111 Health Advisor (Call Handler) - Gillingham

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust; Gillingham; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional ambulance service in Gillingham is seeking an empathetic 111 Call Handler (Health Advisor). You will respond to urgent calls and provide assistance or advice, showcasing excellent communication skills. The position offers a competitive salary, flexible hours, and comprehensive training, along with career progression opportunities within the NHS system.

Benefits

Generous NHS Pension Scheme

35 days annual leave inclusive of Bank Holidays

Unsocial hours enhancements

Qualifications

• Ability to work well within a team and independently.
• Fast and accurate typing skills.
• Demonstrate high levels of personal commitment.

Responsibilities

• Provide assistance in emergency situations through 111 calls.
• Demonstrate compassion and empathy to callers.
• Direct callers to appropriate services.

Skills

Caring and empathetic

Great communication skills

Flexibility

Problem-solving

Calm under pressure

Education

GCSE Maths and English (Grade C or above)

Job description

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 - £24,937 to £26,598 per annum (full time 37.5hrs per week)
• Hours available – 15, 16, 17, 20, 24, 25 30 and 37.5 hours per week. Rota options are attached to the vacancy to ensure you can commit to the rotas based on the hours you are looking for.
• 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 £22,816 to £24,336 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

Training schedules

Weeks 1 - 3 - Classroom Training, Monday - Friday, 08:00 - 16:00 / 16:00 - 00:00

Week 4 & 5 – Mentoring, this will be a variable shift pattern whilst you shadow your coaches shifts

Weeks 6 - 9 – Diamond Pod, variable shift pattern

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 Sunday 16 Nov 2025