Telephonist

Northampton General Hospital; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 21,000; Full time

Job summary

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust is seeking an efficient switchboard operator to work within the Unified Communications team. The role involves handling the Avaya switchboard, directing calls, and coordinating with emergency and paging systems to support staff and patients.

Excellent communication and a courteous, patient-centered approach are essential. The role may require day, evening, and night shifts, including weekends and bank holidays, to ensure 24/7 coverage.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Experience with switchboard or public sector contact centers.
• Knowledge of Avaya telephony systems.
• Ability to work 24/7 and flexible shifts.

Responsibilities

• Operate the Group's switchboard consoles in a courteous, efficient manner.
• Answer calls, connect outgoing calls, and log personal calls for billing.
• Monitor alarm and paging systems and guide crash teams.
• Provide first point of contact to patients, relatives or carers with non-clinical information.
• Provide out-of-hours reception cover and 24-hour switchboard support.
• Support training of new team members.
• Flex to weekends and night shifts to maintain 24-hour cover.

Skills

Avaya telephony

Switchboard operations

Excellent communication

Customer service

Education

Vocational level 2 education

Knowledge of health services

Tools

Pager solutions

Job description

In July 2021 we formed the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group, bringing together the constituent organisations of Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust. We have agreed an ambitious Group Strategy 'Dedicated to Excellence' which sets out our strategic ambitions and priorities for the coming years.

Working on the Trusts Avaya Telephone System the candidate will be required to operate the Central Communication service and its associated systems.

The ideal candidate must have excellent communication skills and be courteous and friendly and be responsive to the needs of the Trust and their users.

Working the hours of

Monday, Thursday and Friday 12.00 - 18.00

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be a member of the Unified Communications team responsible for working in the Switchboard using the correct processes and procedures for when staff are handling the Trust alarm systems, such as Fire Alarms, Theatre Medical Gas Alarms, Pharmacy Fridge Alarms, Intruder Alarms, Trust Bleeps and Emergency phone, and arranging the correct crash teams are guided to the correct location.

Act as a first point of contact to the Group. Providing general non-clinical advice, information guidance or ancillary services directly to patients, clients, relatives or carers.

To meet the needs of a 24/7 public facing service the post holder may be required to work shifts, including working a combination of daytime, evening and night-time hours on weekdays, weekends, to include Bank Holidays.

About us

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust is on an exciting journey with all of our divisions committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN). As part of this collaborative approach, there may be a requirement for you to work across both the Kettering and Northampton hospital sites, depending on the needs of the service.

Our Excellence Values

• Compassion
• Accountability
• Respect
• Integrity
• Courage

We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across UHN and help to unleash everyone's full potential.

UHN encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.

We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Silver Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme.

We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for UHN.

Job responsibilities

Main Duties To operate the Groups switchboard consoles in an efficient, courteous and friendly manner, answering calls within agreed timescales To answer incoming telephone calls and enquiries. To connect outgoing telephone calls made by users. To monitor and log, if necessary, information concerning all personal calls made by staff for re-charge purposes. Ability to adapt communication style to understand the needs of others and ensure effective and compassionate communication. Ability to communicate in instances where communication is difficult due to language barriers, distress, emotion, hearing difficulties etc. The efficient operation of the Groups paging systems for both emergency and non emergency calls. To be fully aware of the Groups Emergency process and the Switchboards responsibilities upon activation. Responsible for ensuring that all alarm and notification panels / screens are monitored, alerting the appropriate teams as quickly as possible.

Responsible for prioritising emergency calls and take the appropriate actions as quickly as possible. To provide Out of Hours reception cover as required dealing with general enquiries. Receive and document key transactions including accommodation for new and on call staff. To monitor CCTV cameras within the switchboard areas when requested. To receive deposits for accommodation using debit/credit card transactions ensuring relevant paperwork (receipts) are completed in line with the departmental procedures. Booking taxis for staff, patients and equipment. Responsible for ensuring that all staffing and on-call rota changes reported to Switchboard are made available to all staff. Contribute to the training of new team members. Flexibility in the hours worked will include cover at weekends and nights to ensure 24hour cover is maintained within Switchboard

Management and Leadership Contribute under direction to the implementation of the Group Digital Strategy, in line with Group, National priorities and initiatives. Technical Service Delivery Under direction ensure that routine maintenance and remedial work is appropriately scheduled and undertaken so that it does not adversely impact the availability of business-critical systems.

Educations, Training and Qualifications

• Educated to Vocational level 2 education or equivalent level of education, training or experience
• Knowledge of the provision of health services

Knowledge and Experience

• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Knowledge of Switchboard directories / telephony systems
• Experience of delivering a switchboard function preferably in the public sector
• Knowledge of Avaya telephony
• Knowledge of pager solutions and the management of pager devices

Skills

• Good verbal and written communication and presentation skills, suitable for a range of audiences.
• Ability to adapt communication style to understand the needs of others, ensure effective and compassionate communication.
• Ability to communicate in instances, where communication is difficult due to language barriers, distress, emotion and hearing difficulties.
• Advanced telephone and keyboard skills
• Able to clearly manage priorities for self, staff and teams in order to meet targets.

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.