GP Receptionist Apprentice
Hall Street Medical Centre
ST HELENS (WA10 1DW)
Closes in 25 days (Monday 30 November 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 4 November 2026
Contents
Summary
Join our friendly NHS GP practice as a Receptionist Apprentice. Start with supported administration and shadowing, then develop your communication, telephone and front-desk skills through supervised training and real patient service.
- Wage
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£15,600 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Customer service practitioner (level 2)
- Hours
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16-17: Monday to Friday, 7.5 hours per day. Shifts: 8.00am - 4.30pm, 9.00am - 5.30pm or 10.00am - 6.30pm. 18+: Four days between Monday & Friday, with one weekday off. Example: three 8.00am - 6.30pm shifts (9.5 paid hours each) and one 8.00am - 6.00pm shift (9 paid hours).
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
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Monday 4 January 2027
- Duration
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1 year 3 months
- Positions available
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1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Learn how an NHS GP practice supports patients, and complete mandatory training on confidentiality, data protection, safeguarding, equality and safe working.
Months 1–3: assist with post, scanning, indexing, correspondence, patient registration administration and record updates under supervision. Shadow front-desk and telephone teams; observe patient communication, care navigation and escalation. No independent calls.
Months 4–6: progress to routine outgoing calls, then supported incoming calls and reception work with direct supervision. Practise identity checks, active listening, accessible communication, explaining services and accurately recording messages.
Month 7 onward: gradually take on a wider mix of telephone, front-desk and administrative tasks once trained and assessed as competent. Help with approved appointment/request pathways, service queries, teamwork and problem solving.
Throughout: learn to respond sensitively to patients, manage expectations, seek help with difficult or urgent issues, use feedback and contribute to an agreed longer-term service or administration improvement project. Never provide clinical advice or make independent clinical decisions.
Where you'll work
28-30 HALL STREET
ST HELENS
WA10 1DW
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
ST HELENS COLLEGE
Training course
Customer service practitioner (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Use a range of questioning skills, including listening and responding in a way that builds rapport, determines customer needs and expectations and achieves positive engagement and delivery.
- Depending on your job role and work environment: Use appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills, along with summarising language during face-to-face communications; and/or
- Depending on your job role and work environment: Use appropriate communication skills, along with reinforcement techniques (to confirm understanding) during non-facing customer interactions.
- Depending on your job role and work environment: Use an appropriate ‘tone of voice’ in all communications, including written and digital, that reflect the organisation’s brand.
- Provide clear explanations and offer options in order to help customers make choices that are mutually beneficial to both the customer and your organisation.
- Be able to organise yourself, prioritise your own workload/activity and work to meet deadlines.
- Demonstrate patience and calmness.
- Show you understand the customer’s point of view.
- Use appropriate sign-posting or resolution to meet your customers needs and manage expectations.
- Maintain informative communication during service recovery.
Training schedule
- Apprenticeship delivery will be remotely delivered within the workplace with on site visits
- Functional skills Maths & English will be delivered within college setting (if applicable)
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Team working
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Discretion
Other requirements
Patient-facing work can be busy and sometimes emotionally challenging. The role requires strict confidentiality, safeguarding awareness and a calm, professional approach. First three months focus mainly on administration and observation; patient calls and front-desk duties are introduced only after training and with supervision. Work and learning will be reviewed regularly.
About this employer
Hall Street Medical Centre is an NHS GP practice serving patients in St Helens. Our clinical, reception and administration teams work together to provide accessible, safe and respectful patient care. We offer structured training, support and practical workplace experience.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Gain a Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner qualification and practical NHS reception/administration skills. Potential progression into a permanent GP receptionist role on successful completion, subject to performance and a suitable vacancy; further professional development possible.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
ST HELENS COLLEGE
Carolyn Mason
appenquiry@sthelens.ac.uk
01744 623521
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000062542.
Apply now
Closes in 25 days (Monday 30 November 2026 at 11:59pm)