Out of hours Despatcher | Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in Wokingham

Westcall, the GP out of hours service for Berkshire West, is looking for motivated and driven individuals to join us in our Out of Hours Operations team on a part-time basis working during evenings, nights, weekends, and Bank Holidays. If you are looking for a new and exciting challenge, look no further.

We have a role available within our dynamic operational team who are the first point of contact via telephone for both patients and healthcare professionals across Berkshire, supporting referrers to make referrals to the Westcall service and other community services. We are looking for an individual with a high attention to detail, who can work comfortably in a fast-paced environment, communicate confidently via the telephone, and has experience in managing challenging conversations in a sensitive manner. Flexibility and the availability to work additional hours on an ad-hoc basis during out of hours is desirable. This is a hybrid role once training has been completed.

Successful candidates will be expected to offer availability on bank holidays including those over festive periods including Christmas, New Year, and Easter.

• Answer incoming calls in a courteous, helpful, and professional manner representing the initial contact with the service.
• Ensure that patients’ contact details are entered accurately onto the system databases.
• Receive incoming referrals to the Berkshire Integrated Hub and collect supporting information from the referrer, patient, and other agencies.
• Monitor the Berkshire Integrated hub mailbox for incoming referrals.
• Ensure incoming referrals are processed in a timely manner to meet service requirements and are referred onto the appropriate service, ensuring all supporting documentation is completed and referred on.
• Efficient and accurate recording of data on the Adastra and RIO electronic patient management systems including details of clinical symptoms, relevant past medical history, and medication where appropriate.
• Assist other members of the operational team including nursing, reception, and driving staff with complex and challenging situations including emergency calls, patient complaints, and security issues.
• Assist operational shift leads with managing workflow, despatching, and allocation of work to clinical colleagues.

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we’re committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance.
• 27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell.
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities.
• ‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles.
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services.
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants.
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment, and armed forces community to support equality.
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption, and special leave.
• Free parking across Trust sites.

The “must haves” for you to be considered for this role:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, experience of confidently communicating via the telephone and in managing challenging conversations in a sensitive manner.
• The ability to work effectively individually and as part of a team.
• The ability to remain calm under pressure.
• A patient-centered attitude.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification. We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted. We’re committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed. We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have.