Job summary
Please
note that this role is not on the Home Office list of occupations eligible for
sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.
A new and exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Switchboard team as a Switchboard Operator at The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust.
We are looking for a friendly, motivated and enthusiastic individual who is passionate to deliver high-quality, customer-focused support to staff and the general public.
Main duties of the job
You will work as part of an experienced team, acting as the first line of contact for staff, external organisations and the general public. You will be required to take calls in a professional and efficient manner whilst providing a high level of customer service.
As part of the role you will also deal with emergency situations that are called through and ensure that messages are sent out to all relevant teams in a timely but accurate manner.
The Switchboard team cover a 24/7 service, in which you will form part of a rota ensuring that the hospitals needs are covered.
About us
We provide care and support to over a million people in
Wakefield and Kirklees in their homes, community settings and across our
three hospital sites at Pontefract, Dewsbury and Pinderfields (Wakefield).
Always striving for excellence, we are at the forefront of
innovation and research, and we invest in teaching and the development of our
workforce.
We live by our values of caring, improving, being respectful
and maintaining high standards. We listen and learn because we aim to make Mid
Yorkshire the best place to work and receive care.
We value diversity and welcome talent and enthusiasm
irrespective of age, disability, neurodivergence, sex, gender identity and
gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation,
or other personal circumstances including providing unpaid carers support to
someone with a health and care need. As ethnic minority groups, members of the
LGBTQ+ community, and people with a disability/neurodivergence are currently
under-represented across the organisation, we encourage applications from
members of these groups. We have policies and procedures to ensure all
applicants are treated fairly and consistently.
We are proud of our staff networks - who offer valuable
guidance and feedback from those with lived experience.
We have a clear vision and you could be part of this! If
you share our values and you want to make a difference to the lives of our
patients and their families and carers, we would love to hear from you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
JOB PURPOSE
The post holder will provide the 1st point of contact for the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, using an efficient and reliable service to communicate with the public, staff, health professionals and emergency services in a courteous and friendly manner and is responsive to the needs of the trust and its users.
The post holder will work as part of a team handling more than 60,000 calls per month and initiating emergency responses such as the Cardiac Arrest Calls, Fire, Major Incidents and Major Haemorrhage. The team are responsible for effectively understanding and working to a wide range of highly complex work procedures and processes.
To carry out basic administrative duties to support the Switchboard and wider trust function.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Process internal and external telephone calls to the Trust and other supported sites, dealing with a large range of enquiries in a courteous and professional manner.
- Responsible for understanding, accessing, resolving and forwarding enquiries to appropriate stakeholders.
- Respond and take appropriate action to clinical and non-clinical emergency calls. E.g Cardiac Arrests, Fire Activations, Major Incidents.
- Operate the trusts messaging system allowing efficient communication within the clinical services.
- Carry out daily test calls for emergency procedures.
- Daily communications for the trusts fire testing.
- Administration duties including:
o Creation and maintenance of complex 24 hour medical and on call rotas.
o Review and update of the trusts telephony directory.
o Manage and monitor the use of temporary emergency mobile devices.
o On call accommodation.
o Arrange and book taxis for patients and staff members.
o Report all faults within Switchboard.
- Provide out of hours support for Fieldhead Hospital and Newton Lodge (South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust).
- Provide support for the trusts diabetic communications system by collating caller information for use by the Diabetic service.
- Single point of contact for IT out of hours support.
- Adhere to Trust and departmental processes and procedures.
- Assist with the onboarding and training of new staff members.
- Undertake any other reasonable duties as required.
Professional
- Maintain a professional appearance in line with the Trust dress code.
- Uphold the Trusts values and behaviours (available on the Trust web site) and behave in a manner fitting with the responsible position of the role, maintaining the public confidence.
- Maintain professional and courteous working relationships with staff and respect the equality and diversity of each and every person he/she comes into contact within the course of his/her business.
- Uphold the privacy and dignity of the client group and respect equality at all times.
Staff Development, Training and Education
- The post holder will be required to undertake mandatory training and is responsible for keeping this up to date.
