A Vacancy at South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.
111 Call Handler (Health Advisor) - Gillingham
Join your local Ambulance Service! Your NHS needs YOU!
Our NHS 111 Call Handlers (Health Advisors) are people just like you: people who have come to us from all walks of life, from different backgrounds and age groups, people who all have the same things in common.
You are the first person our patients speak to when they call 111, it could be urgent and they may require an ambulance. Alternatively, they simply are in need of some advice and support from you.
The 111 service receive a huge variety of calls which means no two days are ever the same.
Progression Opportunities
We offer excellent training and career development opportunities for ambitious employees both within the call centres and also opportunities to explore different roles within the wider Trust such as Human Resources and Administration and operational front-line roles, leading to a career as a Paramedic or in Senior Management.
What makes a great NHS 111 Call Handler (Health Advisor)?
• Our 111 Call Handlers are all caring and empathetic
• They all have great communication skills and love talking to people
• They're all happy and able to work flexibly
• They all love making a difference to people's lives
The role of a SECAmb Call Handler
When you ring 111 or 999, your call goes through to a call handler based in one of our 3 Emergency Operation/Contact Centres. These staff are trained to use the NHS Pathways system to provide assistance in a variety of situations, from minor illness to life threatening situations. The assistance you will provide will range from offering lifesaving advice whilst an ambulance is on route, to directing callers to other more suitable services.
This role can be demanding, challenging and ultimately very rewarding however, it's not for everyone. Applicants will need to have a range of skills to be able to deal with often stressful and emotional situations, whilst also demonstrating compassion and empathy to all callers, no matter what the situation.
Why Work At South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust?
We offer:
• Base Salary - Band 3 - £24,071 to £25,674 per annum (full time 37.5hrs per week)
• Hours available – 15, 20, 24, 30 and 37.5 hours per week
Please note that it is a requirement to work 3 out of 4 weekends, even if you are applying for a part time position. Please give this consideration before making your application.
• Unsocial hours enhancements in accordance to NHS Terms & Conditions Agenda for Change Section 2 (typical FTE salary range £24,071 to £25,674 inclusive of unsocial enhancements for evenings, weekends and bank holidays)
• Generous NHS Pension Scheme
• 35 days’ annual leave inclusive of Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• As we are a 24/7 service, this role will involve working a varied shift pattern including earlies, lates and weekends.
Progression Opportunities
We offer excellent training and career development opportunities for ambitious employees both within the Call/Emergency Operations Centres and also within the wider Trust.
Applicant Requirements
Successful applicants will demonstrate high levels of personal commitment to facilitate the delivery of a patient focused service.
We need individuals who have the drive and passion to make a difference to people’s lives, but also the personal resilience to work in a high-pressured environment.
You will need to be able to work well within a team and independently, have fast/accurate typing skills and a good standard of education. Successful candidates must possess GCSE Maths and English (or equivalent qualifications) at Grade C or above (2018 Grade 4).
This role is suited to people who remain calm under pressure, good at problem solving and have excellent interpersonal skills, with an empathetic nature.
Our comprehensive training programme:
• 9 weeks Training (7.5 hours per day unless otherwise stated)
• Is full time, even for part time applicants
• Has a ‘must’ attend policy, with no annual leave being permitted during this period.
• Can be social or unsocial (details/options provided once successful at application)
• Comprises of classroom and observing and mentoring periods within the working environment.
• Is designed to fully support full transition to call handling independently.
Further Information
If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be required to complete an online Psychometric test as part of the recruitment process.
All successful applicants will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check for adults and children.
Our courses are in high demand and we only have limited capacity per course, we do receive large amounts of applications, therefore we cannot offer every application an interview.
This advert closes on Friday 3 Jan 2025
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .