Switchboard Operative - Plymouth

• To support the delivery of a professional, responsive and customer focussed call centre and reception function including all aspects of general administration, specialist system operation, and customer service across the wider Site Services department.
• The post holder will be required to receive, direct, and inform callers projecting a professional, polite image at all times allocating tasks to the portering team using a Task Management system to record, update, track and close-down requests.
• The post holder will deliver excellent customer care and undertake the role in line with the vision and values of the organisation to maintain a safe and helpful hospital environment, and display integrity, fairness exemplary personal behaviour and be a role model for other staff members.
• This role operates 24 hours / 7 days per week and is worked on a shift basis.
• The post holder will work and communicate with all internal and external stakeholders including patients, clinical and non-clinical hospital staff.
• This role has no budgetary control

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

• A switchboard/helpdesk operator will be required to respond to an influx of telephone calls both internal and external. The operator assists callers by answering the line and connecting the caller to the correct person or department
• Assist porters in ensuring their tasks are carried out
• Be an active member of the switchboard/helpdesk/reception team and support the delivery of a highly effective, quality, and responsive service
• Be a positive role model and actively promote the Trust’s values
• Support the Customer Support Manager to ensure that all services are available 24/7, patient focussed, and effective
• Provide cover as appropriate during periods of absence of any member of the customer services team
• Work accurately and methodically
• Work in a team but use own initiative
• Use IT/communications equipment
• Be confident using the phone
• Take day to day responsibility for the switchboard alarm systems
• Follow agreed policies with regards to major incidents, fire alarms and others
• Use a Task Management System for recording, initiating action and responding to the customer
• Undertake ad-hoc duties as requested by the Manager within scope of skills and capacity

Working for our organisation

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

• To be part of a 24/7 rota covering switchboard/Hotel Services Helpdesk/Site Services Helpdesk, and main reception duties on a rotational basis
• Ensure incoming calls are answered and processed in a polite & timely manner be friendly and welcoming
• be patient and understanding, deal with people who may be angry or upset
• work with all types of people
• Ensure emergency response calls to switchboard are processed and managed correctly in line with emergency procedures
• Be aware of the Major incident plan ensure that correct procedures are carried out in the event of a Major Incident and communicate with designated/relevant personnel.
• Ensure alarms connected with or communicated to Switchboard are processed to relevant on-call personnel and relevant 999 emergency services in the event of an alarm sounding.
• To assist in general switchboard duties including programming the bleep console, issuing batteries for bleeps/radiopagers, organising repairs for faulty bleeps, utilising the switchboard inbox to ensure on call rotas are received and communicated, informing Team Leader of any changes required to Trust directories.
• Ensure Planet Enterprise is kept up to date and calls are raised, prioritised, and processed in accordance with guidelines.
• Welcome visitors in a professional and courteous manner at main reception, ensuring queries are dealt with efficiently, including using PIMS to locate patient whereabouts as required
• Access PIMS to locate patient whereabouts as required
• Take the lead in fire alarm procedures to prevent public access through the main entrance when fire alarm in process
• Ensure full range of reception duties carried out, including assisting patients to locate wheelchairs, liaising with various departments, e.g. porters, bereavement services, PALS, replenishment of information leaflet stands in main concourse etc.
• Support new team members with training
• Be flexible in approach and support other Site Services help desk functions as required
• Provide wider departmental admin support to the Directorate as directed by the Site Services Management Team

Person specification

Knowledge & Experience

• Demonstrable experience in an administration environment
• Demonstrable experience of providing professional support to the public

• Previous healthcare / large clinical setting demonstrable experience

Qualifications

• GCSE’s 9-4 (A-C) in Maths & English and NVQ level 2 in either business administration or related subject or equivalent demonstrable experience

Aptitude & Abilities

• Ability to work on own initiative in a busy environment
• Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues at all levels of the organisation

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY INCLUDING YOUR JUNK FOLDER.

If you need support with the online application process or require reasonable adjustments with the application and/or interview process please contact the Recruiting Manager for this post.

We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We recommend contacting the manager of the role prior to applying and we commit to giving requests full consideration.

We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included.

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.

This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.

For Doctors Roles:

Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details

University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.

We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.

In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.

We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.

Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.

Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.

In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.