Switchboard Operator

Go back Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 01 February 2026

Are you looking for a new challenge? Do you want to join an enthusiastic team?

Then apply to join our friendly, professional and fast-paced Customer Services Department (switchboard).

This is an outstanding opportunity to join our fast growing, forward thinking Customer Services Switchboard Operators team who provide a high quality of service dealing with varied queries and especially urgent/emergency calls.

As a Customer Services Operator(Switchboard) you would be expected to ensure that our patient/visitors  experience follows the Trust values, supporting and respecting our patients/visitors/staff at all times. Applicants will be expected to be excellent communicators, responsive, effective, calm and provide a courteous service in any circumstance during their shift.

The ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate high standards of customer care to build caller confidence whilst ensuring an efficient call handling service, balancing performance with excellent customer service delivery. There may be shifts that require lone working once the postholder is fully competent following extensive training and experience. Call centre or switchboard experience is essential.

We look forward to receiving your application today.

To be considered you should ideally have previous experience operating a telephone system switchboard console preferably within the NHS or a critical service environment. Reception experience or work within the NHS but other experience may be taken into account. Applicants must have a strong telephone manner.

You will need to possess excellent literacy and good numeric skills, be confident and able to work under pressure whilst remaining polite and courteous at all times, as these are essential requirements for the role.

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and wellbeing of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust

The Switchboard is a 24/7 service.

Candidates must be flexible and able to commit to a varied shift pattern.

This can include weekends, unsocial hours and public holidays including Christmas.

A rolling 8 week rota pattern which includes the following shift times:*

Early 06.00am to 14.00pm

Late 14.00pm 22.00pm,

Night 22.00pm 06.00am.

* This is subject to change as due to staff sickness or vacancies. Applicants must be flexible

Please see attached a full job description setting out the details of the role and responsibilities.

Full training will be given to successful candidates

We look forward to your application.

Previous applicants need not to apply.

• Demonstrable customer service experience
• Call centre or switchboard experience
• Previous experience within a medical setting
• Previously worked shift work
• Previous work experience in call centre or working on telephones

• Proficiency using Microsoft Office programs, including Microsoft Word and Excel
• Good level of literacy demonstrated through minimal mistakes on application form

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.

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

£24,937 a year

Per Annum (Pro Rata for Part Time)