About this role
Job summary
Are you calm under pressure, customer-focused and looking for a role where every day makes a difference? Join our busy Switchboard Team at Weston General Hospital and become the vital first point of contact for patients, visitors, clinicians and colleagues across the Bristol NHS Group.
As a Switchboard Operator, you'll handle a high volume of calls, support emergency response procedures, operate paging and communication systems, and help ensure critical information reaches the right people at the right time. From assisting anxious callers to supporting emergency teams and maintaining essential contact information, no two days are the same.
We're looking for someone with excellent communication skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to stay focused in a fast-paced environment. Previous switchboard, call centre or customer service experience is desirable, along with confidence using IT systems and working as part of a supportive team.
In return, you'll receive full training, opportunities for development, and the chance to work with dedicated colleagues who play a critical role in supporting patient care and hospital operations. This role includes shift working, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
If you're reliable, adaptable and committed to delivering outstanding customer service, we'd love to hear from you.
Join us and help keep Weston General Hospital connected, responsive and caring, 24 hours a day.
Main duties of the job
Responsible for being the first point of contact for the hospital, for receiving and distributing calls from the public, GP's, internal callers, other hospitals and agencies etc. Calls can be connected to either an extension, exchange lines or to mobile staff via bleeps, mobile phones and radio pagers.
Use initiative and sensitivity when dealing with unpredictable situations including enquiries from anxious patients, patients with mental health problems, language and / or disability barriers, the media, complaints etc. Ensuing an appropriate and empathetic response to all.
To operate the switchboard consoles and bleep system to provide an efficient telephone service across the Trust.
To respond in accordance with designated written procedures when dealing with emergency and non emergency requests including :
- Adult Cardiac Arrest
- Paediatric Cardiac Arrest
- Mental health Psychiatric out of hours contacts
- Fire Alarms
- Medical Gas Alarms
- Blood Bank alarms
- Lift Failure / Entrapment Alarms
- Major Haemorrhage
- Pharmacy Alarms
- Panic Alarms
- intruder Alarms
- Major Incident Procedures
- Power Failures / Leaks
- Media Enquiries
- Switchboard Failures
- Paging System Failure
About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations,operatingfrom three main sites at Southmead, Bristol citycentreand Weston.
With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that theSouth Westhas to offer.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit andretaina workforce whichrepresentsthe rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your applicationin order toensurewe'remeeting our pledge.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Educated to GCSE Standard or equivalent in English and Mathematics.
- Qualification in IT or proven use of IT packages in previous employment over a sustained period.
Desirable
- Customer Service NVQ.
- Typing/word processing qualification.
- Knowledge of Data Protection and Patient confidentiality issues.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Previous Switchboard/Call Centre experience or Customer focused role.
- Experience of working well within a Team Environment
- Experience of working under pressure and managing a demanding workload.
Desirable
- Customer Care
- NHS Experience.
- Previous work within Emergency Services.
- Shift Work Experience.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills including confident/pleasant telephone manner.
- Able to retain information and pass on accurately whilst working in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to deal with Emergency/Life or Death situations and prioritise responses accordingly.
- Work autonomously.
Desirable
- Prepared to train/mentor others.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer name
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Weston General Hospital
Grange Road
Weston Super Mare
BS23 4TQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)