Call Handler- Whalley Range, Manchester. inManchester inManchester PUBLISHED THU 16 JAN 2025

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet our minimum selection criteria at each stage of the selection process. We will not tolerate discrimination on any of the following: gender, marital status, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, religion, age, disability, working pattern, caring responsibilities trade union activity or political beliefs-or any other grounds.

The Trust is currently under-represented in terms of staff from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. We encourage applications from all backgrounds to improve the diversity of our workforce and to better reflect the communities we serve to provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place; every time.

The Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy early if a large number of applications are received.

Due to the volume of applications received for our advertisements, we will only contact those candidates shortlisted for interview via email; we aim to do this within 4 weeks of the closing date. If you do not receive the email, it will be that you have not been shortlisting on this occasion. When applying for this position, it is essential that you read the job description and person specification fully. Please use the supporting information space to demonstrate your ability to undertake this role, drawing on your skills, knowledge and experience.

We also offers a range of excellent benefits including a pension scheme, up to 33 days Annual leave (exclusive of bank holidays), training and development opportunities, access to NHS discounts, Car Lease Scheme, Cycle to Work Scheme, NHS Mortgages and Childcare Vouchers.

Job Overview

Location: We are recruiting for Call Handlers based at our Integrated Contact Centres (ICC) in Whalley Range, Manchester.

Salary: Band 3. Basic pay £24,.00 rising to £25,674.00 after two years. For potential earnings with shift enhancements/unsocial hour payments but not including overtime, a typical call handler on a basic salary of £24,336.00 who works approximately 25% of their hours as unsocial hours could expect to get paid in the region of £30,000.00 per annum, before tax and deductions.

Are you someone who thrives in high-pressure environments? Do you have a passion for being the first point of contact for those in need when they need us the most? Can you provide a voice of reassurance and support? If so, North West Ambulance is looking for individuals like you to make a real difference!

Join our team and take on a vital role as a call handler for North West Ambulance.

You will need experience of data input (Office 365) and a high standard of keyboard/typing skills. Experience of working in a call centre or customer service environment is desirable. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for providing excellent customer service. You will also have a flair for telephone communication and enjoy working in a role that is challenging as it is rewarding.

Main duties of the job

Call Handlers working in an integrated call centre will be the person managing a variety of calls from a wide range of different patients. Calls may range from people requiring general medical advice, emergency dental treatment or looking to arrange ambulance transport ahead of an appointment. The call handler gathers as much information as possible, where applicable, assess the call, and provide clear, correct advice that could potentially save a life, whilst remaining calm under pressure.

Handling a wide range of calls and thriving amid the challenges this presents, requires an outstanding amount of resilience and emotional strength as you will be supporting unwell and upset patients at their time of need. Your support will make a difference to lives and requires people who can be there for those that need it, sometimes in the face of adversity and trauma.

This is a highly pressurised environment where you may be in contact with people in extremely stressful situations; our callers can be upset, angry, anxious, or hysterical. People call the ambulance service for a variety of reasons, and you would need to be confident in dealing with a range of people in varying situations. You will be working in a fast-paced environment and must be able to adapt to change quickly and must be aware of the stresses of the role and what impact this may have on you as an individual, considering these points carefully before applying

Working for our organisation

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides 24 hour, 365 days a year accident and emergency services to those in need of emergency medical treatment and transport.

Our highly skilled staff provide life-saving care to patients in the community and take people to hospital or a place of care if needed.

We also provide non-emergency patient transport services for those patients who require non-emergency transport to and from hospital and who are unable to travel unaided because of their medical condition or clinical need.

Alongside the other emergency services, we also work to ensure the safety of the public and treatment of patients in the event of a major incident.

We also deliver the NHS 111 service in the North West. NHS 111 replaced NHS Direct in 2. This service was introduced to make it easier for people to access local NHS healthcare services in England. It provides non-emergency medical help fast, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Successful candidates will have to deliver correct care advice and guidance to callers dependent upon the reason for the call. Full training will be given to the successful candidates and an excellent career structure is available for future career progression. A full range of shifts will need to be covered, including bank holidays, public holidays, weekends and may include working nights. If your shift falls on a bank holiday, it will form part of your working hours. This includes the Easter and the festive period. Due to the nature of the hours only applicants over the age of 18 can apply for this role.