staff will routinely be exposed to blood, bodily fluids, and other potentially distressing clinical situations. The role requires the ability to work under pressure, manage challenging interactions, and provide mutual support within the team. While support and reporting mechanisms are in place, staff should be prepared for occasional exposure to verbal or face-to-face aggression.

Main duties of the job

As a member of the Emergency Department (ED) reception team, you will be the first point of contact for all patients arriving at the department. You will play a vital role in ensuring that all patients are welcomed and registered promptly, efficiently, and with professionalism and compassion.

Key Responsibilities:

• Greet and register all patients attending the ED, ensuring accurate demographic data is entered into the system in a timely manner.

• Act as the central communication point between patients, clinical staff, and external partners.

• Provide comprehensive administrative support to medical and nursing teams, including:

  • Accurate clinical coding of attendances

  • Booking and coordinating time-critical ambulance transfers

  • Handling incoming and outgoing telephone enquiries

  • Managing and processing clinical documentation such as photocopying, scanning, and uploading patient notes into the electronic record system

  • Preparing transfer paperwork for ward admissions

• Monitor patient flow and ensure records are kept up to date throughout their stay in the department.

• Communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders including internal hospital departments and external agencies such as Mental Health services, Police, Ambulance Services, and Social Services.

• Maintain confidentiality and professionalism at all times while adhering to data protection and trust policies.

• Respond to challenging and emotionally charged situations with sensitivity, professionalism, and resilience.

• Contribute to the smooth running of the department by supporting other reception colleagues during busy periods or in their absence.

Working Pattern:

This is a 24/7, 365-days-per-year service. You will work a fixed shift pattern of 4 days on, 4 days off, including weekends and bank holidays. Shift flexibility is essential to ensure adequate coverage across the department.

What We’re Looking For:

• Proven ability to work effectively in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment while remaining calm and composed.

• Flexibility to adapt to changing shift patterns and departmental needs.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to liaise confidently and empathetically with patients, families, clinical teams, and external agencies.

• High attention to detail and accuracy, particularly in data entry and documentation.

• A proactive and supportive team player with a commitment to delivering excellent patient care through high-quality administrative support.

Working for our organisation

Our vision is to provide outstanding care for every patient. Patient care is at the heart of what we do at our three sites: Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester and Andover War Memorial Hospital. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides medical and surgical services to a population of approximately 600,000 people across Hampshire and parts of West Berkshire.

Our cultural ambition is to have a culture that places people at the heart of all we do, where we all belong, and where learning, improvement and excellence thrive.

We provide specialist services to people across the UK and internationally. We are one of only two centres in the UK treating pseudomyxoma peritonei (a rare form of abdominal cancer) and we are leaders in the field of tertiary liver cancer and colorectal cancer.

The trust employs more than 9,000 staff and has a turnover of over £500 million a year. As a Foundation Trust, we are directly accountable to our members through the governors. The Council of Governors represent the interests of their constituencies and influence the future plans of the Foundation Trust.