Emergency Call Handler & Coordinator

Job Description

Emergency Call Handler and CoordinatorLocation: Hellesdon, NorwichRemote Working: NoType of role: TemporaryThis role will be till the end of March 2023 but there is also the potential for this to lead into a full-time perm position for the right candidate.Sector: HealthcareDuration: Expected to last till up to March 2023Band: 2Pay Rates: Monday to Friday hours between 6am to 8pm: £10.69 paye inclusiveNights (Monday to Friday 8pm to 6am)/Saturdays: £13.89 paye inclusiveSunday/BH: £17.10 paye inclusiveWorking Days and Hours:

• The hours will vary between 8am and 11pm from Monday to Sunday (shifts are 8 hours - 37.5 hours per week - 2 days off per week).
• If working evenings is an issue, then there may potential for one or two of the candidates to have shifts to be between 8am and 6pm/6.30pm
• Our client may need candidates to work weekends however (not every weekend - just on a rotational basis).
• Our client works 24/7, 365 in the contact centre and so there will be an expectation that candidates might be asked to work Christmas Day, our team will check this you prior sending your CV across to our client.

Job SummaryThis role will be taking calls from the Public and from Healthcare professionals for a variety of reasons including (but not exclusively):

• To arrange Nurse visits
• To book Patient Transport
• To escalate issues to On Call Managers

The client is looking for candidates who demonstrate the following qualities:

• Reliable- we have had a number of agency who have had very high sickness/poor attendance recently - this is a priority.
• Conscientious
• Good communication skills (both spoken and written)
• Friendly
• Customer-focused

Duties

• To deal and respond to all incoming telephone calls to the EOC, giving non- emergency calls priority over non-emergency calls; placing lower priority callers on hold when required, to achieve this. (Where ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) is active, emergencycalls may be answered automatically for the user)
• It is a requirement of the job that call handlers (whole time, part time or bank staff) will be available to work weekend and bank holidays, including Christmas Day and Easter, in accordance with allocated rostered duties as well as some evenings (shiftsare on a rotational pattern)
• The successful candidate will form part of a team of Call Handlers who provide the first point of contact for telephone callers to the Trust.
• They will receive and record telephone calls from a range of people/personnel including hospital staff, other Health Service professionals and other Emergency Services. This will also cover other clients and contracts that the contact centre handles.
• They will also povide advice to clients as directed by clinical triage protocols and procedures. This will involve following a set process when applying the clinical triage software.
• Ensure ICT systems are used appropriately, and report systems failures to the Contact Centre Supervisor.
• In the event of a systems failure all staff are required to initiate any appropriate steps in line with standard operating procedures, to support the Contact Centre in maintaining business continuity.
• To be familiar with a manual method of logging calls on the appropriate forms when electronic methods are unavailable or inappropriate.
• To produce, maintain and collate appropriate control records, complying with administrative procedures in accordance with Trust policy.
• To take charge of an incoming call, managing patients, relatives, and the public in a calm professional manner and treating them with dignity and respect at all times.
• Be able to (and be able to recognise the need to), modify and adapt methods of communication to account for the differing needs of patients and callers especially in stressful and difficult situations.
• Ensure polite, efficient and appropriate communications exist at all times with their clients, e.g. patients, relatives, purchasers, medical and other NHS emergency service personnel.
• Deal with highly emotional, verbally aggressive, abusive or threatening callers and defuse such situations when appropriate, often under difficult and hostile circumstances.
• To communicate efficiently and effectively with patients, relatives, and the public where there are barriers to communication such as language or noise, using persuasive skills where appropriate.
• To provide the caller with pre-arrival instructions, utilising and complying with, clinical triage protocols.
• Dealing with distressed patients and relatives, including traumatic situations such as death.

Keyskills :
Emergency ServicesAnswering PhonesCoordinatorsCall handlingNHS 111