- The post holder will have an appraisal of performance each year and will be responsible for agreeing a development plan in line with the Trusts (KSF) Knowledge & Skill Framework, in agreement with their manager or immediate supervisor. The development plan will be reviewed annually.
- The Trust will provide assistance and agreed development to enable the post holder to achieve their objectives and standards in line with the development plan.
Communication
- The post holder will demonstrate good written and verbal communication skills with both service users and staff. Always act in a professional and responsible manner with customers, service users and colleagues, using appropriate language and behaviour in line with Trust values.
- The post holder will communicate with all levels of staff, including clinicians, senior managers, contractors, stakeholders associated with the trust.
- To provide general non-clinical advice, information, guidance directly to staff, patients, clients, relatives, and carers.
Planning and policy
- Ensure that the Trusts policies and procedures relating to Health and Safety at work, Clinical governance, Data Protection Act (1998) and Data security awareness of Caldicott Principles are understood.
- Working as a part of a team to respond to the incoming calls in a timely manner.
- Understand and adhere to all trust policies, guidelines and procedures.
- Be fully conversant with the Switchboards emergency procedures, including those for a Major Incident, fire security, cardiac arrests etc developed through training.
- Actively contribute towards Service Improvements within Switchboard and Digital Services.
Resources and Finance
- The post holder will ensure the proper use of the Trusts resources such as stationery, telephone usage, photocopying and other consumables in the course of business, ensuring minimal waste and minimal cost.
- Be responsible for the issue and receipt of mobile devices, maintaining appropriate records.
Organisational Responsibilities
- To maintain the confidentiality of the Trust in respect of patient and staff information obtained at all times, and use such information only as authorised for specific purposes. Report any concerns about the use of such information to the senior manager.
Personal Responsibilities
- The post-holder is responsible for taking reasonable care with regard to themselves as well as for any colleagues, patients or visitors who might be affected by any act or failure to act by the post-holder in accordance with the Trusts policies on Health and Safety at Work.
- To report any accident, untoward incident or loss relating to staff, patients or visitors according to Trust policies.
- To undertake in-service training relevant to the post.
- Comply with Trust Policies and Procedures.
Area of work
- The post holder may be required to contribute and work in the other areas within Digital Services.
- The post holder may be required to work on other wards/ department within the Trust at short notice to cover unplanned sickness or to cover planned sickness or annual leave on other departments.
- The post holder will be required to work at any location where the Trust provides services.
- May be required to work from home.
Health and Safety
- Work in accordance with Health and Safety regulations at all time
- Report any incidents of breaches of Health and Safety and report any dangerous acts or omissions that are seen in the course of duty that compromise the Health and Safety of staff or patients using the Trust Health and Safety policy
- Comply with audit recommendations and risk assessment recommendations to make the workplace and work practice safer
- Assist when required to do so, in any risk assessment activity undertaken.
Terms and Conditions of Service
Switchboard Operators are required to provide 24-hour cover. Overtime is required at times to cover annual leave and sickness absence.
The nature of the post requires that periods of annual leave must be with prior arrangement to ensure that rotas are adequately covered
The post holder will be required to work at any location where the Trust provides services.
All professional and managerial staff are required to work in accordance with their particular Code of Conduct. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action (please refer to disciplinary policy for further information).
In carrying out their duties the post holder must promote equality of opportunity and take every opportunity to eliminate discrimination.
The post holder is required to keep confidential all information and documentation relating to either a patient, a member of staff or Directorates business, which he/she comes into contact with. All staff are expected to respect the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998, as this incorporates the need for a high standard of data quality, confidentiality and information security.
The Trust adopted a bare below the elbow policy in January 2008. The trust expects that all staff adhere to the policy in the clinical areas and settings where health care is provided e.g. the patients own home. The policy statement is accessible on the intranet and defines the clinical area. Individuals can expect to be challenged if they are observed not to be adhering to the policy statement.
The post holder is responsible for taking reasonable care with regard to him/her as well as for any colleagues, patients or visitors who might be affected by any act or failure to act by the post holder in accordance with the Trusts policies or Health and Safety at Work.
