Switchboard Operator

East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Stevenage is looking for a skilled Switchboard Operator to manage incoming calls in a fast-paced environment. This full-time role requires someone who can remain calm under pressure and efficiently handle emergency situations. Ideal candidates will have good educational qualifications, experience in customer service, and a proven ability to multitask. This position operates on a five-day rota and may require night shifts. Join us to provide outstanding care and service to patients.

Benefits

Positive work-life balance

Flexible working patterns

Qualifications

• Proficiency in a computer-based switchboard.
• Experience in a busy switchboard setting.
• Understanding of hospital terminology.

Responsibilities

• Operate the switchboard, managing incoming calls.
• Monitor and route calls efficiently.
• Answer customer queries in a professional manner.

Skills

Multi-tasking

Calm under pressure

Excellent listening skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Good organization skills

Problem solving

Education

Good standard of education

Customer Care Apprenticeship Level 2 or equivalent experience

ECDL or equivalent level of experience

Tools

Netcall telephony system

Job description

East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust

Switchboard Operator

The closing date is 27 January 2026

We are recruiting for a Switchboard Operator who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.

The Trust switchboard responds to calls for the Lister, New QEII, Hertford County and Mount Vernon Cancer Centre from a centralised switchboard based at Lister Hospital.

The operator must proficiently work the computer‑based switchboard and must be able to make decisions and deal with emergency calls calmly and efficiently in a high‑level, fast‑moving environment, e.g. dealing with cardiac arrest calls, trauma calls, fire calls, major incidents, bomb threats, migas gas alarms and lift entrapments.

Staff are frequently required to work under their own initiative and make immediate decisions in the event of problems, especially when working unsupervised or alone. All staff endeavour to meet agreed response times; however abnormal fluctuations (emergencies, lone working) can significantly increase pressures on the service.

At the heart of everything we do are our core values: Include, Respect, and Improve. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will operate as a Telephonist, dealing with incoming calls, both external and internal.

This is a full‑time role working 37.5 hours per week on a five‑day rota, covering Monday to Sunday between 8:00am and 10:00pm as part of a service that operates 365 days a year. There may be occasions where the post holder will need to cover night shifts to support annual leave/sickness following the 8‑week training program.

Monitor progress of calls, routing them elsewhere if the extension is engaged or not responding.

To be able to communicate to a high level and pass on information accurately to the Supervisor/Team Leader, i.e. any changes to on‑call personnel and personal information requiring entry in the directory databases.

The successful candidate will answer and deal with customer queries in a professional manner.

About us

At East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.

We run the following hospitals:

• The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
• New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
• Hertford County, Hertford

We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient‑led Trust where dedicated staff provide high‑quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.

We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications / Training

• Good standard of education
• Clear speaking voice and a good command of the English language.
• Customer Care Apprenticeship Level 2 or equivalent experience
• ECDL or equivalent level of experience

Previous Experience

• Providing customer service to the public.
• High standard of spelling, accuracy, and numeracy.
• Experience of computer/telephone systems or equivalent knowledge
• Working in a large environment with considerable responsibility Lone working.
• Proven skills in operating Netcall telephony system or experience of similar.
• Knowledge of Hospital terminology
• Experience in a busy switchboard setting

Skills

• Be able to multi‑task.
• Ability to remain calm, tactful, and work efficiently and effectively under pressure.
• Able to converse with confidence and have excellent listening skills.
• Maintain concentration in a busy environment
• To be inquisitive and responsive and work under own initiative
• Able to retain information.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Good organisation skills.
• Problem solving

Knowledge

• IT/Keyboard Skills
• Basic Numeracy and literacy.

Other Requirements

• Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
• Role model our Trust values every day
• Must be flexible in working approach both in hours and duties performed.
• Ability to work without supervision.
• Good team working, flexibility
• Ability to work with people at all levels
• Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity, and inclusion

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 name

East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust