Job overview
JOB SUMMARY:
To provide a fast, friendly and efficient switchboard facility to Bedford Hospital and its’ staff, patients and visitors
To provide 24/7 first point of contact within the Telecoms department
The post holder will be located at Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, south wing.
·Key working relationships:
·Nursing staff
·Medical Staff
·Patients, families and carers
·Visitors
·Wider multi-disciplinary teams
·Other hospital wards and department
·Service providers
·Blue light organisations
·Local authority
·Deaf community
·Telecoms department
·To work within and maintain the THRIVE protocols
Main duties of the job
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Deal with both patients, public and external contact
Deal with telephone enquires in a polite and courteous manner
Regular contact with multi agencies both internal and external
You will monitor and action any activities relating to emergency calls/emergency services
You will monitor any activities relating to alarm activation and take appropriate action
Announce internal emergency situations over the BLEEP system
Manage and maintain the BLEEP system
Additional tasks relevant to daily duties, emergency calls and alarm duties
Manage, distribution and monitor the return of keys for internal areas and external accommodation
Create a log of Out of Hours maintenance requests
Provide and receive complex/sensitive information i.e. Major incidents, Deaf Help or other clinical information to users: be able to communication this information in a manner that is understood
Remain composed at all times
Distribute and collect BLEEPs in accordance with the ON CALL doctor’s rota
Ensure clear, concise directions are given to visitors looking for various departments
Assist with Ad hoc duties
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
KEY RESPONSLITIES
Effective delivery and discharge of Operator duties utilising the Trusts various Telephony systems and Unify platforms.
Undertake lone working duties as part of a rotating shift pattern for long periods of time.
To maintain a high degree of customer service for all support queries and adhere to all service management principles.
Basic Active Directory knowledge;
Provide or receive complex/sensitive information i.e. I.T. Support, Major Incident, Deaf Help or other clinical/non clinical information to users; be able to communicate this information in a manner that it is understood.
Collate, Input and maintain accurate information on Trust systems using Microsoft tools; Word and Excel with the ability to manipulate data to provide reports as and when required.
Work independently or as part of the team, in a pressured environment with the ability to use own initiative where policy or procedure may be absent.
Provide and receive routine information which requires tact or persuasive skills or where there are barriers in understanding via the main switchboard or face to face with patients, staff, relatives or service providers.
Competent in Telecommunications support procedures and policies and be able to use own initiative and judgement when dealing with non-routine activities
Progress chasing of faults with appropriate service providers. Netcall, Unify,
Offer an efficient and friendly service within the department, ensuring that all calls are dealt with in a timely, respectful and efficient manner and in line with an appropriate operational level agreement.
Answer telephone calls promptly in line with the Trust’s telephone operator performance guide.
Provide first point of contact for the Bedfordshire Deaf community 24 hours a day via designated email service to the main switchboard, liaising between the user and Bedford Hospital services on their behalf.
Communicate clearly, over the telephone or face to face. Required to deliver complex information in a manner it is acknowledged and understood by others.
The post holder will be expected to understand and recognise urgent messages and the need for appropriate response and action within the boundaries of the role.
Required to communicate within situations that are often emotional and distressing.
Ensure that the correct procedures are carried out in the event of any emergency or alarm call being communicated via the emergency hotline (2222) these include: Cardiac Arrest and all other clinical emergencies including paediatrics. Major Incidents & Bomb Threats. Security, Automated attack alarms, automated intruder alarms, automated temperature control alarms.
Ensure that any call from the Ambulance Service or the Trust’s Accident and Emergency Departments requesting the implementation of the Trust Major Incident plan is logged and procedure followed without delay.
Liaise with local authority organisations in the event of a Major Incident.
Ensure that any call regarding a Bomb Threat is recorded immediately and that the Bomb Threat procedures are adhered to at all times.
The list of responsibilities above, are key primary requirements for the role: however, additional duties may be required to ensure patient and employee safety is met
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. GCSE or equivalent, to include English & Maths
Experience
Essential criteria
2. Telephone experience (call centre / admin role)
3. Previous work with Face 2 face / direct contact with external parties
4. Experience with high call volumes
5. Ability to remain calm & professional at all times
Desirable criteria
6. Previous experience of database software, Microsoft / Excel
7. Experience of lone working
8. Previous NHS experience
Knowledge
Essential criteria
9. Previous customer service
10. confident using a keyboard and software packages, excel, Microsoft
11. Ability to take messages and to converse them clearly
12. Ability to work on your own and under pressure & too tight delaines, remaining calm
Desirable criteria
13. Ability to speak a second language
14. Knowledge of how hospitals work
Personal Skills
Essential criteria
15. Polite & enthusiastic individual
16. Willingness to learn on the job
17. A positive can do attitude
18. Ability to stay calm in an emergency situation