This post is only open to internal applicants.
Senior Contact Handler
NHS AfC: Band 3
Main area Centralised Outpatient Services Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (preferably 08:00 to 16:00 or 09:00 to 17:00) Job ref 339-CCS0994-CCC
Site Level 2 Concorde House Town Bristol Salary £24,625 - £25,674 per annum (FTE) or pro-rata for part time roles Salary period Yearly Closing 22/06/2025 23:59 Interview date 04/07/2025
Thank you for your interest in this vacancy! We highly recommend reading our Tips on how to apply page to give you an insight on how applications are scored & shortlisted by our Recruiting Managers. These tips have been provided to give you a better chance of being shortlisted for our vacancies.
Please note that if you apply for a position with North Bristol NHS Trust, you may be contacted via TRAC or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your TRAC Account and email accounts including junk and spam folders.
Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.
Job overview
Centralised Outpatient Services at North Bristol NHS Trust is seeking to recruit a permanent Senior Contact Handler into the Patient Contact Centre.
This is a busy role in a busy team, who take circa 13,000 calls per month, and the post holder will be integral to supporting colleagues and our patients.
We would welcome someone who has experience of supervising a team, dealing with challenging calls and managing a rota.
Main duties of the job
The ideal candidate will have experience of being a Contact Handler in a busy Contact Centre, dealing with both telephone calls and emails. The post holder will require experience of NHS IT systems such as CareFlow, the Electronic Referrals Service and the Liberty Converse system.
The Senior Contact Handler will need to ensure robust cover of the Contact Centre hours, the Contact Centre inbox, dealing with sometimes challenging conversations, supporting staff,, and jumping on the lines at busy times.
Previous unsuccessful candidates for Call/Contact Handler roles will not be considered.
Working for our organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.
North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Supervisory Role
· To be fully proficient in the role of the Outpatient Contact Handler.
· To provide day-to-day support to the Patient Contact Centre Team, and ensure a high-quality service is being delivered.
· To ensure the lines are robustly covered for the service times and days.
· To ensure email communications received from patients in relation to their outpatient appointments are being processed by the team in a timely manner.
· To arrange cross-cover or step-in if staffing levels fall below required standards, or calls are particularly high.
· To provide support for colleagues where particularly challenging or complex situations arise eg, abusive or suicidal patients.
· To ensure all team competencies are up to date and training plans completed.
· To provide additional supportive training for colleagues as required.
· To ensure staff are securely storing any workplace equipment at each shift end.
· To take an overview of calls/emails waiting and ensure they meet the Service Level Agreements.
· To carry out audits of calls and emails as necessary and feedback to colleagues.
· To escalate ongoing concerns to the Team Leader/Manager, as necessary.
· To update working lists with the necessary information eg, ‘do not book’ list, ‘patient initiated follow-up’ timescales, ‘standard waits for appointments’ etc.
· To provide a high quality telephone service to patients, carers, care homes etc.
· To be polite and friendly, dealing with queries in an efficient and timely manner.
· To conduct standard data protection checks when the patient makes contact.
· To deal with personal patient information in a sensitive way, and ensure confidentiality is maintained and not shared with others.
· To respond to and resolve outpatient appointment and general hospital queries.
· To adhere to the relevant booking rules for appointment rescheduling or cancelling.
· To receive and accurately pass on information to relevant colleagues.
· To respond to escalated queries from patients or staff by raising the issue with the Outpatient Team Leader/Manager for onward escalation to the relevant specialty.
· To keep patients informed of the standard waits for appointments.
· To ensure emails to the Outpatient Contact Centre email box are processed promptly.
· To action the patient contact by accurately updating the necessary computer systems.
· To follow procedures for patients that no longer wish to be under the care of the specialty service and require discharge.
Information Management and Technology
· To be a proficient user of the hospital IM&T Patient Administration System (PAS) CareFlow, the Electronic Referal Service (ERS), Liberty Converseand any other relevant system that is required to carry out the role.
· To check CareFlow or ERS to check the patient referral is on the waiting list.
· To ensure essential patient demographic information is updated on each contact eg, telephone number, ethnicity etc.
· To co-operate fully in the introduction of new technology and methods of working.
· To generate a digital letter is a patient cancels or reschedules their appointment.
· To generate a paper letter if there is a communication alert, the patient is in a care home or HMP or the patient requests.
· To raise requests on the internal Outpatient Request Portal for further input from other teams in Centralised Outpatient Services.
· To carry out any administrative element relevant to the call/email.
Departmental
· To take part in and occasionally lead team meetings eg, huddles.
· To maintain good working relationships with colleagues throughout the Trust.
· To feedback/raise any issues with the Team Leader/Manager, including escalating inappropriate patient or staff behaviour.
· To escalate non-compliance of administrative processes by any other teams.
· To complete documentation regarding incidents or risks.
· To share compliments and complaints with the Team Leader/Manager.
· To adhere to local and Trust policies, procedures and guidelines.
· To follow and adhere to Quick Reference Guides (QRG) or Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
· To undertake annual mandatory training relevant to job role.
· To participate in annual appraisal review with line manager.
· To participate in training or learning for own personal development.
· To assist in supporting and training new staff who join the team.
· To take part in role or service redesign as necessary.
· To maintain a safe environment, raising concerns promptly if there are any safety or wellbeing issues.
· To undertake other tasks relevant to the role and grade.
Person specification
Work Experience
* General office administrative and clerical tasks (0 for none, 1 for some, 2 for extensive)
* Multiple activities at the same time
* Working knowledge of Outlook, Word, Excel (1 point per system)
* Customer services experience (0 for none, 1 for some, 2 for extensive)
* NHS or healthcare experience (0 for none, 1 for some, 2 for extensive)
* Working knowledge of a hospital PAS system, if CareFlow (2 marks for CareFlow)
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
* Experience supervising a team
* Calm and organised approach
* Work in a timely manner to specific deadlines
* Knowledge of outpatient procedures and processes in a hospital setting
Personal Qualities/Specifics
* Good written communication and English skills
If you apply for this vacancy and have not received a communication from North Bristol NHS Trust within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.
Please note that North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses relating to interview attendance.
If you feel you meet the requirements of the Disability Act / Two Ticks scheme and require further support/advice, please contact us on tel 0117 414 1151.
North Bristol NHS Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.
At North Bristol Trust (NBT), we know diverse and inclusive environments lead to happier and healthier teams and improved patient care and outcomes. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.
Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Application numbers
Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.
#J-18808-Ljbffr