Telephonist

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 16 May 2025

Job summary

We are looking to recruit a Telephonist (20 hours per week) to join our team, operating a very busy switchboard serving both Sunderland Royal and South Tyneside Hospitals. The Departments operate 24/7 and staff are required to work within a rota to ensure service needs are met effectively.

Upon Appointment you will be supported with a thorough training programme after which you will be able to answer all Operator-directed calls and transfer callers to the appropriate extensions, providing appropriate additional information which the caller may require.

You must possess switchboard experience or call centre handling, preferably using a console-based switchboard.

You must have excellent communication skills, able to work as part of a team and have the ability to work under pressure.

This role will also involve a wide variety of related activities including contacting all on-call personnel outside of normal working hours, answering emergency calls that deal with cardiac arrest and fire situations, monitoring of alarms, collating rotas for on-call medical staff and reporting faults to appropriate engineers.

  • Please note the Trust are not able to offer Skilled Worker Sponsorship for this role as it does not meet the UKVI threshold requirements. Applicants are requested to consider this when making their application. Please visitGov.UKfor further information

Main duties of the job

This Post requires a flexible working approach across both Sunderland Royal and South Tyneside hospitals to meet service needs. This includes working shifts, including dayshift, backshift and nightshift, both during the week and weekends.

The Telephonists provide a 24/7 service with an emphasis on quality, ensuring all call response times are met as per Switchboard Managers' requests. Using a bleep system to locate various staff throughout the Trust, programming and maintaining bleeps where necessary. Handling all internal emergencies including cardiac arrests, medical emergencies, fires, major incidents and any other emergency that may arise.

About us

Please help us by adding your telephone number to your application form this will allow us to contact you quickly if required.

One Team One Trust - There are many reasons to work at our Trust. From our commitment to putting people first to our accessible services and award winning teams. We have a passion for research, innovation and tackling inequalities. We are committed to respect, fairness and civility and promote a compassionate, caring and positive culture / working environment.

We welcome all applications irrespective of peoples race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups. Looking after our workforces health and wellbeing is a priority for STSFT. We also provide access to high quality education, training, career progression and support. Flexible working is supported via the Trust's Flexible Working Policy.

The Trust employs around 8,300 people and provides a range of hospital services to a local community of around 430,000 residents. We also provide a range of more specialised services outside this area, in some cases to a population as great as 860,000. We offer our staff outstanding benefits - Fitness Centre (SRH), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a Childcare Co-ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements. The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated.

Date posted

01 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,169 a year pro-rata for part-time

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9155-CSAC-0525-01

Job locations

Trust Headquarters

Sunderland Royal Hospital

Sunderland

SR4 7TP


South Tyneside Nhs Foundation Trust

Harton Lane

South Shields

Tyne And Wear

NE34 0PL


Job description

Job responsibilities

Providing the Trust and other healthcare establishments within the Sunderland area with a high-quality, effective and efficient voice communications network. This will include the monitoring of all equipment and reporting all issues. You will be expected to work without autonomy and exercise significant initiative and independent judgement in managing diverse specialities and workload. To comply with the Trust's vision, values and behavioural compact.

PLEASE REFER TO ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR FULL DUTIES OF THE ROLE.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Providing the Trust and other healthcare establishments within the Sunderland area with a high-quality, effective and efficient voice communications network. This will include the monitoring of all equipment and reporting all issues. You will be expected to work without autonomy and exercise significant initiative and independent judgement in managing diverse specialities and workload. To comply with the Trust's vision, values and behavioural compact.

PLEASE REFER TO ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR FULL DUTIES OF THE ROLE.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Working on a NHS switchboard or Call Centre.
  • Experience in an office environment.
  • Experience in managing workloads to meet deadlines and standards.
  • Experience of working with Microsoft packages including Word and spreadsheets.
  • Experience of working with numerous computer packages and systems.

Desirable

  • Experience of operating a digital switchboard.

Qualifications

Essential

  • GCSE standard of education or equivalent.

Desirable

  • NVQ Call Handling Level 2.

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Ability to follow written procedures.
  • Strong interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to communication in a clear and professional way, where there may be barriers to understanding.
  • Excellent telephone manner.

Personal Qualities/Attitude/Other

Essential

  • Flexible approach to work.
  • Eagerness to learn.
  • Evidence of working without direct supervision.
  • Evidence of working with co-workers.

Desirable

  • Please provide a contact telephone number.

Physical Skills

Essential

  • Sitting for long periods at workstation.
  • Manual dexterity.
  • Must be able to comply with manual tasks.
  • Data input skills.
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Working on a NHS switchboard or Call Centre.
  • Experience in an office environment.
  • Experience in managing workloads to meet deadlines and standards.
  • Experience of working with Microsoft packages including Word and spreadsheets.
  • Experience of working with numerous computer packages and systems.

Desirable

  • Experience of operating a digital switchboard.

Qualifications

Essential

  • GCSE standard of education or equivalent.

Desirable

  • NVQ Call Handling Level 2.

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Ability to follow written procedures.
  • Strong interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to communication in a clear and professional way, where there may be barriers to understanding.
  • Excellent telephone manner.

Personal Qualities/Attitude/Other

Essential

  • Flexible approach to work.
  • Eagerness to learn.
  • Evidence of working without direct supervision.
  • Evidence of working with co-workers.

Desirable

  • Please provide a contact telephone number.

Physical Skills

Essential

  • Sitting for long periods at workstation.
  • Manual dexterity.
  • Must be able to comply with manual tasks.
  • Data input skills.

Employer details

Employer name

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Trust Headquarters

Sunderland Royal Hospital

Sunderland

SR4 7TP


Employer's website

https://www.stsft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Trust Headquarters

Sunderland Royal Hospital

Sunderland

SR4 7TP


Employer's website

https://www.stsft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)


For questions about the job, contact:

Lyndsey Brusby

lyndsey.brusby@nhs.net

01915656256

Date posted

01 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,169 a year pro-rata for part-time

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9155-CSAC-0525-01

Job locations

Trust Headquarters

Sunderland Royal Hospital

Sunderland

SR4 7TP


South Tyneside Nhs Foundation Trust

Harton Lane

South Shields

Tyne And Wear

NE34 0PL


Supporting documents

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