Job overview
The NHS 111 Team Leader is responsible for the day-to-day management of the call-handling teams within the contact centre. This role involves leading and supporting call handlers and Quality Assurance Coaches (QACs) to ensure the consistent delivery of a high-quality, timely, and efficient service.
The post holder will oversee team performance, motivation, and development, ensuring that operational targets are met, call-handling protocols are followed, and staff are effectively supported through coaching, supervision, and ongoing development.
The role also involves proactively supervising Integrated Contact Centre (ICC) staff to maintain and continuously improve standards of response and patient care. This will be achieved by ensuring performance is delivered in an efficient, effective, and professional manner, in line with Trust policies, performance objectives, national standards, KPIs, local initiatives, and established systems and procedures.
In addition, the NHS 111 Team Leader will oversee the effective use of resources, including staff and equipment, to ensure an appropriate and timely response to requests for urgent patient care from both the public and healthcare professionals.
Main duties of the job
As a manager within South Central Ambulance Service, you will be required to provide leadership to your team to ensure the effective provision of the service they provide and to champion change in the organisation. You will ensure that your staff are motivated and express a positive attitude towards the organisation. You will address any issues and concerns that may inhibit your staff from achieving both their personal and organisational goals.
Working for our organisation
Benefits we offer:
* Full training and a range of courses which you can book locally.
* Holiday entitlement of 27 days, rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years’ service, plus an additional 8 days bank holiday (pro rata for part time).
* Automatic enrolment into the NHS Pension Scheme.
* Access to continual professional development within SCAS and the wider NHS.
* Occupational Health support and direct access to our Employee Assistance Programme as well as our own Health and Wellbeing Team.
* NHS Discounts in over 200 + stores saving money on holidays, days out, car insurance, restaurants, clothing and much more.
* Ability to join our staff networking groups (as a member, ally or just for interest).
Corporate Induction
It’s really important for us to ensure you have the best onboarding experience which allows you to feel a sense of belonging from the start. To help with this, we will book your Corporate Induction as soon as we possibly can (depending on availability).
All new starters need to attend our *Corporate Induction in person, this is held over one and half days from our educational centres based in: Newbury (Berkshire), Bicester (Oxfordshire) or Whiteley (Hampshire). More specific details will be sent to you once your start date has been confirmed.
*Please note – depending on your role additional training may be required following on from your corporate induction.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Governance and Compliance
• To comply with Clinical Governance standards including audit and customer satisfaction programmes, and to ensure continuous development of a quality
service.
• To work effectively and co-operatively within the team environment, managing in real-time any untoward, adverse or unusual incidents, complaints / concerns and reporting upwards in line with the Trust’s policies and procedures.
• To undertake formal investigations for complaints, health professional
feedbacks, Datix and concerns in conjunction with the Call Handling Service Delivery Manager as required, assisting in gathering data required, ensuring any learning/training opportunities are reported to the relevant Call Handling Service Delivery Manager and/or assistant directors.
• Ensure health and safety requirements are met and always followed by all staff throughout the call centres.
• Ensure that staff in the directorate are cognisant of and comply with all
relevant Trust policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs), noting
those that safeguard departmental staff and patients, equipment and
resources and quality standards.
• To maintain patient and Trust confidentiality in line with the Freedom of
Information Act, Data Protection Act, the Trust’s code of ethics, confidentiality policy and Caldicott procedures and all other related legislation.
People Management
• To be responsible for the line management of their dedicated team within the service structure.
• Ensure that their team members are well supported and developed for them to deliver an excellent service to our patients and callers.
• Regularly review individual performance to ensure that they can meet clear performance objectives.
• Ensuring their team’s development needs are met through education and development where required and liaise with other departments to help facilitate this as and where required.
• Support call takers and quality assurance coaches in maintenance and
upkeep of their portfolios or training and development initiatives and
opportunities undertaken in the ICC.
• Complete a yearly Personal Development Review with their direct reports to support their future progression and development.
• Where call takers are failing to meet targets, i.e., audits, KPIs etc. then work with the QACs to arrange and create action plans to support staff with their learning to empower them to improve including the use of training materials, additional coaching and learning.
• Regularly meet with affected staff to support them and as and where required, escalate measures further in the event of further non-compliance.
• Using the SCAS Capability process, to support measures and actions taken when staff are underperforming.
• In collaboration with the employee care partners, manage call takers’ sickness levels, including welfare checks when absent from work.
• Organise and facilitate Return to Work plans for their recommencement of duties.
• Organise, prepare and chair informal and formal meetings as required whilst following Trust policy for managing sickness.
• Create bespoke phased return plans for call takers returning to work following periods of long-term sickness and organise additional support and regular meetings with them during their return-to-work process.
• Manage call takers under the New Starter Policy whilst on their Induction
period and where required, extend their Induction Period in the event of
standards not being met.
• Complete monthly 1:1 performance reviews and coaching sessions with call
takers on their team.
• Manage conduct and professionalism of staff, whilst following SCAS policies.
• Issue staff with warnings and sanctions as necessary and when required.
Operational Delivery
• To effectively monitor call takers in ensuring correct and efficient call taking, triage, communications all in accordance with Trust procedural guidelines,
national standards and key performance indicators.
• Ensure that all tasks are delegated to call takers and QACs in a constructive, supportive and equitable manner.
