999 Call Handler (Emergency Medical Dispatcher) - Exeter

Integrated Care System; Exeter; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading ambulance service in Exeter as a 999 Call Handler, where you'll play a crucial role in emergency response. Ideal candidates will have strong data entry skills and the ability to manage high-pressure situations while providing excellent customer service. Enjoy competitive NHS benefits, including generous leave, ongoing training, and opportunities for career progression.

Benefits

27 days holiday entitlement, increasing with service

Pay enhancements for out-of-hours work

Opportunities for career and salary progression

Car leasing scheme

Free parking at Trust sites

Discounts from various UK organizations

Qualifications

• Experience of accurate and quick data entry using a keyboard.
• Basic computer literacy.
• RSA Stage 1 keyboard skills.
• First Aid at Work certification.

Responsibilities

• Record accurate information and provide advice or reassurance during calls.
• Process emergency calls and establish patient care needs.
• Work in a 24/7 shift environment.

Skills

Data entry

Customer service

First Aid

Job description

Go back South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

999 Call Handler (Emergency Medical Dispatcher) - Exeter

The closing date is 27 July 2025

Ambulance Service: is the patient breathing?

Do you want to make a difference to our patients as part of a supportive and motivated team?

Would you like NHS benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement and NHS Pension?

Would you like to develop your career within the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)?

If you answered yes to these questions, then start your career with the South Western Ambulance Service EOC, where the patient journey begins.

When you ring 999, your call goes through to one of our two Control Rooms based in Exeter and Bristol. Our trained Call Handlers are the first point of contact for the ambulance service during medical emergencies. Not every call will be a matter of life or death, but how you listen, interpret, and respond will make a vital difference. You will record accurate information, sometimes under difficult circumstances, and offer advice or reassurance. You will enter details onto a computer system about the patient and their condition, establishing the seriousness of the illness or injury to ensure the patient receives the right care at the right time.

Main duties of the job

Please refer to the attached 'Full EMD advert' document for full details of this vacancy.

Part-time hours will be considered through a flexible working application, reviewed on a case-by-case basis. For more information, please visit Balancing Patient Care and Employee Well-being (swasft-joinus.co.uk)

Please note that this role operates 24/7, 365 days a year (including bank holidays, weekends, days, nights, etc.), and involves shift work.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an assessment centre.

For further insight, view this video: https://vimeo.com/742269034/8e60f54da6

Please note, we are recruiting to a holding pool for upcoming course intakes.

About us

Working for us is an experience like no other. We provide emergency and urgent care 24/7 across the largest ambulance region in England, responding to an average of 2,650 incidents daily.

We are committed to providing the best care, reflected in our five-year strategy focused on continuous improvement.

The role is based in Exeter, a vibrant city with excellent transport links, shops, cafes, and bars.

If you embody our values of one team, compassion, and innovation, and want to make a real difference, we want to hear from you.

We will equip you with the skills and resources to thrive, offer opportunities for progression, and support continuous development.

• A standard 37.5-hour workweek
• Holiday entitlement of 27 days, plus public holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
• Pay enhancements for out-of-hours, shift, and overtime work
• Opportunities for career and salary progression
• Car leasing scheme
• Free parking at Trust sites
• Staff networks
• Discounts from various UK organizations

Job responsibilities

For more details, see the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Experience of accurate and quick data entry using a keyboard
• Basic computer literacy
• RSA Stage 1 keyboard skills
• First Aid at Work certification

Previous Experience

• Experience dealing with the public in a customer service environment

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This role is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. A Disclosure check will be required to screen for any criminal convictions.

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust