Switchboard Operator

Job summary

The job role within the switchboard office is varied, our priority is answering the telephone calls, in January we answered 28,982 calls and in February 26,270, the calls come into the switchboard via different lines and are answered in the following order, The Emergency Calls, The Emergency Communication Calls, The GP Calls, the External Calls, The Internal Calls and each operator has their own internal extension.

The high priority call to answer is the Emergency line, In January we took 506 Emergency Calls and in February 447 Emergency Calls. On many occasions these emergency's calls are not straight forward and we have to use our initiative to get a good outcome.

STAFF CAR PARKING

Staff Car Parking on the West Suffolk Hospital Site is eligible for individuals working outside of the core hours, 07:00 - 18:30.

For individuals working within the core hours, the Trust offers parking off site at the Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club, which is serviced by a regular shuttle bus to and from the Hospital. Details of the bus timetable can be found in the on-line starter pack on the West Suffolk Hospital website.

This parking restriction does not apply if an individual is required to work on a weekend or if they are required to complete "on call" duties within their role.

The closing date for this vacancy may change if we receive a strong response. Please ensure that you apply for any post you are interested in as soon as possible.

Main duties of the job

Some of the responsibilities you will have are:

Emergency calls that are made to the switchboard, these are usually via a 2222 call, these include Maternity Emergencies, Paediatric Emergencies, Cardiac Arrests, Stroke Alerts, Stroke Thrombolysis, Massive Blood Loss, Traumas and RPI's. These groups are tested on a daily basis to ensure all emergency bleeps are working correctly, following an emergency call we are responsible for getting the on-call teams to the right place, procedures vary slightly in hours and out of hours. External Emergency calls to the Fire Brigade and Police. On- call Rotas for all departments within the trust, we check these rotas on a daily basis and transfer this information onto our Doctors Board and issue a daily on call list to various individuals across the trust. The booking of contract taxis, these can be to take a patient home, to take patients medication or belongings home, arrange the transfer of pathology samples to other hospitals, to transfer staff who are working at other trusts or collecting staff who have gone on a transfer with a patient to another hospital, we also book the contract taxis for the psychic liaison team for patients who are being discharged from A & E. Issuing of Amcom Bleeps Assisting Site Manager for issuing Radios to the on- call teams in the event of switchboard or bleep system failure.

The shift patterns that someone could expect for a role in switchboard are

About us

#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community

We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.

The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.

Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.

We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.

With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.

We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.

Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see job description for full details.

Communication and Team Working

Taking part in the telephonists rota to maintain continuous 24 - hour cover on the switchboard at the West Suffolk Hospital. Act as the first point of contact for both West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (formerly Suffolk Mental Health Partnership), for all day to day queries, and out of hours procedures. To operate and route calls for Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust both at the West Suffolk Hospital site and at the Hospital Road site. To operate and access computerised patient information system (Ecare) to ensure correct routing of calls to patient from friends/family members. To have a close awareness of departments including their functions and services so as to effectively route calls and communicate information. Includes awareness of medical phrases and conditions, and of clinic times and staff availability. Co-ordinate and participate in all on-site, and off-site on-call procedures, including the updating of the Medical Staffing On-Call Rota board. Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

GCSE at A-C (or equivalent) qualifications Basic skills in literacy and numeracy.

Desirable

NVQ in Customer Services, or willing to work towards.

Experience

Essential

Experience of working within a customer service role/environment.

Desirable

Experience of working in a switchboard environment. Experience of working in an acute hospital environment.

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

Good communication skills with the ability to develop effective working relationships throughout the organisation Good organisational skills and the ability to address and develop solutions to problems Ability to work on own initiative and as part of team. Evidence of good written and verbal communication skills. Able to follow written instructions and procedures Good attention to detail.

Personal Qualities

Essential

Ability to work alone, unsupervised, whilst remaining able to prioritise conflicting demands. Ability to cope with demanding and pressured situations. Flexible approach to working hours and duties. Dedication and commitment to the team. Customer focused with a excellent telephone manner. Approachable and tactful.

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