Switchboard Telephonist

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust; Torquay; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider in Torquay is seeking an operator for telecommunication services responsible for handling 24/7 switchboard operations. The ideal candidate will manage emergency communications, provide information to staff and the public, and maintain efficient departmental organization. Strong analytical skills and a commitment to customer service are essential. This role offers an opportunity for individuals who thrive in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Analytical and judgement abilities.
• Responsibility and accountability in all tasks.
• Knowledge of major incident procedures and emergency response.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.
• Proficiency with paging, bleep, and page one systems.
• Ability to work independently and exercise initiative.
• Experience with training/coaching of new staff.
• Familiarity with health and safety and information protection regulations.

Responsibilities

• Answer incoming calls and provide information or redirect accordingly.
• Respond to internal emergency requests and take appropriate actions.
• Activate Major Incident Procedures as required.
• Manage pager communications and maintain departmental organization.
• Provide patient enquiry service to the public.
• Organize requests and log jobs as necessary.
• Ensure proper housekeeping of switchboard areas and equipment.

Job description

Overview

As the first point of contact for the telecommunication service for the Torbay & Newton Abbot Hospitals of the Trust, operators are responsible for providing an efficient switchboard/information service 24/7 to all staff and the General Public.

Responsibilities

• Answer incoming calls in a courteous and timely manner and process accordingly (advise, provide information, re‑direct call etc).
• Respond to internal emergency requests (e.g. violent incidents, cardiac arrest, trauma) and take appropriate actions.
• Activate the Trust's Major Incident Procedures in appropriate circumstances.
• Ensure the correct procedures are followed and emergency services contacted in response to alarms activated in the switchboard (e.g. intruder, fire, lift, medical gases, attack alarm, boiler alarm, lone workers).
• Manage pager communications via the Trust's short and long‑range paging systems.
• Answer calls for the Facilities helpdesk out of normal hours and enter requests onto the relevant IT system.
• Provide the Trust's patient enquiry service to members of the public out of hours.
• Set up and maintain systems to facilitate good departmental organisation and record keeping.
• Out of hours transport booking for Theatre Staff etc.
• Organise porters/deep clean requests from wards, logging on to Backtraq system and coordinating jobs to relevant staff.
• Complete read and act upon the daily handover sheets between shifts within the department.
• First response for major incidents.
• Develop a sufficient understanding of the extensive working practices and specialities/departments/named individuals within the Trust's hospitals; knowledge of this information to be continually enhanced and developed along with frequent changes.
• Work independently and use own initiative when deciding on a range of options.
• Assume the appropriate level of responsibility in the absence of a manager or supervisor, to deal professionally with consultants, managers and Trust colleagues who physically visit the switchboard for a variety of reasons.
• Implement the switchboard/telecommunication agreed operational procedure for continuity of service when a telecommunication line/network failure has been identified using initiative for various faults and organising contingency plans.
• Undertake training/coaching of new staff providing appropriate guidance, support and mentoring to colleagues until signed off as competent.
• Provide cover for telephonists' annual leave and sickness absence as and when required.
• Maintain and housekeeping of all switchboard related areas, reporting any faults and ensuring areas are clean, tidy, and unobstructed.
• Key management/giving out doctors accommodation keys out of hours and recording of such information.
• Attend major incident refresher training as and when required.
• Replace bleep/pagers, batteries, and re‑programme any faulty bleep ensuring grouping details such as crash details are still suitable for response to emergency situations; provide appropriate instruction and demonstration to users; safe use of organisational expensive equipment of IM&T infrastructure switchboards.
• Operate the switchboard consoles, bleep and page one system to provide an efficient telephone service across the Trust.
• Collate daily all information for rotas for telephonist information re: clinical and non‑clinical personnel; ensuring all changes are recorded as and when informed.
• Operate the staff paging systems in accordance with agreed procedures; monitor the fire and general alarm systems for Torbay and the surrounding community hospitals.
• Operate 2‑way radio communication systems in use within the Trust for security and helideck.
• Register any changes of information for medical and non‑medical staff i.e., home/mobile numbers, residence extensions/addresses, internal extension number changes, radio pager details and additional contact details.
• Update any changes of information for local, national hospitals, health centres, clinics, and other relevant institutions.
• Use the IHCS system to identify the location of patients in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
• Operate all other communication systems used within the telephone exchange.
• Follow up and record information regarding cardiac arrest calls within required timescales.

Qualifications & Skills

• Analytical and judgement abilities.
• Responsibility and accountability in all tasks.
• Knowledge of major incident procedures and emergency response.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.
• Proficiency with paging, bleep, and page one systems.
• Ability to work independently and exercise initiative.
• Experience with training/coaching of new staff.
• Familiarity with health and safety and information protection regulations.