These duties and responsibilities are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and management reserve the right to require staff to undertake other duties and responsibilities consistent with the grade of the post in consultation with the
post holder.
This job description is an outline of the duties and conditions of the post and may be subject to change in detail or emphasis in the light of future developments.
Continuing Professional Development
The post holder will be expected to undertake ongoing personal, professional and management development in line with the responsibilities of the post.
Job description
Job responsibilities
JOB PURPOSE
The post holder will provide the 1st point of contact for the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, using an efficient and reliable service to communicate with the public, staff, health professionals and emergency services in a courteous and friendly manner and is responsive to the needs of the trust and its users.
The post holder will work as part of a team handling more than 60,000 calls per month and initiating emergency responses such as the Cardiac Arrest Calls, Fire, Major Incidents and Major Haemorrhage. The team are responsible for effectively understanding and working to a wide range of highly complex work procedures and processes.
To carry out basic administrative duties to support the Switchboard and wider trust function.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Process internal and external telephone calls to the Trust and other supported sites, dealing with a large range of enquiries in a courteous and professional manner.
- Responsible for understanding, accessing, resolving and forwarding enquiries to appropriate stakeholders.
- Respond and take appropriate action to clinical and non-clinical emergency calls. E.g Cardiac Arrests, Fire Activations, Major Incidents.
- Operate the trusts messaging system allowing efficient communication within the clinical services.
- Carry out daily test calls for emergency procedures.
- Daily communications for the trusts fire testing.
- Administration duties including:
o Creation and maintenance of complex 24 hour medical and on call rotas.
o Review and update of the trusts telephony directory.
o Manage and monitor the use of temporary emergency mobile devices.
o On call accommodation.
o Arrange and book taxis for patients and staff members.
o Report all faults within Switchboard.
- Provide out of hours support for Fieldhead Hospital and Newton Lodge (South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust).
- Provide support for the trusts diabetic communications system by collating caller information for use by the Diabetic service.
- Single point of contact for IT out of hours support.
- Adhere to Trust and departmental processes and procedures.
- Assist with the onboarding and training of new staff members.
- Undertake any other reasonable duties as required.
Professional
- Maintain a professional appearance in line with the Trust dress code.
- Uphold the Trusts values and behaviours (available on the Trust web site) and behave in a manner fitting with the responsible position of the role, maintaining the public confidence.
- Maintain professional and courteous working relationships with staff and respect the equality and diversity of each and every person he/she comes into contact within the course of his/her business.
- Uphold the privacy and dignity of the client group and respect equality at all times.
Staff Development, Training and Education
- The post holder will be required to undertake mandatory training and is responsible for keeping this up to date.
- The post holder will have an appraisal of performance each year and will be responsible for agreeing a development plan in line with the Trusts (KSF) Knowledge & Skill Framework, in agreement with their manager or immediate supervisor. The development plan will be reviewed annually.
- The Trust will provide assistance and agreed development to enable the post holder to achieve their objectives and standards in line with the development plan.
Communication
- The post holder will demonstrate good written and verbal communication skills with both service users and staff. Always act in a professional and responsible manner with customers, service users and colleagues, using appropriate language and behaviour in line with Trust values.
- The post holder will communicate with all levels of staff, including clinicians, senior managers, contractors, stakeholders associated with the trust.
- To provide general non-clinical advice, information, guidance directly to staff, patients, clients, relatives, and carers.
Planning and policy
- Ensure that the Trusts policies and procedures relating to Health and Safety at work, Clinical governance, Data Protection Act (1998) and Data security awareness of Caldicott Principles are understood.
- Working as a part of a team to respond to the incoming calls in a timely manner.
- Understand and adhere to all trust policies, guidelines and procedures.
- Be fully conversant with the Switchboards emergency procedures, including those for a Major Incident, fire security, cardiac arrests etc developed through training.
- Actively contribute towards Service Improvements within Switchboard and Digital Services.
Resources and Finance
- The post holder will ensure the proper use of the Trusts resources such as stationery, telephone usage, photocopying and other consumables in the course of business, ensuring minimal waste and minimal cost.
