Call Handler

We have a fantastic opportunity for full time Call Handlers to join our team based in Shrewsbury.

We have two shift patterns available
- 12 hour shifts - 4 on, 4 off
- Monday to Friday - 1400-2200

**The role**

As a Call Handler you’ll play a key role in making sure our patients are treated with empathy, care and respect, from their very first phone call.

You’ll work in our contact centre, as part of a wider team, answering incoming enquiry calls from patients as well as healthcare providers such as hospitals, clinics and GP surgeries to arrange non-emergency patient transport. This is an essential service EMED supports the NHS with and includes journeys from a patient’s home to medical appointments and patient transfers between hospitals and healthcare settings.

Using our in-house IT systems, you’ll carry out screening as part of the eligibility criteria prior to booking transport. You’ll record patient details carefully and accurately, taking their individual circumstances and needs into consideration. You may be dealing with requests for same day transport or a future date. You’ll need good listening and communication skills to talk to people from different backgrounds and know how to show consideration, empathy and respect for patients. You’ll need good planning and organisational skills, as you’ll also be responsible for confirming patient journeys, by making outgoing calls to service users before their booked journey takes place.

From time to time, a patient may not be eligible for the patient transport service, so you may have to deliver a more difficult message and direct them to other more suitable transport options. Being used to handling those types of situations and working in a calm and professional manner is essential.

**Key Responsibilities**
- Booking discharges and transfers from hospital, often under time critical circumstances
- Booking regular journeys for renal and oncology patients
- Contacting service users 24-48 hrs prior to travel to confirm the journey
- Communicating with road staff, ambulance care assistance, paramedics, patient transport liaison officers (PTLO), controllers and dispatchers as part of a multi-disciplinary team to ensure a successful journey for all services users
- Being aware of safeguarding practises and having the knowledge of when to use these skills to assist and support all service users and work colleagues
- Being the first point of contact for service users for questions or enquiries about patient transport.
- Being able to transfer or refer callers to an alternative appropriate option, if you’re not able to answer or help directly.
- Keep up to date with changes in policies and procedures.
- Undertake all necessary training.
- To support, assist and supervise less experienced staff when necessary.
- Undertake any other duties and responsibilities related to this role.

**Must have skills and experience**
- Good standard of literacy, numeracy, and IT skills
- Customer service experience preferably obtained in a call centre/phone based role
- Willingness to develop existing skills
- Ability to work to deadlines
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Organised and logical
- Ability to prioritise workload
- Able to work as part of a team as well as independently
- Flexible approach to working hours
- Respect for confidentiality and the ability to handle sensitive issues appropriately
- Enthusiastic and motivated
- Punctual and reliable
- Ability to display a positive attitude
- Diplomatic and professional

**What benefits can you expect?**
- Life Assurance - providing colleagues and their family financial peace of mind and protection to the value of £5,000.
- 24/7 online/telephone GP Consultation and access to prescriptions.
- 2nd opinion medical support following diagnosis or where a colleague is on a treatment pathway.
- Cash-plan benefits, providing colleagues the option of protecting themselves in case of illness and recuperation, including dental, optical, chiropody.
- Unlimited mental health consultations.
- Unlimited physiotherapy consultations.
- Access to legal advice on domestic issues e.g. motoring offences, wills and probate, and personal injury.
- Financial guidance re retirement planning, tax savings and state benefits.
- Long Service Recognition Scheme - recognising colleagues for their continued service after 5 years and at 5-year intervals with an increase in annual leave.
- Values-based Internal Recognition Scheme with financial reward, which will lead to an annual recognition event.
- Refer a Friend recruitment incentive scheme with financial rewards_. _
- The EMED foundation, to provide support to colleagues and our local communities.
- Pension Scheme.
- Blue Light Card.
- Uniform provided.
- EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) to support a range of health and wellbeing requirements.
- Flu vaccination (_through an internal campaign in Autumn/Winter)_

**About Us**

The exciting merger of ERS Medical and