• Ensure that all call takers follow triage software licensing requirements, Trust policies and procedures.
• Ensure that public calls to SCAS are answered within national performance standards, by supporting call takers to achieve these targets.
• Ensure that all call takers are always adhering to Trust telephony procedures and protocols.
• Ensure that all call takers maintain a “Ready” status to always accept calls, except where they are on a break or completing a required or designated task.
• Working with the performance team leaders, supervise call taker meal break allocation to ensure that service delivery is kept at optimal levels, including liaising with other operational team leaders across the appropriate service lines and sites where required.
• Monitoring and identifying issues with the critical ICC infrastructure (CAD,Adastra, Telephony, ICT systems) and escalating these as required to ICT to be rectified.
• Support call takers during and following distressing calls, on a 1:1 basis, apply empathic and conciliatory skills.
• Where the staff member requires additional support raise appropriate referrals to Occupational Health, TRiM etc. as required.
• Undertake call taker duties taking calls as required to support service delivery and ensure continued CPD and upkeep of personal skills applicable to the role whilst following SCAS Policy and NHS Pathways licencing requirements.
• Disseminate information to ICC staff, provide updates and explanations along with support explaining new processes that are to be followed.
• Ensure staff understand new processes and follow these as required.
• Update ICC wallboards throughout the shift to ensure that information that is pertinent to the shift is accessible for all staff, including information relating to call demand stages, status of processes e.g. Enhanced Patient Safety Procedure when activated.
• Complete daily check list actions at regular intervals throughout the shift to ensure actions are followed.
• Check OPEL Levels and follow escalation where required.
• Enable call takers to follow fallback procedures to ensure resilience in the event of a critical ICC infrastructure failure (CAD, Adastra, telephony etc.).
• Ensure regularly preparedness for this through drills, training and regular refreshers of fallback processes.
• Investigate as required Datix incidents, liaising with other SCAS staff and external partners as required.
• Compile outcome of report and investigation findings.
• Assist with call takers’ memory capture events to develop and support the SCAS’ Just and Learning culture.
• Assist with investigations and the creation of management cases, including writing management packs, compiling statements and records to assist with and support panel hearings.
• Attend daily telephony review meetings with senior management to identify any likely problems/issues that may occur during a shift and analyse data and trends from call data over the previous 24hrs and 7 days.
• Assist with interviews and assessments of candidates, along with facilitating observers visiting the ICC and Induction/Open Evenings when taking place.
Finance and Resource Management
• Support the ICC call handling service delivery managers/assistant directors in robust budget management that meets all statutory and regulatory standards.
• To ensure that all administrative duties such as checking and signing of
timesheets are carried out in a professional, accurate and timely manner
Person specification
Skills
Essential criteria
* Competent use of communication and digital systems
* Strong organisational and workload management skills
* Sound decision-making within established protocols
* Analytical thinking and interpretation of complex information
* Commitment to quality service delivery
* Effective verbal and written communication across varied audiences
* Competent use of communication and digital systems
* Ability to remain composed under pressure
* Supportive and equitable team leadership
* High attention to detail and accurate data handling
* Understanding and application of Trust policies and procedures
Physical requirements
Essential criteria
* Ability to undertake a range of allocated shifts covering 24 hours per day, 365 days per year including bank and public holidays
* Capacity to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment with sustained concentration on digital systems
* Must be able to work for sustained periods using computer systems and visual display unit (VDU) equipment to carry out core tasks
Desirable criteria
* Ability to travel throughout SCAS
Qualifications
Essential criteria
* Good standard of education i.e., 4 GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or equivalent qualifications - demonstrable ability at this level
* NVQ 3/4 Customer Services or team leading - or demonstrable equivalent experience
* NHS Pathways License (Core Modules 1 & 2 and Coaches Module Completed)
* Fast, accurate typing skills
Desirable criteria
* Willingness to undertake any training required to enable further development of the role/function
Knowledge
Essential criteria
* Significant demonstrable experience of working within a supervisory role
* Experience of using a computerised system
* Experience of working in a customer focused environment ideally in health or social care
* Experience of working with patients/service users, handling complaints and managing callers in challenging/traumatic situations
* Awareness of equality and diversity in the working environment and the surrounding community
* Evidence of self-development e.g., Continuing Professional Development portfolio
Desirable criteria
* Previous NHS experience
* Previous experience of patient care
* Excellent geographical knowledge of the operational area
* Day to day experience of using the full range of Microsoft Office applications
We understand that some applicants may choose to use AI tools to assist with completing their application. While this is not against our guidelines, it’s important that your application remains an accurate and honest reflection of your own skills, experience, and achievements. Please ensure that any content generated or supported by AI truly represents you and your capabilities, as this will form the basis of our assessment throughout the recruitment process.
We actively welcome job applications from candidates who have a disability or who are members of the BAME, LGBTQ+ and Armed Forces community (including: Reservists, Veterans, Spouses and Cadets). Here at SCAS we are proud to have a workforce that reflects the diverse community we serve. Applicants who have a disability or are members of the armed forces community who meet the minimum shortlisting criteria for their post of interest will be invited for an interview and/or assessment (where applicable).
Please be assured that any requests for reasonable adjustments will not negatively affect your application.
As well as standard NHS benefits like generous holiday entitlement and an excellent pension scheme, we offer lots of extras for our staff.