- Be responsible for the issue and receipt of mobile devices, maintaining appropriate records.
Organisational Responsibilities
- To maintain the confidentiality of the Trust in respect of patient and staff information obtained at all times, and use such information only as authorised for specific purposes. Report any concerns about the use of such information to the senior manager.
Personal Responsibilities
- The post-holder is responsible for taking reasonable care with regard to themselves as well as for any colleagues, patients or visitors who might be affected by any act or failure to act by the post-holder in accordance with the Trusts policies on Health and Safety at Work.
- To report any accident, untoward incident or loss relating to staff, patients or visitors according to Trust policies.
- To undertake in-service training relevant to the post.
- Comply with Trust Policies and Procedures.
Area of work
- The post holder may be required to contribute and work in the other areas within Digital Services.
- The post holder may be required to work on other wards/ department within the Trust at short notice to cover unplanned sickness or to cover planned sickness or annual leave on other departments.
- The post holder will be required to work at any location where the Trust provides services.
- May be required to work from home.
Health and Safety
- Work in accordance with Health and Safety regulations at all time
- Report any incidents of breaches of Health and Safety and report any dangerous acts or omissions that are seen in the course of duty that compromise the Health and Safety of staff or patients using the Trust Health and Safety policy
- Comply with audit recommendations and risk assessment recommendations to make the workplace and work practice safer
- Assist when required to do so, in any risk assessment activity undertaken.
Terms and Conditions of Service
Switchboard Operators are required to provide 24-hour cover. Overtime is required at times to cover annual leave and sickness absence.
The nature of the post requires that periods of annual leave must be with prior arrangement to ensure that rotas are adequately covered
The post holder will be required to work at any location where the Trust provides services.
All professional and managerial staff are required to work in accordance with their particular Code of Conduct. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action (please refer to disciplinary policy for further information).
In carrying out their duties the post holder must promote equality of opportunity and take every opportunity to eliminate discrimination.
The post holder is required to keep confidential all information and documentation relating to either a patient, a member of staff or Directorates business, which he/she comes into contact with. All staff are expected to respect the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998, as this incorporates the need for a high standard of data quality, confidentiality and information security.
The Trust adopted a bare below the elbow policy in January 2008. The trust expects that all staff adhere to the policy in the clinical areas and settings where health care is provided e.g. the patients own home. The policy statement is accessible on the intranet and defines the clinical area. Individuals can expect to be challenged if they are observed not to be adhering to the policy statement.
The post holder is responsible for taking reasonable care with regard to him/her as well as for any colleagues, patients or visitors who might be affected by any act or failure to act by the post holder in accordance with the Trusts policies or Health and Safety at Work.
These duties and responsibilities are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and management reserve the right to require staff to undertake other duties and responsibilities consistent with the grade of the post in consultation with the
post holder.
This job description is an outline of the duties and conditions of the post and may be subject to change in detail or emphasis in the light of future developments.
Continuing Professional Development
The post holder will be expected to undertake ongoing personal, professional and management development in line with the responsibilities of the post.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- * 2 GCSEs including English and Maths or equivalent/experience.
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- * Experience in a high pressured service environment in a customer facing role.
- * Administrative experience.
Desirable
- * Experience of working in a Switchboard or Call Centre.
- * Experience of working variable shifts.
- * Experience of using telephony.
- * Previous NHS Experience.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- * Ability to provide excellent customer service.
- * Computer literate with standard keyboards skills.
- * Communicate effectively both verbally and written.
- * Abilities to work within defined policies and procedures.
- * Ability work well in a team and contribute to its success.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- * 2 GCSEs including English and Maths or equivalent/experience.
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- * Experience in a high pressured service environment in a customer facing role.
- * Administrative experience.
Desirable
- * Experience of working in a Switchboard or Call Centre.
- * Experience of working variable shifts.
- * Experience of using telephony.
- * Previous NHS Experience.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- * Ability to provide excellent customer service.
- * Computer literate with standard keyboards skills.
- * Communicate effectively both verbally and written.
- * Abilities to work within defined policies and procedures.
- * Ability work well in a team and contribute to its success.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
