NHS Call Handler 999

Job Description

NHS Call Handler Job Type: TemporarySector: HealthcareDuration: Temporary on going with no end date specifiedLocation: NorwichTravel: NoRemote Working: NoBand: 3Pay Rates: Pay rateWeekdays 06.00 to 20.00£10.69 paye inc of holiday payNights 20.00 to 06.00 and Saturdays£14.32 paye inc of holiday paySundays and Bank Holidays£18.12 paye inc of holiday payAll the rates are depending on skill and experienceWorking Days and Hours: Monday to Sunday, 12 hour shifts on a rota basisWhat the client is looking for:

• A committed individual, who can deal with high pressure environments.
• Looking for a challenge and room for progression.
• All candidates will need to be fully flexible.
• Willing to do nights and weekends as well as weekdays.

Rota

• They will receive their rota 4/6 weeks in advance and will be placed on a team within a shift pattern. Shifts can be Monday to Sunday and a mixture of Days and Nights, all shifts are mostly 2 days than 2 nights and then 4 off
• Shift patterns will be 12-hour shifts, typically 2am - 2pm , 3am - 3pm , 4am - 4pm, 6am - 6pm , 7am - 7pm

Training CourseEDM- 4 Week Course

• Week 1 classroom training written and verbal assessment at the end of the week to ensure knowledge has been successfully absorbed. Failure to pass will result in retaking the training week though this is rare, and the training providedis excellent.
• Week 2 MPDS (Medical Priority Dispatch System) training- you would likely be required to stay in a hotel (provided by the trust) for 3 nights (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).
• Weeks 3 - 1 weeks of office hours based back at the control room.
• Week 4 - begin Mentoring for 12 shifts
• After 12 shifts... Assessment and independent working.

ECH- 2 Week Course

• Week 1 classroom training
• Written and verbal assessment at the end of the week to ensure knowledge has been successfully absorbed. Failure to pass will result in retaking the training week though this is rare, and the training provided is excellent.

• Week 2 Sent to the control room none - urgent calls from doctors, nurses, and hospital staff regarding transport etc, you would not be required to take calls from the public at this point.

Additional Information

• Currently we have space for all sites candidates on courses commencing 4th July - 12th September, for Chelmsford and Norwich
• Training will be paid at the standard rate as this will be weekdays, 0800-1600/0800-1700, except for the MPDS week where the length of days is slightly longer from Mon-Thurs, but shorter on the Friday. it will still be standard rate though.
• All candidates will need to be fully flexible, even if applying for a part time position. So, theyll need to be willing to do nights and weekends as well as weekdays.
• To highlight, the trust is looking for committed candidates who will not be taking any annual leave.
• No leaving early, no days off, and must be fully committed to the booking for the full weeks

Duties

• To deal and respond to all incoming telephone calls to the EOC, giving 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)
• Form part of a team of Call Handlers who will normally provide the first point of contact with telephone callers to the Trust, on a 24/7 basis, working rotating shifts. Where business continuity requires it, there may be a need to handle calls for oneof the Trusts other two EOCs or to relocate to one of them on a temporary basis.
• Ensure the timely and accurate answering and recording of all requests for emergency resources (including doctors urgent requests and routine calls) using the Computer Aided Dispatch and appropriate clinical triage software.
• Provide advice to clients as directed by clinical triage protocols and procedures. This will involve following a set process when applying the clinical triage software.
• Complete the clinical triage process for each emergency call received, to the fullest extent possible, to allow all emergencies to be marked with an appropriate priority. This is the means of ensuring that patients receive a response intended to reachthem in a timely manner for their condition, whilst also indicating the right type of resource that should be allocated.
• Utilise Computer Aided Dispatch, clinical triage software and Information Communication Technology (ICT), including telephony, data, email, and fax, to achieve effective communication with clients and EOC/operational staff.
• Ensure ICT systems are used appropriately, and report systems failures to the Call Handler Team Leader/Duty EOC Officer. 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 EOC 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.
• 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 always exist 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.
• This will include going through appropriate procedures and prompt cards to give lifesaving instructions relating to CPR, maternity, airway management, unconscious patient, fitting, diabetic information, advising patients to use appropriate medicationas instructed by their doctor, and making the scene safe for operational staff

Keyskills :
Call CentreFirst CallNHSCrisis Situations