Supporting Statement for a Receptionist
Receptionist roles, especially in GP practices and hospitals, are shortlisted on customer service under pressure, communication, accuracy with bookings and records, and confidentiality. Shortlisters look for calm, specific examples.
Criteria you will usually see, and the evidence for each
Typical of GP practices, hospitals, councils and schools adverts; always work from the person specification of the job you apply for.
| Criterion | What counts as evidence |
|---|---|
| Customer service experience | The setting, the volume, and a specific person you helped. |
| Dealing with difficult or upset people | What happened, what you said and did, and how it ended. |
| Accurate booking and record-keeping | The system and how you avoid errors. |
| Confidentiality | How you protect information at a busy front desk. |
| Working in a team | Covering, handovers, passing on information. |
| IT and telephone skills | The systems and the call volumes you handle. |
Example: one criterion done well
A patient arrived at our practice angry because his repeat prescription was not ready for the third time. I moved our conversation to the side of the desk so he could speak privately, listened without interrupting, and checked the system while he waited. The request had been sent to the wrong pharmacy, so I phoned the correct one, arranged for it to be ready that afternoon, and added a note to his record to prevent it happening again.
Why it works: Shows calm, privacy, investigating the cause and fixing it for the future, not just apologising.
Written by us to show what evidence looks like. Panels want your own experience, in your own words.
Tips
- Specific situations beat general claims about customer service.
- Mention confidentiality, especially in healthcare.
- Show you fix causes, not just symptoms.