NHS
Band 2 Switchboard Operator - Callington Road Hospital
This job is now closed
Job Description
- Req#: C9342-25-0066?language=en&page=1007&sort=publicationDateDesc
- Previous customer service experience
- Relevant previous switchboard/call centre experience
- Evidences telephony/verbal communication skills
- Demonstrates IT literacy inc. confidence with Microsoft packages and bespoke systems
- Demonstrates good standard of literacy in application
- Displays ability to follow policies and procedures
- Has experience or understanding of shift work
- Has experience of working both in a team and autonomously
- Has knowledge and understanding of, or interest in, NHS Mental Health Services
- Previous customer service experience
- Relevant previous switchboard/call centre experience
- Evidences telephony/verbal communication skills
- Demonstrates IT literacy inc. confidence with Microsoft packages and bespoke systems
- Demonstrates good standard of literacy in application
- Displays ability to follow policies and procedures
- Has experience or understanding of shift work
- Has experience of working both in a team and autonomously
- Has knowledge and understanding of, or interest in, NHS Mental Health Services
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Switchboard Operator to join the Switchboard team at Callington Road Hospital providing switchboard and some administrative services to Avon and Wiltshire Partnership (AWP) staff, service users and the general public.
We are looking for a confident, robust, diligent and dependable individual of any age group to perform this critical role, which involves handling confidential information and conscientiously performing an essential role in what can be a pressured environment as a pivotal point of contact with service users, staff and the general public.
This is a critical operational role working evening, night, weekend and Bank Holiday shifts and the post holder will be required to be flexible regarding working patterns to accommodate the hospital operational needs as and when required. The standard shift patterns are 06:00-14:00, 14:00-22:00 and 22:00-06:00.
In return we offer excellent career prospects and the opportunity to enhance your basic salary with shift premiums for night and weekend hours. We offer a general annual leave entitlement and the opportunity for flexible working including homeworking for a proportion of your hours.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide advice and information as appropriate over the telephone to the Trust's internal and external customers, in accordance with operating procedures. The role will include collation and escalation of essential information as necessary, administrative services to internal customers, and general switchboard enquiries as appropriate and in accordance with operating procedures.
About us
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
Date posted
22 January 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 2
Salary
£23,615 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Home or remote working
Reference number
342-EFM003-0126
Job locations
Callington Road Hospital
Bristol
BS4 5BJ
Job descriptionJob description
Job responsibilities
Operate the computer-based switchboard. Answer calls from the general public efficiently and politely, using initiative to direct the caller to the correct destination and transfer them to the appropriate numbers. Act as a non-clinical answering service for the Trusts Intensive Support Teams out of hours.
Take calls from service users, healthcare professionals and emergency services amongst others and take caller details, making accurate logs of each call received. Pass messages to the appropriate Intensive Support Teams so that clinical intervention can be arranged as necessary.
Book detained ambulances and non-detained transport for departments throughout the Trust, liaising with and acting as an information flow between transport providers and clinical staff. Keep accurate records of all journeys using the booking system.
Maintain a central up-to-date rota for on-call personnel, including doctors, consultants, pharmacists and managers. Follow the Trusts on-call procedures, signpost staff to relevant on-call personnel for their query and transfer to privately held numbers.
Answer emergency and major incident calls from local and national agencies and escalate to appropriate officers using the Trusts cascade procedure. Use initiative and goodwill to support staff following the declaration of a major incident.
Maintain a live Bed State information sheet out of hours. Support On-Call Managers and Intensive Support Teams by providing up-to-date availability of beds throughout the Trust. Keep track of changes to bed availability throughout nights and weekends and return updated sheet to the Bed Management team in office hours. Log details of all staff members making international calls via the switchboard.
Ensure that all exceptions and faults relating to telephones, the switchboard and its services are escalated to relevant personnel. Follow local guidance and use initiative during business continuity events to ensure continued running of the service.
Job responsibilities
Operate the computer-based switchboard. Answer calls from the general public efficiently and politely, using initiative to direct the caller to the correct destination and transfer them to the appropriate numbers. Act as a non-clinical answering service for the Trusts Intensive Support Teams out of hours.
Take calls from service users, healthcare professionals and emergency services amongst others and take caller details, making accurate logs of each call received. Pass messages to the appropriate Intensive Support Teams so that clinical intervention can be arranged as necessary.
Book detained ambulances and non-detained transport for departments throughout the Trust, liaising with and acting as an information flow between transport providers and clinical staff. Keep accurate records of all journeys using the booking system.
Maintain a central up-to-date rota for on-call personnel, including doctors, consultants, pharmacists and managers. Follow the Trusts on-call procedures, signpost staff to relevant on-call personnel for their query and transfer to privately held numbers.
Answer emergency and major incident calls from local and national agencies and escalate to appropriate officers using the Trusts cascade procedure. Use initiative and goodwill to support staff following the declaration of a major incident.
Maintain a live Bed State information sheet out of hours. Support On-Call Managers and Intensive Support Teams by providing up-to-date availability of beds throughout the Trust. Keep track of changes to bed availability throughout nights and weekends and return updated sheet to the Bed Management team in office hours. Log details of all staff members making international calls via the switchboard.
Ensure that all exceptions and faults relating to telephones, the switchboard and its services are escalated to relevant personnel. Follow local guidance and use initiative during business continuity events to ensure continued running of the service.
Person SpecificationPerson Specification
Experience
Essential
Desirable
Skills
Essential
Team working
Essential
Knowledge
Essential
Experience
Essential
Desirable
Skills
Essential
Team working
Essential
Knowledge
Essential
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer name
Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Address
Callington Road Hospital
Bristol
BS4 5BJ
Employer's website
http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Address
Callington Road Hospital
Bristol
BS4 5BJ
Employer's website
http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)
About the company
National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.