Joining #TeamNELFT means you'll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We're CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Job Overview
The NHS 111 line is a national requirement to provide a three-digit emergency number for mental health. The post holder will be required to effectively engage and manage complex calls from young people, parents/carers and other professionals. The post holder will be a valued team member and be supported by clinicians in the management of challenging calls. As the service is exclusively telephone-based, due to the nature of calls, there is no remote working.
Calls are received from the geographical locations of Kent & Medway only.
Main Duties of the Job
1. To be primarily responsible for handling incoming NHS 111 mental health calls.
2. Determine identity of the caller and open referrals to the service.
3. Demonstrate active listening to accurately record information and provide appropriate advice and signposting.
4. De-escalate anxiety, tensions and provide solutions to current concerns overseen and supported by trained clinicians.
Working for Our Organisation
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently partway through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
Starting with NELFT
NELFT places a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities
1. Active listening skills in order to document current concerns.
2. Demonstrate empathy and understanding.
3. Be able to de-escalate concerned callers.
4. Have insight and ability to engage effectively with Children and Young People who may be in acute distress.
5. To be computer literate and encourage implementation of the Trust's IM&T Strategy.
6. To ensure accurate recording of actions, and updating patient's records, always maintaining confidentiality.
7. The post holder will input and maintain, appropriate computer and manual clinical records and statistical data and provide this to the Service Manager/Head of Service when necessary.
8. The post-holder will engage in relevant computer and IT training as required.
9. To assist, under the direct supervision of qualified professionals in the development, design and implementation of relevant projects.
10. To assist in processing and auditing various types of data concerning service users for the whole team. This may involve maintaining audit files under the guidance of the line manager.
Person Specification
Direct Work/Interventions with Service Users
Essential Criteria
* Patient contact.
* Previous NHS 111 experience.
* Worked in community or inpatient settings.
Desirable Criteria
* Supported Children Young People in a care setting.
* Completed work experience or education in a care setting.
Mental Health Knowledge
Essential Criteria
* Is undertaking higher education to obtain qualification in mental health studies.
* Has achieved qualifications in Health & Social Care and/or Mental Health studies.
* Can demonstrate a robust understanding of children's health and wellbeing.
Desirable Criteria
* Undertaken work experience engaging with children & young people.
* Understands concepts of emotional wellbeing.
* Understands differences between Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing.
Communication and Active Listening
Essential Criteria
* Able to communicate effectively with people in distress.
* Can use simple language to de-escalate and reassure callers.
* Can listen and record information accurately.
* Can retain and relay information accurately.
Desirable Criteria
* Previous telephony-based role.
* Previous experience in customer service-related role.
* Confident and articulate telephone skills.
Benefits
We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:
* A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long-term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
* A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work-life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our efforts to support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a 'Top 10 Family Friendly Employer' from the Working Families Charity.
* Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that's a job share, part-time hours or another flexible pattern.
Equal Opportunities Employer
We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity and positively encourage applications from all sections of the community regardless of any protected characteristic.
We are a Disability Confident employer and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with disabilities. If you require this application in another format, i.e., Braille or audio tape please contact the recruitment team on 0300 300 1530 or email recruitment@nelft.nhs.uk. #J-18808-Ljbffr