999 Emergency Call Handler - Norwich

East of England Ambulance Service; Norwich; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

East of England Ambulance Service seeks dedicated Call Handlers to manage 999 calls at our Emergency Operating Centre. You will work 12-hour shifts on a full-time basis, including days and nights, and provide calm, compassionate support to callers in distress.

Training is provided, and prior clinical experience is not required. Successful applicants will have two GCSEs including English and strong verbal and written communication skills.

Qualifications

• Two GCSE Grade C or above (or Functional Skills Level 2) including English.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills are required.
• Ability to work on own initiative and manage multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Answer 999 calls at the Emergency Operating Centre in a timely manner.
• Utilise triage software to determine appropriate response.
• Remain polite, courteous and respectful with patients, callers and peers.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Multi-tasking

Calm under pressure

Teamwork

Education

Two GCSEs including English

Job description

Can you keep a cool head at times of crisis? Do you care about others? Do you want a career helping those in need? If the answer is yes, then this could be the job for you!

We are looking for Call Handlers to work 12 hour shifts from Monday to Sunday. This will be a mixture of day and night shifts

Our emergency call handlers are committed, enthusiastic individuals who care about people. They must have the ability to listen and respond, processing information quickly and accurately into the Computer Aided Dispatch system. Customer service skills are important and the ability to remain calm and supportive as some callers will be experiencing significant distress and trauma, including the loss of a loved one. Being able to remain focused on giving the right advice and support despite experiencing the emotions of others is a real skill and strong calm communication is required.

All the training and mentoring you will need to undertake this role will be provided - no clinical experience is required; however, we do ask that you read the pre employment guidance which will support you when you commence training.

Please be aware we are looking for Full Time staff only, the Training & Mentoring period is fully paid & hours are Full Time.

Main duties of the job

Answer 999 calls that come into the Emergency Operating Centre in a timely manner. Utilise the clinical triage software system you will have been trained in to deliver a category of response to our callers. Please note, there may be a change to this software, in the future and if so, full training will be provided. You are required to be polite, courteous and respectful at all times when talking to patients, callers and your peers, in line with the Trusts values and behaviours. Working for our organisation

EEAST provides emergency services across a diverse region. Our Call Centre teams are a dedicated and resilient group, as the first point of contact with patients in their time of need.

Please be aware that you will be asked to provide evidence of the essential qualifications for this role prior to being selected for interview, these are; Two Level 2 qualifications (eg. GCSE Grade 4/C, pass in Functional Skills (or above)) of which one must be in English.

About us

You'll have the opportunity to work in one of the most diverse regions in the country, with the vibrant capital city just a stone's throw away and the invigorating North Sea coast to the east.At EEAST we bring together all our skills to provide 24 hour, 365 days a year urgent care to those in need of emergency and non-emergency medical treatment and transport in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.We are always looking to innovate our approaches and work together to offer the best possible patient care across our counties.We aim to represent and value the diversity of our local communities through our workforce and service provision. We therefore positively encourage applications from under-represented groups, such as Black, Asian, or other ethnic groups, individuals with a Disability, or LGBTQ+ individuals who meet the specific criteria.We at EEAST want to support our employees achieve a balance between work and other priorities, such as caring responsibilities, family commitments, further learning, and other interests. We therefore welcome flexible working requests.

Job responsibilities

For a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the role, including all its specific requirements and responsibilities, please consult the attached Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides an in-depth overview that will give you a clear and detailed picture of what the position entails.

Please note, should you be successful in your application, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks, prior to receiving an unconditional offer, if full employment checks cannot be achieved (this will include existing and unserved disciplinary sanctions), then your offer may be withdrawn.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Two GCSE Grade C (or above) of which one must be in English or Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths. OR One GCSE Grade C (or above) and pass Functional Skills Assessment Level 2 in English as part of the recruitment process.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Work on own initiative
• Prioritise and undertake numerous tasks simultaneously
• Remain calm under pressure
• Work as part of a high performance team

Personal Attributes

• High standards of personal professionalism
• Determination to meet targets
• Ability to judge priorities when dealing with emergency situations
• Willingness to learn
• Empathy and compassion

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.