Switchboard Operator

NHS; Bury St Edmunds; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Bury St Edmunds is looking for a switchboard operator to manage a variety of calls, including emergency and general inquiries. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills and previous customer service experience. This role offers a salary of £24,937 to £26,598 per annum and requires flexibility in working hours.

Qualifications

• Experience working in a customer service role/environment is essential.
• Desirable experience includes working in a switchboard or acute hospital environment.

Responsibilities

• Answer emergency calls and manage incoming switchboard inquiries.
• Coordinate on-call rotas and issue alerts among departments.
• Book taxis for patient and staff transport when necessary.

Skills

Good communication skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Ability to work under pressure

Customer-focused telephone manner

Education

GCSE at A-C (or equivalent)

Job description

Overview

The job role within the switchboard office is varied, with a priority to answer telephone calls. In January we answered 33,662 calls and in February 28,782. Calls come into the switchboard via different lines and are answered in the following order: Emergency Calls, Emergency Communication Calls, GP Calls, External Calls, Internal Calls. Each operator has their own internal extension. The high priority call to answer is the Emergency line; in January we took 525 Emergency Calls and in February 459 Emergency Calls. These calls are not always straightforward and we use our initiative to achieve a good outcome.

Responsibilities

• Emergency calls that are made to the switchboard, usually via a 2222 call, including Maternity Emergencies, Paediatric Emergencies, Cardiac Arrests, Stroke Alerts, Stroke Thrombolysis, Massive Blood Loss, Traumas and RPI's. These groups are tested daily to ensure all emergency bleeps are working correctly, and after an emergency call we are responsible for getting the on-call teams to the right place; procedures vary slightly in and out of hours.
• External Emergency calls to the Fire Brigade and Police.
• On-call Rotas for all departments within the trust; we check these rotas daily and transfer this information onto our Doctors Board and issue a daily on-call list to various individuals across the trust.
• The booking of contract taxis to take a patient home, to take patients' medication or belongings home, arrange transfer of pathology samples, transfer staff between trusts, or collect staff who have gone on a transfer with a patient to another hospital; we also book contract taxis for the psychic liaison team for patients being discharged from A&E.
• Issuing of Loan Alertive devices.
• Assisting Site Manager with issuing Radios to on-call teams in the event of switchboard or bleep system failure.

Shift patterns

06.00-14.00

14.00-22.00

22.00-06.00

About us

#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community

We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.

The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.

Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.

We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and teamwork guide how we work and behave as a team.

With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.

We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyone's voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.

Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?

Details

• Date posted: 07 October 2025
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 3
• Salary: £24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum pro rata
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
• Reference number: 179-6726127-F
• Job locations: West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2QZ

Job description

Please see the full job description and person specification attached for more details on the job role.

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential

• GCSE at A-C (or equivalent) qualifications
• Basic skills in literacy and numeracy

Desirable

• NVQ in Customer Services, or willing to work towards

Experience Essential

• Experience of working within a customer service role/environment

• Desirable: Experience of working in a switchboard environment
• Desirable: Experience of working in an acute hospital environment

Skills/Knowledge Essential

• Good communication skills with the ability to develop effective working relationships throughout the organisation
• Good organisational skills and the ability to address and develop solutions to problems
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
• Evidence of good written and verbal communication skills
• Able to follow written instructions and procedures
• Good attention to detail

Personal Qualities Essential

• Ability to work alone, unsupervised, while prioritising conflicting demands
• Ability to cope with demanding and pressured situations
• Flexible approach to working hours and duties
• Dedication and commitment to the team
• Customer focused with an excellent telephone manner
• Approachable and tactful

Other

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service will be made to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants for entry clearance into the UK must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Guidance: Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Employer details

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

West Suffolk Hospital

Bury St Edmunds

IP33 2QZ

Employer's website: https://www.wsh.nhs.uk