Trainee 999 Emergency Call Handler

DO YOU THRIVE IN A HIGH PRESSURED ENVIRONMENT?

WANT TO BE THE FIRST PERSON SOMEONE SPEAKS TO WHEN THEY CALL 999?

BE THE VOICE TO REASSURE AND SUPPORT?

IF SO, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

This is a vital role for the London Ambulance Service, receiving and taking charge of all incoming emergency calls. You are the first point of contact for our callers and patients, some of whom will be distressed, anxious or panicking. Using effective communication, interpersonal and persuasive skills, you will deal with all callers in a professional manner in order to obtain the required essential patient information.

Using the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS), you will obtain an initial assessment of both the patient and the scene in an efficient manner. You will also be responsible for accurately recording essential patient information in a precise and timely manner.

This role is Band 3 rising to Band 4 on completion of 12 months service. After you have gained vital experience as a Call Handler, there is a clear Career path to being either a Emergency Resource Dispatcher (B5) or Emergency Call handling Supervisor (B5).

Main duties of the job:

You must be able to remain calm in an emergency. When people are panicking, your role is to be clear and assertive where required to ensure the caller remains focused. You will need to be able to follow a script and reassure the caller, but also to be firm where necessary about what they need to do.

Our staff are on the end of the line while new life is born into the world and we helped to deliver them. We provide support and reassuring words for someone alone with no one else to turn to. We stay on the line with those who are vulnerable having engaging conversations to find out more information. We are the voice that comforts those who have lost a family member and we are there, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Following a shift you will need to be able to switch off, which can be hard, especially after dealing with difficult calls. As part of a team, your colleagues are there for you and will help, support and enable you to realise the difference that you have made.

Who we are:

We are one of the world’s busiest ambulance services. We have around 8,000 staff and volunteers in our Service: around 3,300 frontline crews in ambulance stations across London, 500 people in our two 999 control rooms and hundreds of support staff based in our offices across the city.

Working for us is an experience like no other, in a city like no other. Whatever your role you’ll be helping people who need us the most.

Together, we all play a key part in making sure that we can respond to anyone needing our help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We are committed to promoting equal opportunities across everything we do, in terms of employment and training, providing services and our engagement and decision making. We welcome diversity and look for self-motivated, enthusiastic people from all backgrounds who care about making a difference.

What We Can Offer You

• Post-training salary of £32,740 per annum increasing to £35,469 per annum after 12 months of service*
• Unsocial hours enhancements (In accordance to NHS Terms and Conditions Agenda for Change section 2)
• Generous NHS Pension Scheme
• 27 days annual leave plus additional bank holiday leave allocated
• MPDS qualification (Nationally recognised triage system used in 45 countries)
• NHS Discounts in over 200+ stores including Holidays, Days out, Car insurance, Restaurants and Clothing

*Actual salary will vary dependent on the number of unsocial hours worked

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £26,618.00-£32,740.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee discount
• Store discount

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• 12 hour shift
• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Night shift
• Overtime
• Weekend availability

Application question(s):

• Have you ever been dismissed from previous employment?

If yes, please provide reason for dismissal

• Have you any unspent criminal convictions or bindovers, or any cautions, warnings or reprimands?

If yes, please give details

• Does your name appear on the Protection of Children or Vulnerable Adult lists?

If yes, please give details

• Are you currently or have previously an employee of London Ambulance Service NHS Trust?
• Mandatory field: Please outline your experience within customer orientated environment?

Please provide an example and ensure you are thorough with your answer

• Mandatory field: Please demonstrate your ability to work to deadlines without compromising on standard of performance?

Please provide an example and ensure you are thorough with your answer

• Mandatory field: Give a situation where you have demonstrated resilience when faced with distressing situations?

Please provide an example and ensure you are thorough with your answer

• Mandatory field: Please demonstrate your ability to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds?

Please provide an example and ensure you are thorough with your answer.

• Mandatory field: Please demonstrate your ability to handle stressful/sensitive situations with tact, diplomacy and assertiveness including self-discipline?

Please provide an example and ensure you are thorough with your answer.

• Mandatory field: Please demonstrate your ability to work as part of a team?

Please provide an example and ensure you are thorough with your answer.

• Mandatory field: Please demonstrate where you have used your skills to question and obtain relevant information (Inquisitive mind and proven questions skills)?

Please provide an example and ensure you are thorough with your answer.

• Mandatory field: Please demonstrate your ability to work to defined procedures and instructions (understanding of specific instructions/guidelines and able to follow as directed)?

Please provide an example and ensure you are thorough with your answer.

• Mandatory field: Do you have experience of using a telephone as a regular means of communication at work/or through voluntary/charity work? Please provide examples.

Please provide an example and ensure you are thorough with your answer.

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Shift availability:

• Night shift (required)
• Overnight shift (required)
• Day shift (required)

Work Location: One location